PEDC Acquires Over 225 Acres of Industrial Land for Future Development

The Paris Economic Development Corporation (PEDC) has completed the acquisition of over 225 acres of development-ready industrial land along the Loop 286 corridor in 2024 and 2025, creating a portfolio of shovel-ready sites that position Lamar County to compete for manufacturing, logistics, and distribution projects that require large parcels with highway access.

The acquisitions include a 123-acre parcel on the southeast segment of Loop 286, completed in 2024, and a 102-acre site along the south segment of Loop 286, acquired in 2025. Together, these parcels represent one of the largest accumulations of development-ready industrial land by a single economic development organization in Northeast Texas.

Why land acquisition matters

Site selection is a race. When a manufacturer or logistics company decides to expand, it evaluates multiple communities simultaneously. The communities that win are the ones that can present a development-ready site — land that has been assembled, assessed for environmental conditions, mapped for utilities, and zoned for industrial use — within weeks, not months. By acquiring and preparing these parcels in advance, PEDC has created a competitive advantage that most rural counties lack.

The sites along Loop 286 benefit from the highway's connectivity to US 82 and US 271, proximity to the existing industrial base including the Gene Stallings Business Park and the Northwest Industrial Park, and access to municipal water and wastewater services. The land is not speculative — it is strategically positioned to capture the type of mid-size manufacturing and distribution projects that Lamar County's workforce and infrastructure can realistically support.

Building on momentum

The land acquisitions sit alongside a broader pattern of PEDC investment in site readiness and infrastructure. The Northwest Industrial Park received a $1.3 million federal EDA grant for water and roadway upgrades completed in 2024. The PEDC continues to pursue workforce development partnerships and Foreign Trade Zone designation. Each investment — land, infrastructure, workforce, incentives — layers onto the others, creating a package that makes Lamar County competitive for the next round of industrial recruitment.

For commercial property investors, the PEDC's land strategy signals long-term confidence. Economic development organizations acquire land when they expect to use it. The 225-plus acres along Loop 286 represent a bet that more capital investment is coming to Lamar County — and that the county will be ready when it arrives. Properties positioned near these future development sites stand to benefit from the infrastructure improvements, job creation, and population growth that follow industrial recruitment.