Newton officials today celebrated the start of what they say is its biggest economic development project in 75 years.

About 50 people gathered at the Jasper County Courthouse in Newton to learn about the Newton Rail Park, a 367-acre industrial rail development northwest of the city. The $10 million investment in property acquisition and infrastructure planning is a public-private partnership between the county and Iowa Interstate Railroad.

“This truly does take a public-private partnership to pull off these historic projects like this,” said Joe Parsons, president and CEO of Iowa Interstate Railroad. “I think this can be transformational.”

Iowa Interstate Railroad is a Class 2 regional railroad operating between the Chicago and Omaha areas. Officials said Iowa Interstate Railroad has relationships with the transcontinental Class 1 railroad companies to quickly solve any rail issues if they arise.

“You can ship in or out of Jasper County to anywhere in North America,” said Jeff Davidson, director of Jasper County Economic Development.

Officials said it is the only industrial park of its kind in Iowa.

“You won’t find another site in Iowa that has a full-service rail terminal,” said Jim Bowman, senior director of economic and site development for Iowa Interstate Railroad. “That means full-service rail connections and service to customers that need inbound and outbound rail plus the transload facility.

The railroad recently developed its $9 million Renewable Energy Logistics Center, a truck-to-rail transload facility that can accommodate inbound and outbound rail shipments for nearby businesses. The logistics center was designed to facilitate the distribution of renewable energy sources. Chevron Renewable Energy Group operates a biorefinery near the Newton logistics center that produces 30 million gallons of biodiesel per year.

“This industrial site will be the largest economic development opportunity in Jasper County for over 75 years and has a potential generational impact,” said Brandon Talsma, chair of the Jasper County Board of Supervisors. “It’s our hope not to just attract businesses and employers here in Jasper County but entities that will complement and support our history of manufacturing, our farmers and our agricultural communities.”

Officials expect the park to attract energy, biofuel and aviation fuel companies, as well as appliance manufacturers and others. Four companies have shown interest, with one strong candidate so far, they said.

Next steps include securing tenants for development and finalizing the site certification with the Iowa Economic Development Authority. Certification is expected to be complete in the fourth quarter of 2025.

The site is surrounded by several utilities, including Alliant Energy distribution upgrades, a substation, fiber connections, a gas main, natural gas, water main and water tower.

Newton Mayor Evelyn George said the city has invested in a number of economic development projects to help accommodate new businesses, including wastewater treatment capacity for the development, as well as investments in housing, the local airport and quality-of-life amenities such as pickleball courts, new splash pad, new dog park and new clubhouse.

Once known as the “Washing Machine Capital of the World,” Frederick Maytag founded the Maytag Co. in Newton in 1893. The company was profitable and known for its well-built machines. In 2006, Maytag was purchased by Whirlpool, which closed the plant in 2007, laying off 1,800 workers.