Expanding Businesses in Muskingum County

The Zanesville-Muskingum County Port Authority will enter negotiations to flatten land near the Zanesville Municipal Airport.

There are 5.5 acres of land near the airport park that executive director Matt Abbott said is unusable. The plan is to flatten the ground in an effort to encourage business growth.

“We have some land out at the airport park that we can sell some of the fill dirt that we do have in areas that will benefit us as well because it’s going to clear a pad potentially for us to have the flat surface to market more property,” Abbott said.

While working to develop land for new properties, Abbott said the port authority cannot forget the existing businesses.

In 2014, Abbott stated to the Port Authority board Wednesday morning, nearly 75 percent of jobs created in Ohio were from existing businesses. Now, as a new hotel continues to go up in New Concord, Abbott said new growth can inspire future projects.

“Anytime you see expansion but again we have to be conscious of the companies and business that already exist here,” Abbott said. “We’re not going to miss the next big thing that could be coming our way. We’re out there. We have properties from the Port Authority standpoint that we market.”

The Wallhouse Hotel plans to open in New Concord by early October.