Lawton City Council to decide on new development agreement for south Lawton

City Council members are ready to approve an agreement for a new commercial complex being planned in the Airport Industrial Park.

The city’s part of the project is providing reimbursement up to $1.6 million for public infrastructure that will be built there.

The agreement with Fisher59 Properties will allow construction of a 100,000-square-foot warehouse and distribution center on 15.71 acres in the industrial park area, located on the south end of Lawton-Fort Sill Regional Airport’s runway. The proposal specifies Fisher59 Properties will build the complex, to include specific public infrastructure (12-inch water and sewer lines to serve the site, along with extension of an existing road). The proposal for infrastructure reimbursement is similar to an agreement for the PepsiCo project, which added a new warehouse complex and public infrastructure in the industrial park.

In addition to designing and building the $16 million complex and infrastructure, Fisher59 is committing to retaining 60 existing employees and adding another 30 over a 10-year expansion. The proposal also specifies that if development costs increase beyond what current estimates are based on, city officials may opt to adjust the reimbursement cap.

The agreement is a joint effort among the City of Lawton, Lawton Economic Development Corporation (which owns the land the complex will be built on) and Lawton Economic Development Authority. LEDC and LEDA approved earlier versions of the agreement, but must meet again to approve this new version, city attorneys said in the agenda commentary.

In other business, the council will consider a limited event support agreement with Lawton-Fort Sill City Wide Juneteenth Inc., to support this year’s Juneteenth Celebration. Under city policy, all city-sanctioned events allows Lawton police to support the event without charge.

The request comes with a funding proposal, designating $25,000 from the Hotel-Motel Fund to help cover expenditures in what organizers say will be a greatly expanded event. This year’s celebration is to be three days and will feature live entertainment, featured speakers, vendor booths, petting zoo and bounce houses and other family-friendly events. Organizers say the intent is to make “the Lawton Fort Sill Juneteenth the premiere celebration within the state” to increase travel and tourism in the community. Organizations involved in the event have estimated a $42,350 budget for this year’s celebration.