Michael Langley gave the excellence award to Jerry Acy

WASHINGTON, DC (Sept. 19, 2017)- The River Ridge Development Authority (RRDA) won a Bronze Excellence in Economic Development Award for Indiana Army Ammunition Plant Reuse, a project in the category of Real Estate Redevelopment & Reuse of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC).

The honor was presented to Jerry Acy, Executive Director at RRDA, at an awards ceremony during the IEDC Annual Conference recently held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

“On behalf of the IEDC board of directors and Excellence in Economic Development Awards Advisory Committee, congratulations to the River Ridge Development Authority. Not only did they work to provide a necessary service to their community; but also, their participation in the awards program sheds light on their stellar project which other communities can now use as a benchmark.” – Michael Langley, FM, CEO of GREATER MSP, Minneapolis–St. Paul, MN, and 2017 IEDC Board Chair

In 1998, Clark County, Indiana created a Re-Use Authority, the River Ridge Development Authority (RRDA), for the purposes of accepting conveyance of the 6,000-acre former Indiana Army Ammunition Plant, managing and leasing the real estate and improvements of the property, removing conditions of blight, and developing the 6,000 acres into a commerce and industrial park to increase the economic well-being of Clark County and the State of Indiana.

The RRDA board of directors is appointed by four local units of government and one from the state. RRDA operations are managed by a staff of 15.

In 2004, the 6,000-acre park was named River Ridge Commerce Center (RRCC). Property transfers began in 2005 and were completed in 2016.

In 2010, RRDA adopted an updated master plan in order to guide development within RRCC into a world-class business and manufacturing park. The Park consists of a 1,547 Certified Megasite, a 300-acre Office and Research Campus and an Industrial Park. The RRCC is a main contributor to economic growth and job creation in the Southern Indiana/Louisville, Kentucky Metro, with over 7,000 employees on-site and $1.7 Billion in overall annual economic impact. This impact includes industrial output, disposable income, local and state taxes.

“The awards process is a thorough, non-biased and multi-layered process. These are extraordinary accomplishments for all winners, and an overall great effort by all participants. We look forward to next year’s awards competition,” Langley said.

About the International Economic Development Council

The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) is a non-profit membership organization serving economic developers. With more than 5,000 members, IEDC is the largest organization of its kind. Economic developers promote economic well-being and quality of life for their communities, by creating, retaining and expanding jobs that facilitate growth, enhance wealth and provide a stable tax base. From public to private, rural to urban, and local to international, IEDC’s members are engaged in the full range of economic development experience. Given the breadth of economic development work, our members are employed in a wide variety of settings including local, state, provincial and federal governments, public-private partnerships, chambers of commerce, universities and a variety of other institutions. Among many activities which benefit the economy, IEDC’s members create high-quality jobs and develop vibrant communities. www.iedcONLINE.org.