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Why you should consider doing business

In Western Nebraska

Keith Ellis, Community Development Director

Keith Ellis, Community Development Director

There are many considerations when

choosing a place of business. To help

you quickly learn about our region

and resources, we have assembled

this kit with summary information

about our communities.

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Welcome to the Valley .................................................................................................................................. 3

Twin Cities Development Association, Inc .................................................................................................. 4

City of Scottsbluff History .................................................................................................................... 4

City of Gering History .......................................................................................................................... 4

Where We Are (Geographic Location) ...................................................................................................... 5-6

Aerial Map of the Region...................................................................................................................... 7

Regional Demographics ............................................................................................................................... 8

Transportation (Highways and Airport) .................................................................................................. 9-10

Utilities ....................................................................................................................................................... 11

Taxes and Rates ......................................................................................................................................... 12

Healthcare ............................................................................................................................................. 13-14

Education .............................................................................................................................................. 15-16

Contact Us .................................................................................................................................................. 17

Go online and visit our website at www.tcdne.org to learn more about:

Major employers and industry

Geography and Climate

Available properties for development

And much more…

View of the National Monument located in Scottsbluff/Gering

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Thank you for considering Western Nebraska for your next place of business. We know that you have many choices when it comes to starting or expanding your operations, and we are honored that you have considered the valley! We believe that you will find the Scottsbluff/Gering communities to be an excellent place to live, yet business friendly with quality employees to work with, a lower cost of living and doing business, and an abundant quality of life. Those of us who have called the area home for years are excited for you to join the community and get involved with all that it has to offer.

Life in the Valley

Scottsbluff/Gering is a twin cities community located in Western Nebraska; the area is known as the

Panhandle.

Scotts Bluff National Monument

Population of approximately 30,000 combined

Primary trade area of more than 50,00

Secondary trade area of about 125,000

Although the city is a host to many businesses and amenities; it provides a quality of life that most people

look for in a community. Our residents have a strong sense of community pride, value of neighborhood,

and a strong work ethic.

Things to Do

We are conveniently located to larger metropolitan areas. You can get away to a concert or opera or for a

fun ski weekend in the mountains or just stay home and enjoy the lake just 6 miles north of town and

experience boating and fishing or go hiking in the Wildcat Hills just outside of the south end of

Scottsbluff/Gering. Wildcat Hills offers 30,000 acres of public land surrounded by a beautiful setting in the

great outdoors.

Abundant trails for biking

Hiking

Site-seeing

Bird watching

Fishing

Golfing

Hunting

We are proud to have an abundance of outdoor recreational opportunities and entertaining things to offer-

all this in addition to several community events and festivals offered throughout the year. There is never a

lack of things to become involved in. Scottsbluff/Gering is an area where you can truly make a difference

and be a part of the community. So on behalf of all who live in Western Nebraska, we welcome you to

explore our region that is far from ordinary.

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TWIN CITIES DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION, INC.

Economic Development for Western Nebraska

Twin Cities Development Association, Inc. (TCD) is a non-profit organization,

founded in 1985, and is the economic development organization for Western

Nebraska. It is the goal of TCD to support economic development activities that

create jobs and bring new capital into the area, as well as support the expansion of

existing businesses.

CITY OF SCOTTSBLUFF HISTORY

Scottsbluff is a city in Scotts Bluff County, in the western part of the state of

Nebraska, in the Great Plains region of the United States. The population was

15,039 at the 2010 census. Scottsbluff is the largest city in the Nebraska

Panhandle, and the 13th largest city in Nebraska.

Scottsbluff was founded in 1899 across the North Platte River from its namesake, a

bluff that is now a U.S. National Park called Scotts Bluff National Monument.

CITY OF GERING HISTORY

Gering is a city in Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska, United States. The population

was 8,500 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Scotts Bluff County. Gering

was founded in 1887 at the base of the bluff that is now the center of Scotts Bluff

National Monument. It was named for Martin Gering, a pioneer merchant. The city

of Scottsbluff was founded across the North Platte River from the bluff in 1900.

Separated only by the river, the two cities have since grown together and now form

the 7th largest urban area in Nebraska.

