Henderson Brainstorms Solutions to Bring in Business
By: web producer
Updated: October 27, 2012
People in Henderson say they're fed up with seeing more and more businesses move out of town.
Now they're weighing in with their thoughts on how to keep people and business in the area.
It's a crossroads where many small towns find themselves.
Long-time businesses...taking their wares elsewhere.
"I've just noticed a lot of shops are closing down and moving outside the city...or up to Evansville."
Cody Fuller has lived in Henderson his whole life.
I always have to go up to Evansville to find a place to eat, or something to do at night," Fuller says. "If you want people to stay here after dark, places need to stay open after dark. I'd like to see more restaurants or bars or something that doesn't close down at six o'clock."
Heather Jackson is a pharmacy student who hopes to return to Henderson once she graduates.
"There's nothing to do here. To keep people here, you have to have something to do at night," Jackson says.
One seemingly prime location for new business is the old Henderson Municipal Power and Light plant.
"It's a beautiful location on the riverfront. I could see apartments there, restaurants, anything that could bring in new businesses to the area," says Jackson.
But some city commissioners are reluctant to sell the property to private investors.
But Fuller says he doesn't care who owns it.
He just wants to see someone using it.
"I wouldn't mind at all... If it's just gonna sit dormant and empty I'd rather see it being utilized."
"It could bring in tourism, and when you have tourism, that brings more money to the city so they can fix things in other areas."
Jackson hopes some new developments downtown could convince some of those tourists to stay a little while.
Talks of the old power plant's fate are still in the fledgling stages.
Commissioners say the property needs to be decontaminated and renovated before any new business can move in.
Now they're weighing in with their thoughts on how to keep people and business in the area.
***
It's a crossroads where many small towns find themselves.
Long-time businesses...taking their wares elsewhere.
"I've just noticed a lot of shops are closing down and moving outside the city...or up to Evansville."
Cody Fuller has lived in Henderson his whole life.
I always have to go up to Evansville to find a place to eat, or something to do at night," Fuller says. "If you want people to stay here after dark, places need to stay open after dark. I'd like to see more restaurants or bars or something that doesn't close down at six o'clock."
Heather Jackson is a pharmacy student who hopes to return to Henderson once she graduates.
"There's nothing to do here. To keep people here, you have to have something to do at night," Jackson says.
One seemingly prime location for new business is the old Henderson Municipal Power and Light plant.
"It's a beautiful location on the riverfront. I could see apartments there, restaurants, anything that could bring in new businesses to the area," says Jackson.
But some city commissioners are reluctant to sell the property to private investors.
But Fuller says he doesn't care who owns it.
He just wants to see someone using it.
"I wouldn't mind at all... If it's just gonna sit dormant and empty I'd rather see it being utilized."
"It could bring in tourism, and when you have tourism, that brings more money to the city so they can fix things in other areas."
Jackson hopes some new developments downtown could convince some of those tourists to stay a little while.
***
Talks of the old power plant's fate are still in the fledgling stages.
Commissioners say the property needs to be decontaminated and renovated before any new business can move in.
