Discover Sevier County, Utah

With a strategic location, two business parks, and a can-do attitude, Sevier County is ready for business.

By BF Staff
From the July/August 2022 Issue
Sevier County, Utah
Malcolm Nash, Executive Administrator, Sevier County, Utah

Sevier County, UT is home to the Salina Business Park and the Richfield City Business Park. Immediate access to Interstate 70 makes both locations ideal for markets throughout the entire western U.S. including Los Angeles, Denver, Las Vegas and Phoenix—all within a day’s drive.

Read on for an interview with Sevier County Executive Administrator Malcolm Nash.

Business Facilities: Tell us about Sevier County, Utah. Where are you located and what industries can be found in the area? What is the economic development strategy?

Malcolm Nash: Sevier County is located in south-central Utah, where Interstates 15 and 70 intersect halfway between Denver, Colorado and Los Angeles, California. We are five hours from Las Vegas and three hours from Salt Lake City. We are also located within three hours of five national parks. And Richfield—the county seat—is the regional center for retail shopping, business, industry, and tourism-related activities. We have a county population of 20,000, and 60,000 within 50 miles.

Sevier County is home to the Salina Commercial Center and the Richfield City Business Park. Immediate access to Interstate 70 makes both locations ideal for markets throughout the entire western U.S. including Los Angeles, Denver, Las Vegas and Phoenix—all within a day’s drive. Both locations are ideal for light manufacturing, warehousing and distribution, and general business services. Distribution is well-served here. Sevier County has six to eight major trucking firms, and the two largest firms employ over 250 people each.

In 2019, Sevier County was part of a team that commissioned Colliers to perform a study alongside the study on the potential for Salina Business Park, and attracting business to Sevier County. Over the past 10 years, most of Utah’s economic growth has happened along the Wasatch Front, with economic activity less robust in the rural parts of the state that rely on more traditional industries like mining and agriculture. The Colliers study revealed to us strategies that we are employing to bring business to the county.

Salina Business Park has the potential to complement the existing community and solidify its reputation as a place where people want to live and recreate.

BF: Tell us more about the Salina Business Park and the Richfield Business Park.

MN: The Salina Business Park, which was the focus of the Collier study, is located at the mouth of Salina Canyon. With more than 400 acres available for development, Salina can accommodate uses ranging from light manufacturing to large industrial facilities. The location is within a half-mile of Interstate 70 and within 30 miles of Interstate 15. Several major trucking firms call Salina home making a ground transportation easily manageable.

Each parcel is all ready for building with electricity, water, wastewater, etc. The City Council has zoned for commercial uses including warehouse and distribution facilities. With zoning already in place, a company can move in quickly and barrier free. In addition, there has working relationships with major construction firms in place that can provide full-service needs.

Sevier County, Utah
Salina Business Park in Sevier County, UT is a 445- acre site ready for manufacturing and warehousing. (Photo: Sevier County, Utah)

The Richfield Business Park is owned by Richfield City, and it is 20 acres of developed, shovel-ready land zoned for commercial use including warehouse, manufacturing, and distribution facilities.

Electrical services at Richfield is from Rocky Mountain Power. Utah is approximately 92% coal power generation, while solar farms are currently being built around the state including approximately 10 miles from this site. Natural gas is provided by Dominion Energy.

Telecommunication infrastructure at the site is also established. Landline services are provided by CenturyLink and CentraCom including T-1, T-3 and DSL speeds for internet connection. Wireless services provided by InfoWest up to T-3 speeds. And, fiber optic lines are available in the state highway that is 100 yards from site.

BF: Please highlight an economic development program that’s having an impact. Is it existing or new?

MN: Sevier County offers REDI Grants to companies creating high-paying jobs here. The Rural Employment Incentive (REDI) is administered by the state of Utah in rural communities.

As the program literature states, REDI Grants: helps companies create new high-paying jobs in rural Utah communities. The companies can be located anywhere, and the jobs can be remote, in a satellite hub or office, or physically located in the same county or community as the business.

Eligibility for the REDI program is based on the employee’s work location. To qualify for the REDI program, a business must offer new employment positions in rural counties or municipalities with a population of 10,000 or less.

Sevier County, Utah
(Photo: Sevier County, Utah)

There are incentive tiers based on a company’s job creation:

  • $4,000 for each new full-time employee position in a county where the average county wage is equal to or greater than the state average wage
  • $5,000 for each new full-time employee position in a county where the average county wage is between 85% and 99% of the state average wage.
  • $6,000 for each new full-time employee position in a county where the average county wage is less than 85% of the state average wage
BF: What else should readers know about Sevier County, UT?

MN: The two major communities in Sevier County, Richfield and Salina, are both full-service cities providing water, wastewater, law enforcement, and emergency medical services. Richfield is home to an outstanding hospital with its own surgical center and access to all types of specialties.

Sevier County is at the center of a number of world-renowned national parks, including Capitol Reef, Zion’s, and Bryce Canyon. It also has Fish Lake with its picturesque alpine vistas of high mountains surrounding a deep blue lake.

And, the Sevier Valley Center, a 5,000-seat arena and an 800-seat performing arts theater that hosts a number of cultural, athletic, and conference events every year.

Check out all the latest news related to Utah economic development, corporate relocation, corporate expansion and site selection.