Downtown Scottsbluff at the Twin Cities Development Association, Inc. Building

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Scottsbluff and Gering

North-South and East-West Transportation Corridor

Nebraska State Highway 92 adjacent to North side of property. One-Quarter ¼ miles east of Agromac

are On-Off- Ramps to the Heartland Expressway, the North-South Super-4 lane highway that connects

to Interstate 80 (South) and Rapid City, SD and Interstate 90 to the North.

The North/South Corridor includes the designated Heartland Expressway from Mexico to Canada. The

Corridor runs right through Scottsbluff and Gering, NE on Highway 71/Highway 385 and is a natural

stopping point as it is a geographical “half-way” point.

The East/West Corridor is on Interstate 80 that runs from the East Coast of the United States to the

West Coast. Transportation of product to market can usually be completed in less than 1 to 2 days

shipping by truck to most locations in the United States.

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“We welcome your business to locate in

our Scottsbluff - Gering community. Here

is an open invitation to come see us and

experience what we love about our

community every day.”

Tony Kaufman , Gering Mayor

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2016 Population and Ethnicity Data

Category 2016 Regional Census

Population 48,795

Male 23,958 (49.9%)

Female 23,940 (49.1%)

White (Non-Hispanic) 37,236 (76.3%)

Hispanic 9,007 (18.5%)

Other 2,443 (5.0%)

Black 211 (0.04%)

2014 Education Attainment (25 years and older)

High School Diploma or more 88.4%

Bachelor’s Degree or more 17.9%

Gering 18-Hole Golf Course

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Regional State Connections

City, State Distance in Miles

Cheyenne, Wyoming 99

Fort Collins, Colorado 143

Casper, Wyoming 175

Rapid City, South Dakota 194

Denver, Colorado 199

Colorado Springs, Colorado 267

Lincoln, Nebraska 403

Omaha, Nebraska 451

Traffic Counts

Highway Count 26 (East and West of Scottsbluff) 12,850

71N (Through Scottsbluff) 10,795

92 (East of Scottsbluff) 4,290

71S (South of Gering) 5,580

(On an average day based on Nebraska Department of Roads 2014)

Leading State Highways

Highway 26 East leads to Alliance

Highway 92 East leads to Bridgeport

Highway 71 North leads to various cities within the Southernmost parts of

South Dakota

Highway 26 West leads to various cities within Eastern Wyoming

Highway 92 West leads to various cities within Eastern Wyoming

Highway 71 South leads to various cities within Northern Colorado

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Airport - Railway Access - Bus Lines

Airport (Regional) Western Nebraska Regional Airport, longest

runway 8,279 feet

Airport (International) Denver International Airport (195 miles)

Lincoln Airport (LNK) (399 miles)

Omaha Nebraska Eppley Airfield (460 miles)

Railway Access Burlington Northern Santa Fe (Scottsbluff)

Union Pacific (Gering)

Bus Lines Denver Coach (Scottsbluff)

Inside Scottsbluff Airport Aerial View of the Western Nebraska Regional Airport

Burlington Northern Santa Fe in Scottsbluff

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Electricity Nebraska Public Power District City of Gering

515 1st Ave. 1025 P St. Ste. A

Scottsbluff, NE 69361 Gering, NE 69341

(877) 275-6773 (308) 436-6800

Serves the City of Scottsbluff Serves the City of Gering

http://www.nppd.com/contact-us/customer-service-centers/ http://www.gering.org/

Water, Sewer and Disposal City of Scottsbluff City of Gering

1818 Avenue A 1025 P St. Ste. A

Scottsbluff, NE 69361 Gering, NE 69341

(308) 630-6220 (308) 436-6800

Serves the City of Scottsbluff Serves the City of Gering

http://www.scottsbluff.org/ http://www.gering.org/

Telecommunications (Gigabit Internet Available!)

Charter Communications ALLO Communications

1204 Avenue B 1450 10th St.

Scottsbluff, NE 69361 Gering, NE 69341

(855) 866-2397 (866) 481-2556

www.charter.com www.allocommunications.com

Vistabeam High Speed Internet 1606 Broadway Ste. E-3

Scottsbluff, NE 69361

(888) 251-0920

www.vistabeam.com

Natural Gas Black Hills Energy

625 Ninth St.

Rapid City, SD 57701

(888) 890-5554

www.blackhillsenergy.com

B & C Steel

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Property Taxes *

The average effective property tax rate in the State of Nebraska is 1.88%

The average effective property tax rate in Scotts Bluff County is 1.70%

* NOTE: These rates are subject to change. Please contact the Scotts Bluff County Assessor at

308-436-6627 for verification.

