Greensburg Council Approves ERA Establishment, Data Center Abatement

(WRBI Photo)

(Greensburg, IN) – Greensburg City Council approved the creation of a 550-acre Economic Revitalization Area (ERA) Tuesday night.

The area includes the Business Enterprise Park, which is located along I-74 and opposite Honda’s Indiana Auto Plant.

That property was annexed by the city earlier this year with the next step being the ERA establishment.

The ERA is the statutory authority that gives government entities the ability to offer abatements and incentives to companies.

Toward that end, council gave the thumbs up to a 10-year, 60-percent real property tax abatement for Jumping Bison LLC, which looking to build a data center in the ERA.

Jumping Bison is a U.S.-based company, and plans a two-phase project with a $400 million investment for each phase.

The company has also agreed to pay all staff at 125-percent of the average wage in Decatur County.

Bryan Robbins with the Greensburg/Decatur County Economic Development Corporation says this has been in the works for a long time, but there are more steps to go in the process.

“We’re excited that the city council is supportive and there have been a lot of people who have contributed to this, and get this far, and we look forward to keeping it moving,” Robbins said.

The motion to approve the ERA establishment and tax abatement passed by a 7-0 vote.

Council also unanimously approved a 10-year tax abatement for Northern Land Company LLC.

Matt Whitaker spoke on behalf of Whitaker Construction and told council that a Marriott-Fairfield Inn and Suites four-story hotel with 100 rooms would be built on Veterans Way.

The project is a $14 million investment, with the creation of 15 to 20 jobs that will average $20 an hour.