The marketing and development of the property is key to realizing these economic benefits.

The Economic Development Corporation must identify the desired types of companies that would best fit into the fabric of the region. While the mantra of the EDC is "jobs, jobs, jobs," there are other factors that qualify prospective companies as desirable partners in developing the property.

In view of recent problems at the JBS Swift & Company, it is imperative that any enterprise on the CAAP land be environmentally responsible. Given the struggle to clean assorted weapon and chemical residue from the land formerly occupied by bomb manufacturing lines, that may sound somewhat contradictory. In fact, it is all the more reason to find environmental stewards who will respect the property and its importance to the community.

New partners in the CAAP land should be willing to be part of the greater Central Nebraska community. They must be willing to partake in assorted social and civic endeavors that make the region stronger, such as the United Way other non-profit projects.

Companies looking to locate at the CAAP land should be progressively forward companies that have one foot in tomorrow's technologies. We would hope that there would be a vision to grow the company and allow the region to take part in such growth.

To camp out in the EDC office and wait for the phone to ring is not a strategy worth employing. Hopefully we will see an aggressive recruiting campaign to identify companies that will enhance the region's future.