PEP Launches “Shovel Ready Program” to Supercharge Development in Prowers County

Tallie Harmon, Executive Director, Prowers Economic Prosperity

Brent Bates, Project Assistant, Prowers Economic Development

In a bold move to spark commercial growth and long-term investment, Prowers Economic Prosperity (PEP) has officially launched its new Shovel Ready Program – a strategic initiative aimed at unlocking development-ready land across Prowers County and positioning the region as a top-tier destination for business.

This program—months in the making—is already generating real momentum. According to PEP officials, the first development site has been identified, with a purchase expected to close by the end of 2025. That site will serve as the pilot for the broader initiative aimed at accelerating commercial growth across the city and county. The Shovel Ready Program is specifically designed to eliminate common barriers to development including zoning hurdles, annexation requirements, and general site readiness.

“This initiative is about more than development. It’s about making sure Lamar and Prowers County are ready for opportunity when it knocks,” said Tallie Harmon, PEP Executive Director. “We’ve done the listening, we’ve done the legwork, everyone agrees Lamar is ‘open for business.’ Now we’re ready to move dirt.”

As PEP prepares to jumpstart the next wave of economic growth, it has listened closely to the voices of Prowers County business owners and residents while drawing on lessons from successful shovel-ready initiatives across the country, including Certified Shovel Ready Programs in Kansas, Minnesota, and Oregon.

What Is the Shovel Ready Program?

The Shovel Ready Program is a land-readiness initiative designed to identify and prepare key properties across Lamar and Prowers County for commercial development. Each site is evaluated and prioritized based on infrastructure access, visibility, environmental compliance, and alignment with local economic objectives. Properties will be categorized by location, zoning, and strategic potential, then matched with developers and business owners based on need.

Priority will be given to landowners and investors who demonstrate a strong willingness to collaborate within the program’s framework. The objective is to remove barriers to investment and growth—making it faster, easier, and more enticing for businesses, developers, and anchor tenants to say yes to Southeast Colorado.

Who Does This Help?

At its core, the program is designed to support a wide range of stakeholders:

• Property Owners with underutilized land gain access to expert guidance, increased visibility, and direct connections to targeted investment opportunities. Traditionally, landowners have been limited to listing their property and waiting for a buyer. Through this program, that process is accelerated—while maintaining owner privacy—by introducing landowners directly to interested investors and developers. a buyer. With this program, we expedite that process and maintain owner privacy by introducing landowners directly to investors and developers who are already interested.

•  Investors and Developers receive detailed site profiles, local support, and a cleared path to shovel-ready projects.

• The Community at Large benefits through increased job creation, tax base expansion, and strategic long-term planning aimed at creating a brighter future for SE Colorado.

“We want to ensure that anyone who believes in Lamar’s potential—whether they own a parcel of land or a national brand—benefits from a program that’s ready to meet them halfway,” PEP added.

How Can You Get Involved?

PEP is actively building a portfolio of qualified properties that will provide landowners, developers, and investors the tools they need to get involved. With properties designated as both an Opportunity Zone and a Colorado Enterprise Zone, the region presents compelling incentives for development. Interested parties are encouraged to contact Brent Bates, PEP Project Coordinator, to learn more about how they can participate in the Shovel Ready Program. Whether you’re a local land owner with acreage on the edge of town or a developer looking for your next build-to-suit opportunity, the Shovel Ready Program is designed to help bridge the gap between potential and progress.

What’s Next?

A private investor with local ties has already jumped on board with this program. The first development site has been officially identified with the purchase set to be complete before year’s end. This pilot project will serve as the model for future sites – demonstrating what’s possible when collaboration, preparation, and vision align.

“This is just the tip of the iceberg,” said Brent Bates. “We’ve worked hard to identify high-impact parcels and align partners behind them. The Shovel Ready Program gives us the launchpad we need to take Lamar and Prowers County to the next level.”

With infrastructure improvements underway and growing collaboration between public and private sectors, PEP believes the region is experiencing a level of momentum not seen in decades.

About Prowers Economic Prosperity (PEP)

Prowers Economic Prosperity partners with local governments, business leaders, and community stakeholders to create jobs, drive business growth, and promote sustainable economic development in Lamar and the surrounding communities. Public and private sector contributors of PEP meet on the 3rd Monday of each month at 223 S. Main Street in Lamar, CO.

Interested parties can contact Brent Bates by phone at 719.691.5038 or by email at @prowerspep.org.

The Prowers Journal looks forward to following up on this project with PEP in the very near future and will provide new information as it becomes available.

By: Barbara Crimond