Committee reports 3,000‑square‑foot Innovation Center lease at Emtek, RDA funds to hire coordinator

Payson Economic Development Committee members reported that the city secured roughly 3,000 square feet in the Emtek building for an Innovation Center and approved use of Redevelopment Agency (RDA) rent budgets to hire someone to run the facility.

Committee members described the lease as an 11‑year agreement that was prepaid, and said the RDA will help cover rent to fund a coordinator post. "We did get the lease approved for that Innovation Center. It was about 3,000 square feet in the Emtek building, and the Emtek's also approved the lease, and then we also approved, through the RDA rent budgets to help to hire somebody to run the innovation center for us," a committee speaker said.

The committee reported receiving $10,000 from CC Bank to help fund the coordinator position. Members said the building owner and the city had agreed to terms allowing the city to recover prepaid funds if a different location is later chosen.

Planned amenities discussed for the center include a podcast/recording room, small conference spaces, co‑working desks and maker‑space equipment such as 3D printers, an electric embroidery machine and laser cutters. Committee members said a full industrial laser cutter was popular at other centers and that the site will include flexible conference rooms that can hold up to roughly 140 people when not in use on the Innovation Center floor.

Committee members expected the Emtek building to be finished in July and said equipment selection and procurement were ongoing. No detailed vote tallies or mover/second information were recorded in the transcript for the lease or RDA authorization; committee members characterized both as approved at the meeting.

Ending: The committee said the Innovation Center will serve as a business resource and training site; staff will return with details on equipment lists and operations ahead of opening.