The Jay Industrial Authority recently celebrated the ribbon cutting for a new business industrial park with a $1.43 million investment from the Progressing Rural Economic Prosperity (PREP Fund) awarded by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. Becki Farley, the Mayor of Jay, expressed gratitude for the funding, stating that it will allow for necessary infrastructure improvements to the park that would have otherwise taken a considerable amount of time and funds. These improvements will create opportunities for businesses to open and provide much-needed jobs for the community. The partnership with Commerce is seen as invaluable, and the hope is to continue this relationship in the future.
The new industrial park in Jay will enable the city to attract new businesses and companies looking to expand in Oklahoma. Construction of a new road within the park, funded by a USDA grant applied for by the Cherokee Nation, has begun. The road is named Gadugi Road, which means working together in the Cherokee language.
Tina Lindsay, the Director of Business Development at the Department of Commerce, highlighted the importance of programs like SITES in assisting communities with legacy improvements to industrial sites and fostering economic development in the state. The PREP Fund, established in 2021 as part of the Commerce-led Supporting Industrial Transformation and Economic Success (SITES) Program, aims to address statewide site infrastructure needs to meet the demands of existing companies and those looking to establish operations in Oklahoma. So far, 29 other communities in Oklahoma have benefited from the program.
The partnership between Commerce and Jay is expected to lead to further economic prosperity for
