Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce Hosts 2023 City Update

Terre Haute, Ind. – Terre Haute’s momentum toward achieving its goals of halting population decline and reversing the trend of declining per capita personal income were on full display during Thursday’s annual Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce City Update. Mayor Duke Bennett gave a presentation on the multifaceted approach the City of Terre Haute and See You In Terre Haute Community Plan are putting behind the concerted effort.

Mayor Bennett closed his presentation with remarks about how the reputation of Terre Haute continues to improve. “As you leave here today, continue to be a supporter of what we are doing,” Mayor Bennett told the crowd. “It’s not about the Mayor, or the commissioners, it’s about all of us as a community. More has happened in the last ten years than the previous thirty or forty for a lot of reasons.”  

Quality of life improvement projects spanning multiple pillars of the Community Plan are underway. Economic development efforts feature $758 million in private investment, which has amounted to the creation of more than 1,000 jobs.

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds are also planned to be put to good use. The local ARPA Team has identified funding buckets including: housing, public safety, parks, small business assistance, child care, food deserts and more.

“Since the inception of the See You in Terre Haute Community Plan, we are seeing huge leaps ahead in growth and development in Terre Haute, Vigo County and West Central Indiana,” stated Kristin Craig, Executive Director, Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce. “While the plan was a huge undertaking for the Chamber to lead, the benefits to our entire community are well the investment.”

On a state level, the Wabash River River Development Authority, a six-county West Central Indiana region was awarded $20 million as part of the Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative program (READI), which is a $500 million injection into Indiana’s economic development last year. The State Legislature has already indicated that another round of funding is in the works for this session and the Wabash River RDA will continue to improve the area.

While financial investment in the community has been tremendous, the sources for the funding have been from sustainable sources. For the eighth straight year, Terre Haute has a balanced budget. “We’ve come a long way,” explained Mayor Bennett when discussing the financial state of the city.

Infrastructure saw big projects completed with even more on track for completion in 2023. The City Hall parking lot project as well as Turn to the River Phase 1 were a part of the progress made. The city paved 8.66 miles of road and 1.38 miles of sidewalk were replaced.

Trail maintenance took place along Poplar Street, around Memorial Stadium and Hulman Street.

The city’s west side saw big changes with the Prairieton Road and Hulman Street Trail intersection getting a complete makeover.

The City Update saw the largest crowd since its inception. Over two hundred people from different industries and organizations gathered at the Terre Haute Convention Center for the annual event.