Its time to talk about what is happening on Exit 25. Expo Center, Harley Davidson, Applebees, Ridgeview Commons, etc. There is alot happening, and alot that isn't. Whatever your opinion, lets talk about it.
1. The interstate exits are too old and small for the traffic volume now, and the traffic to come. Bob Terrell addressed that.
2. Property prices are equal to that of most cities, and your opinions on that depends on if you're buying or selling.
The positives:
1. The Expo Center "should" be a great asset to the area. We'll never know if it'll work until it opens, and everyone has an opinion on its success. Either way, it's coming and that's that.
2. With our first national chain restaurant of it's type, Applebee's will, I think, draw other types similiar and hopefully a couple of higher end restaurants to this exit. In many towns our size, after the first one comes, a few more will soon follow.
There is some basics to get the ball rolling, I'm sure there's more, so, lets hear them.
I cant wait for the applebee's. They have great food and their prices are resonable. I tend to disagree a little with the "as one comes others follow"... ie Hazard, Pikeville, and Prestonsburg each have one national chain but other brands have shyed away. It could be due to not having an interstate system, or population, not sure. The new development on the hill should be a nice attraction, and being next to the Hospital will help. I like the name they used... sounds more big city...
This is a great subject. South Corbin has one of the brightest futures of any area off I-75. The road infrastructure does need to be vastly improved as soon as possible.
This area is so important to Corbin and our area. I want Corbin in Knox County to grow and do well, but the occupational tax there goes to the City of Barbourville and Knox County. I have heard that the only city in Kentucky that receives tax revenue produced in another city is Barbourville. Our city should file suit to test this unfair situation.
We have some very good business people in South Corbin. We need to improve Downtown Corbin and Sherea Myers is doing a good job leading that effort, and South Corbin is key to our future.
I have yet to figure out how this happened. Whitley pays 75% of the occupational tax earned in the city back to the city. Knox should do the same. I am not much on lawsuits, but something should be done.
Someone is spending some money on the lot up from ElDorado's. Their doing an awful lot of dirt work to be just trying to sell it.
Someone here said it was a casino, but, I think they were just being funny.
I've heard it's a hotel and a small strip shopping plaza. That came from one of the men working there. I saw him coming out in a truck, and went to Arby's, and I was going there too, and just asked him. He wasn't positive though, but said he heard the people that owned the lot talking about it.
I haven't heard what the new area just pasat Eldorado's is going to be. I've heard a hotel and casino (the casino part is just a joke when folks talk of it), but, the hotel answer keeps coming up. It must be something in the immediate future, as they're spending a ton of money there.
Also, the new Walgreens is supposed to be out there somewhere as well.
I've heard the new center where AJ Carr is building could house the Walgreens, as well as down by the Swifty station.
Another is the corner by the bypass, on either side of the road. I think Vance owns one side, R L Owens the other and that corner. Just a rumor.
Also, a new one came up, a new Pizza Hut. I was at the old Pizza Hut last week, picking up and order, and talked with the girl ringing up my order. I commented on the age of the building, and the small size, and also the lack of seats and them not being able to sell beer. Her comment, "The new one will sell beer." My face lit up, and then after asking "where", she just replied, "South Corbin". I sure hope that rumor comes to fruition.
The Steak & Shake ads keep coming up in the paper, advertising in corbin and london. I love Steak & Shake. Again, another south corbin construction rumor, with the location rumor being next to Wendy's, and also Arby's (the old gas station).
The developers are building a Strip Center. I know this due to I have the blueprints on the buildings and am negotiating work with the developers.
Walgreens:
1 location will be at the corner of 25E and Trademart. Across from Dairy Queen. 1 location will be at the corner of 18th St. and Main. (Peach Corner)
I am positive about both because I have the blueprints on both and have been in negotiations with the General Contractor on work as well.
Pizza Hut:
As I understand from the real estate dept that is in charge of Pizza Hut development, they are looking at a location for their new prototype building in South Corbin. The exact location is not confirmed as of yet, nor is the exact plan as to when one will be built.
