Kansas surpasses $9 billion in new economic development under Kelly

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly announced today that since she took office in January 2019, Kansas has attracted over $9 billion in new investments by private sector businesses.

This milestone continues the record-breaking economic development success Kansas has experienced under the Kelly Administration. The Kansas Department of Commerce, led by Lieutenant Governor David Toland, has closed on 658 economic development projects that have created or retained more than 43,500 jobs across the state.

“Our track record of fully funding schools, investing in infrastructure, and expanding broadband access has resulted in more businesses choosing to call Kansas home,” Governor Kelly said. “Here’s what this new, $9 billion milestone means for Kansans: More jobs, stronger communities, and greater opportunity.”

This announcement follows a string of economic development wins for the Kelly Administration. Earlier this month, Kansas won the prestigious Gold Shovel Award for the second year in a row for excellence in attracting high-value investment projects that create a significant number of new jobs in their communities. In March, Kansas won the Governor’s Cup for being the state with the most economic development investment per capita in the country.

In April of this year, Governor Kelly announced her administration’s largest economic development investment to date: Scorpion Biological Services’s$650 million new biomanufacturing facility in Manhattan which will create 500 high-paying jobs within the next seven years.

“Governor Kelly has made economic development a priority for all areas of the state,” said Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland. “So, passing the $9 billion mark is not surprising. Companies large and small recognize Kansas as a winning investment – and the success stories just keep accumulating.”