Business in Sidney
Built on a consolidated economic development partnership, Sidney and Cheyenne County are in a strong position with momentum for the future. Many successful companies dot the Sidney Landscape, with Cabela’s, “The World’s Foremost Outfitter,” long-term commitment to growth and success serving as the catalyst. Numerous expansion plans are underway by the industrial, business and residential sectors of the community. Sidney area industries have announced that approximately 1,200 new jobs will be created over the next five years.
From 1991 through 2007, $300 million in new community and economic development projects were completed in the Sidney area, creating a pro-business atmosphere where the economic indicators blossomed to record levels. The annual average wage income soared to the number one position among all the communities in the 300 miles stretching over the 65 western Nebraska counties west of York. Sidney and Cheyenne County now rank in the top 5 counties for per capita wages in Nebraska.
Building permits have averaged $13 million a year over the past 10 years, which compares to a $3 million average over the previous decade. For 15 consecutive years the local economy hit or exceeded the $10 million permit economic threshold.
As the atmosphere was created to enhance business and industry developments, area industries found the local economy conducive for growth and expansion, new investment and job creation. Industry expansions occurred several times at Cabela’s, ADC Telecommunications, Memorial Health Center, Egging Manufacturing Company, Progress Rail, Pennington Seed, Nienhueser Construction and Excavation, Adams and Son Trucking, Glover Industries, Master Trading / Convert-a-Ball, Hooter Industries, Crossroads Cooperative, Scoular Grain, KSID Radio, Sidney Sun-Telegraph, U.S. Aprons, Anderson Forest Products, Sidney Warehousing & Industrial Sites, Sioux Meadows Industrial Park, Con-serv Flag, Commercial Resins and PerforMax Stone. Several additional projects are in the planning stage.
Taxable sales increased each year from $46 million in 1990 to $150 million in 2007. Lodging revenues quintupled from $1.1 million annually to $5.5 million. Motel rooms increased from 220 to 600 during the past decade and a Holiday Inn conference center was built, helping land approximately 600 regional and statewide conferences. Total vehicles on the three main arteries bisecting Sidney totaled 6,680 per day in 1988. By 2004, the latest year that traffic statistics are available, that total escalated to over 17,000 per day – a 200 percent increase.
Nebraska’s Department of Labor documented an 85 percent increase in employment in the private sector from 1980-2005, and housing started jumping significantly in the past decade. These statistics are strong indicators of the economic strength of the Sidney area. Agriculture has also had major production price gains the past couple of years. The community’s emphasis to diversify by adding focus on the industrial sector and interstate development over the past 20 years has helped strengthen the region, riding the highs and lows of other sectors of the economy. Three industrial park areas have been established and the city of Sidney purchased a 90-acre tract on the east edge of the community for future industrial development. New ownership and additional emphasis on development has taken place at the Sioux Meadows I-80 Industrial Park and Sidney Warehousing and Industrial Sites northwest of Sidney. Numerous trucking companies also serve this area, where over 1.5 million square feet of warehouse/commercial space exists.
The Interstate-80 commercial development opened in 1988, anchored by Cabela’s retail store that was recognized as Nebraska’s number one attraction in 2006. Now 45 businesses doing $250 million in annual retail sales with $150 million of new investment with 3,500 jobs are located in this area. As a whole, Sidney has over 6,400 jobs. The Sidney / Cheyenne County Economic Development Partnership is working on additional projects at the I-80 Exit 59. Wal-Mart Super Center opened in January of 2004.
Downtown improvements are also underway. Sidney became an official Main Street Community in 2003 with a downtown district listed on the National Register of Historic Places. An aggressive incentive program was implemented in 2005 to encourage property owners within the historic district to restore the historic facades of their properties. More than fifteen building facades have been refurbished since the inception of the incentive program.
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