Steak and Shake:
According to the owner, there will be one built in Corbin on Exit 25, and again no decision has been made as to the location or exactly when it will be built.
It is going to be exciting on the south end for the next couple of years as new and updated buildings are built.
Could be the person likes to drink a beer with their pizza, of which there is no place in corbin you can do that with now, except Tuscany, and their pizza is straight out of a box and tastes even worse.
What's wrong with wanting a beer with your meal? Nothing as far as I can see.
A.J., Where is the entrance to your center going to be? Will it be next to the Days Inn, or on up a little bit in front of Applebee's?
A.J., Where is the entrance to your center going to be? Will it be next to the Days Inn, or on up a little bit in front of Applebee's?
Right now the plans is to keep our entrance where it is now. There will be a road that goes from our property to the hospital road, by way of easement, for individuals wanting to go from the hospital into a restaurant or hotel on our property, they will not have to go back down onto 25.
There is proabably going to be a red light somewhere between the hospital and our site. Not sure yet who is going to get it.
We ate at Captain D's in london today, and the asst. manager said they were going to open a store in corbin, on exit 25.
Along with that seafood announcement, the kids at at Long John Silvers saturday, and was told there going to put one on exit 25 as well, that it would be one of those multi-face restaurants, like Long Johns- A&W types together.
Then, my daughter's in laws told them a Bob Evans was coming to south corbin, as apparently, there is supposed to be 2 more hotels built on that exit as well.
It's amazing when you talk to folks what they say. It all happened with a courteous conversation with the restaurant staff in these various places, when the staff just asked "Where you all from". When they said, "Corbin", the info just came on out.
I hope those places do come in, it'll be a big boost to our tax base as far as property, insurance, and food taxes goes. They don't pay much, but then, lately, all the good paying jobs in corbin are going north, or just going.
Many months ago Bob Terrell posted a summary of "Why" Corbin needs to grow population & property wise and the benefits the city would get, I would urge Bob to re-post that summary as folks should at least read it, then see if what he is saying makes sense.
The current problems with retention of police, fire, technical personel the city has invested in hinges on a larger more expanded city, Simply remaining the same over the next few years will exaserbate a cuurent problem that will only get worse.
The city must choose what road it wants to go down, stay the same and everyone look the other way or expand the city, which will not be easy. It takes vision and aggresive philosphy to expand and grow, there will be lawsuits, naysayers and many tough battles along the way but in the end it will be well worth it.
The easy road is to simply do nothing, no challenge to laurel, knox, whitley as far as expanding, no attack startegy, no forward thinking, just simply keep what we have now intact, show up for a few meetings and return home each night?
My advice, adopt a plan that is Aggresive, retain the best people people in the World, Nation, State, Local Area who have one Goal, to Expand the City, Increase our Tax Base and Retain our most valuable resources, The Hometown Talent we have in Grade Schools & High Schools.
Heard a Bob Evans and an ihop was looking at land in south corbin.
Where did I hear this, from the Bob Evans staff in Lexington when we ate there a little over a week ago, and the ihop issue came from a local contractor that was contacted by them.
As the new Expo Center nears completion there will be all kinds of new growth in South Corbin. I don't think that the Harley guy used very good judgement.
I agree. I'm sure all these rumors of business's aren't going to come around, but some will. And, some we don't hear about will come through too.
I think A.J. will do fine with his development, and the other one up from Eldorado's as well.
The Expo Center, however, is a big issue for concern among a great number in and around corbin, particularly the city limits people. If this thing goes belly up, or doesn't produce what it needs to break even, and the tax payers end up footing the bill, it won't be a good time to live in the city of corbin.
I've even heard Jim Vance has stepped down a notch and is truly trying to develop the area not only for his own personal gain,but for the good of the town and the area. I think he''s figured out, he could take less for some of his land, but, in the long run, he'll gain business for his own establishments.
