93.9 The Eagle – The News and Talk of Columbia, MO
Columbia’s mayor is praising Swift Foods, which has invested $200-million into their new plant on Route B.
Swift and JBS executives will be in Columbia this (Monday) evening to present a $200,000 check to develop Whitegate park near Towne drive and Whitegate drive. That’s a project former Mizzou basketball star Laurence Bowers has also been involved in. Mayor Barbara Buffaloe tells 939 the Eagle that Swift is giving back to Columbia.
“Investing in their employees but also in the community. So some of the programs that they do where they help pay for college education for their employees and for their employees’ families like that is huge. So I’m happy to have such a great company here based in Columbia,” Mayor Buffaloe says.
Columbia Parks and Recreation says the $400,000 Whitegate park project would be funded by the JBS donation and by the voter-approved 2021 park sales tax. The city council is set to vote this evening on the improvement project, which includes a new playground, basketball court, open playfield, lighting and tree plantings.
The council will accept the check tonight and is also scheduled to vote on the improvement project. If the council approves the project, construction would start this summer with an anticipated competition date of spring 2025.
Swift executives referenced the donation during the April 6 ribbon-cutting ceremony for their new $200-million plant on Route B, which is the largest private investment in Columbia history.
