The community of Sheldon, Iowa is welcoming a brand new hotel to their town, a Holiday Inn Express, the first hotel to be built along the new Highway 60 expressway. Officials have broken ground on the project.
The $4.6 million hotel is a unique partnership between the facility's owners and the city. They'll use tax increment financing, and the hotel pool will serve as the community's indoor public pool. The city is also in the process of building an outdoor pool. Aquatic recreation will now be available year-round in Sheldon.
The completion of the Holiday Inn Express will realize the third of three goals for Sheldon: food, fuel, and now lodging along the new expressway. The Iowa Department of Transportation recently completed a project to bypass the town, but as Sheldon's making sure they're not forgotten.
Some small towns shrink at the idea of losing access to their main streets. Not Sheldon, Iowa. With construction of the new highway inevitable, the city began planning for its arrival all the way back in 2001. In fact, they're depending on the bypass to boost business.
"The city took the opportunity to purchase the land and to put infrastructure out here, and to go out and recruit the type of businesses that would be draw people off of the expressway," says economic development director Mark Gaul.
Among the businesses filling in space along Highway 60 are fast food restaurants and a gas station. Taco Johns is one of several existing businesses that made the move closer to the expressway also hoping to bank off the bypass.
Downtown Sheldon is also abuzz with activity. Revitalizing the century old street is a new clothing store, book store, salon, and a new café.
“If there is a model or something to be learned, that if all the groups get together and put together a plan, and they're all willing to work together we can accomplish anything," believes Gaul.
It's the kind of cooperation that's key to keeping Sheldon on the map.
Officials say a joint study with Briar Cliff University showed that a few of Sheldon's businesses did suffer after the bypass opened last September.
However overall, they say sales tax revenue has increased 20-percent this year.
Business Booms in Sheldon, Iowa
09/12/2007© 2004-2005 -- All Rights Reserved.
