Someone wants to create a $1.7 billion Good Life District in Papillion.
But who — and exactly where it would go — is not yet public.
The Nebraska Department of Economic Development confirmed it is reviewing an application.
The name of the district, according to the department, is The Station Good Life District.
Good Life Districts are a new state economic development tool. They are aimed at supporting unique projects that attract new industries and grow and strengthen the state’s retail, entertainment and tourism industries.
Within such districts, the state’s 5.5-cent sales tax is cut in half. That makes room for the local city council to make up the difference with sales and use taxes or occupation taxes on transactions within the district. The revenue generated helps develop the district.
Applicants must provide the state with estimates of the investment and job creation.
The applicant for the Papillion district estimates total new development costs at $1.668 billion and creation of 2,906 new jobs, a department spokesperson said.
Several local government leaders in Papillion and Sarpy County said, however, they had been unaware of the application and could provide no details.
Papillion Mayor David Black said a representative of the applicant gave city leaders a “heads up†that an application was being filed.
But city officials didn’t get details or learn who is behind it, he said.
“We didn’t get any specific boundaries, and we didn’t get anything specific of what’s in it,†Black said. “The information we got was general investment and general jobs, but it was exactly what they put on their application.â€
Four ‘Good Life’ districts already approved
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If approved, the Papillion district would be the third in Sarpy County.
The state already approved creation of a 2,000-acre Gretna district in and around Omaha’s Nebraska Crossing shopping mall at Interstate 80 and Nebraska 31.
Mall owner Rod Yates, who applied to create the district, has said he wants to bring a USA Volleyball training center or to his development.
In his application, he estimated the district would involve a $3.2 billion investment and create nearly 30,000 jobs.
Leaders in the City of Bellevue received approval for a district located near the intersection of Highway 75 and Highway 34. They plan to create an entertainment district anchored by a .
Two other districts have won state approval.
In Omaha, the Avenue One project at 192nd and Dodge streets is estimated to involve a $1.4 billion investment and creation of more than 4,000 new jobs.
In Grand Island, Woodsonia Real Estate got approved for a district with an estimated $550 million investment and creation of 5,000 new jobs.
Under Nebraska law, no more than five Good Life Districts may be created statewide.
The Papillion district, if approved, would be the state’s fifth.
Black said that upon approval, city officials would want to know the exact boundaries, the proposed uses and whether it fits with the city’s comprehensive plan.
As yet, he said, the city hasn’t received any concrete information that would trigger a review.