Sales and Used Tax Rate

Entity Sales and Use Tax Rate Total Sales and Use Taxes Rates

State of Nebraska 5.5% (.055) 5.5% (.055)

City of Scottsbluff 1.5% (.015) 7.0% (.070)

City of Gering 1.5% (.015) 7.0% (.070)

Income Tax – State of Nebraska

Nebraska’s individual state income tax ranges from 2.46% to 6.84%.

The State Office Building located in Scottsbluff The Scottsbluff Middle School after renovations

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Regional West Medical Center: Multispecialty Medical Group

Level II Trauma Center – One of only three in the State of Nebraska

The third largest hospital in the state

2015 recipient of the Patient Safety Excellence Award, ranked in the top 10% for patient

safety nationwide

Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year

4021 Ave. B

Physicians

Over 200 Specialized Physicians Offices located within Scottsbluff/Gering

Dentistry

Over 30 Specialized Dentistry Offices located within Scottsbluff/Gering

Regional West Center in Scottsbluff

Webb Elite Health Center

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Emergency Medical Transportation

EagleMed

A subsidiary of Air Medical Group Holdings, EagleMed is accredited by the Commission

on Accreditation of Medical Transport Services (CAMTS).

All aircraft are completely configured and medically equipped for mission critical

transports that transform the aircraft into a flying Intensive Care Unit.

EagleMed is located at the Western Nebraska Regional Airport and is available 24 hours

a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year

Valley Ambulance

Valley Ambulance has been serving the communities of Scotts Bluff County for over 40

years.

Providing both Emergent and Non-emergent Paramedic Services, the staff at Valley

Ambulance consists of EMT’s, AEMT’s, Paramedics, Critical Care Paramedics, and

Tactical Paramedics and are Nationally Registered.

Valley Ambulance is located in Scottsbluff and is available 24 hours a day, seven days a

week, 365 days a year

Valley Ambulance in Scottsbluff

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Public School District Campuses Scottsbluff High School Scottsbluff Middle School 313 E. 27th St. 27 Broadway & E. 23rd St. Scottsbluff, NE. 69361 Scottsbluff, NE. 69361 308-635-6230 308-635-6270 Lincoln Heights Westmoor 2214 Ave. C 1722 Ave. K Scottsbluff, NE. 69361 Scottsbluff, NE. 69361 308-635-6252 308-635-6255 Roosevelt Longfellow 1306 9th Ave. 2003 5th Ave. Scottsbluff, NE. 69361 Scottsbluff, NE. 69361 308-635-6259 308-635-6262 Gering High School Gering Junior High School 1500 U St. 800 Q St. Gering, NE. 69341 Gering, NE. 69341 308-436-3121 308-436-3123 Northfield Elementary School Lincoln Elementary School 1900 Flaten Ave. 2200 Pacific Blvd. Gering, NE. 69341 Gering, NE. 69341 308-436-5555 308-436-2350

Gering High School Scottsbluff High School

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Post Secondary Campuses

Western Nebraska Community College University of Nebraska-Lincoln 1601 E. 27th St. 4502 Ave. I Scottsbluff, NE. 69361 Scottsbluff, NE. 69361 308-635-3606 308-632-1480

UNMC College of Nursing 1601 E. 27th St. Scottsbluff, NE. 69361 308-632-0413 Regional High School Diploma or Higher: 88.4%

Regional Bachelor’s Degree or Higher: 17.9%

Western Nebraska Community College (WNCC)

UNMC College of Nursing students learning hands on skills

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Twin Cities Development Association, Inc. Economic Development for Western Nebraska

1620 Broadway

Scottsbluff, NE 69361

(308) 632-2833

Official Website: www.tcdne.org

Email: twincities@tcdne.org

Twitter: www.twitter.com/tcdne

Facebook: www.facebook.com/tcdne

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/twin-cities-development-63a91845

Check us out on Business in Focus magazine:

https://www.businessinfocusmagazine.com/e_mag/BIFNAFeb2018/#?page=118

Business in Focus magazine article on TCD