No Growth Without Grit

Why Pendleton’s Future Rests on Industry and Unity

Let’s be blunt. Pendleton County is not going to grow by accident. Not anymore. Not after decades of outmigration, closed storefronts, and big ideas that never quite made it off the drawing board.

If we want to build something lasting here, something that actually creates jobs, keeps our young people around, and gives working families a shot, we need to focus on industry.

And not just talk about it. Build it. Now.

An Untapped Asset: The Industrial Park

Right off U.S. 27 sits one of the most underutilized assets in Pendleton County, the Commonwealth Commerce Center, better known as the Industrial Park.

Originally developed as part of the county’s long term recovery strategy after the 1997 flood, it was supposed to be the launchpad for a better, more resilient future.

And in some ways, it still can be.

There’s infrastructure already in place. A Phase I environmental assessment. Room to grow. Seventy six acres of usable space. It’s connected to our road network. And over the years, the groundwork has been laid, from permitting to public notices, for this area to finally take on the role it was meant to play.

But here’s the truth. It won’t happen if we keep treating it like an afterthought. And it won’t succeed if Pendleton County is the only one carrying the load.

Real Industry Needs Real Infrastructure

You don’t recruit industry with cheap promises. You recruit them with infrastructure. That means water pressure that meets code. Roads that can handle trucks. High speed broadband. Reliable power. Gas stations. Restaurants. Zoning that doesn’t leave developers in limbo.

Right now, parts of Pendleton County can’t even guarantee basic service levels and that is a deal breaker. It’s time to upgrade, not duct tape.

Industry doesn’t just pull in and park. It demands support. You bring in a mid size manufacturer or logistics outfit, they’re going to ask:

Where are my workers going to live?
What restaurants can feed my shifts?
Is there gas nearby?
How’s the broadband?
What kind of fire coverage do you have? Water pressure? Hydrants?

That means Falmouth and Butler have to be at the table. Not just nodding along, but actively working with Pendleton County to prepare for what’s next.

This Is Mutual Benefit, Not Charity

This isn’t charity. This is mutual benefit.

Because when the County lands new industry, it’s Falmouth that gets the lunch rush. It’s Butler that fills rental homes and storefronts. It’s every community that sees more tax base, more young families staying put, and more money circulating locally.

No one loses here, unless we keep going it alone.

We have the land. We have the paperwork. We’ve even had prospects. But to land real deals, we need the final mile.

What It Will Actually Take

Marketing the site with actual strategy
Zoning clarity to make development fast and frictionless
Collaborative planning between city councils and the fiscal court
Transparency in who’s leading the effort and whether they’re making real progress
Infrastructure upgrades that can handle real commercial traffic
And most importantly, a clear, public facing plan. The kind the community can see, rally around, and hold leaders accountable to.

Ask Your Candidates the Right Questions

Pendleton County can be the comeback story of Northern Kentucky.

But it’s not going to happen by electing people who sit on their hands or point fingers. It’s going to take vision, effort, and collaboration, across towns, across party lines, across government offices.

So here’s what you should be asking every candidate, county, city, or otherwise:

Do you support immediate investment in the Industrial Park?
What’s your plan to partner with Falmouth and Butler to make that happen?
Will you commit to transparency in industrial recruitment efforts?
Do you have any skin in the game or are you just here for the title?

Pendleton has waited long enough. Growth isn’t coming to find us.

We have to build it, together.

Whisper One Out