La Crosse Area Development Corporation

1. La Crosse Area Development Corporation

2. LADCO’s Mission • The La Crosse Area Development Corporation serves a “triad of development” throughout the La Crosse Area: • the attraction of business • the retention of business and industry • and co-management of the Coulee Region Business Center, small business incubator.

3. LADCO Project Overview Coulee Region Business Center I.C. System Lakeview Business Park Advanced Fiber Products River Steel

4. LADCO Events Keynote Speaker Richard McCreary, President/CEO Marinette Marine Corporation Thursday, September 9th, 7:00 a.m. Radisson Hotel Ballroom • Annual Meeting • Economic ForumTM Series • Oktoberfest in the Capitol • La Crosse Area Promotion Day

5. Business Plan Competition • 14th Annual Competition • 35 award winning business plans • Majority in operation today • 2010 awards presented at Industry Appreciation Breakfast – Sept. 9th

6. La Crosse Industrial Park Corp. (LIPCO) • Partnership between the City of La Crosse, Xcel • Energy and LADCO • Involved in economic development projects where • real estate is the deciding factor • Five year lease arrangements with buyout • provisions Past Project: 2nd & King Past Project: PACAL Industries

7. LIPCO Plant 6 - Before

8. LIPCO Plant 6 - After

9. LIPCO Plant 6 Project Facts • Site Size: @ 12 Acres • Anticipated Redevelopment Value (to be articulated by follow-on developer): $15 - $18 million • Project Grants: • WI Department of Natural Resources - $250,000 • WI Department of Commerce - $165,000 • Environmental Remediation: to be completed by Trane Company • Site Availability: Fall 2010

10. Empire Builder High Speed Rail Coalition Higher Speed & More Frequent Rail Service along the Existing Mississippi River Route • Advantages of Empire Builder Route • Amtrak’s most Successful Long Distance Route • 20% local cost share will be shared equally between WI & MN based on miles of track in each state • WI & MN need to rally behind most cost effective & “shovel ready” route to avoid loosing federal funding to competing corridors across the country • Existing Passenger Level Trackage that requires less infrastructure upgrades • Existing Right-of-Way to accommodate Double Trackage which is critical in maintaining Freight & increased Passenger service simultaneously

11. March 18, 2010

12. High Speed Rail:  A Conversation with Talgo & Amtrak" Derrick James, Amtrak Senior Government Affairs Director Joshua Coran, Talgo Director of Operations

13. Other High Speed Rail Advocacy Efforts • Joint Communiqué with West Central High Speed Rail Coalition (Eau Claire Route Supporters) • Advocating for: • Additional focus on passenger rail service • Additional service on the Empire Builder Route ahead of high speed • Commuter service between Eau Claire and Twin Cities • Student Survey of Business Use • Businesses are very interested in utilizing high speed rail • Frequency is a critical component to making this a viable alternative • Over 50 letters of support from local business and over 1800 petition signatures • Multiple News Advisories and communications to Elected Officials • Milwaukee Bucks vs. MN Timberwolves Train Trip/ Meeting with Senator Kohl

14. Route Decision & Implementation • Route Alternatives Study (Service Level NEPA) • Completion Date: 2011 • Being Completed by a consultant under contract with WI DOT & MN DOT • Process/ Outcomes: • Data-driven process to select the most feasible and cost-effective routes (likely up to 4 routes) • Once complete, states can to apply for subsequent corridor development funding • Next Steps & Timeline • Environmental Engineering: @ 5 years; beginning as early as 2011 - 2012 • High Speed Travel : As early as 2016 - 2018 • Additional Trains: Could be added sooner, at current 79 mph • (Source: Research by Tom Faella – La Crosse Area Planning Commission; MN Rail Plan, FRA, etc)