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Council hears Sallisaw industrial expansion could bring thousands of jobs
Summary
Council members and staff reported recent business recruitment in Sallisaw, citing an industrial tenant with a 250,000 sq ft site and plans for a 400,000 sq ft building and an estimated 2,000 jobs; speakers praised local collaboration and cultural ties to Cherokee Nation land.
Council members and staff described an uptick in industrial and economic development activity in Sallisaw during the meeting. Career services and commerce staff reported recent work with developers and partners; an unidentified council member said SouthSoft and related suppliers are expanding operations in the Sallisaw industrial area and that associated businesses are seeking land and utility capacity.
The unidentified speaker said one existing facility measures about 250,000 square feet and a second planned building could be about 400,000 square feet, and estimated the broader build-out could create roughly 2,000 jobs. The speaker attributed the location choice partly to the cultural draw of Cherokee Nation territory and praised collaboration among commerce staff, county and state partners.
Diane Kelly of Career Services highlighted the department’s outreach and economic-development partnerships, saying staff have been active in Sallisaw, Inola and Claremore and praised colleagues including the deputy chief and local council support. The council recognized individuals who represented the tribe at a recent National Native American Employment Training Conference and noted local congratulations for staff work.
Councilors and staff discussed infrastructure needs such as land, electric capacity and substations to support the planned industrial growth. No formal resolutions or funding allocations for the Sallisaw projects were recorded in this meeting; the discussion was presented as an update and recognition of ongoing coordination.
