Kokomo and Mayor Tyler Moore have a lot to reflect on with regard to 2024, and even more to look forward to in 2025.

After a year marked by growth and innovation, the city continues to maintain its legacy as a place that blends tradition with forward-thinking ambition. Kokomo’s success in 2024 highlights its strategic focus on advanced industries, sustainability and infrastructure, cementing its reputation as a regional economic powerhouse poised for long-term growth.

The city’s downtown also continues to thrive as a hub of activity with new businesses and events celebrating local art, music and food, highlighted by the highly anticipated hotel and conference center that broke ground in August. This event marked the beginning of a project that will significantly enhance the local economy and provide a state-of-the-art venue for small conventions, meetings, conferences and more. The new development is designed to meet the growing demand for premium lodging accommodations and meeting spaces in Kokomo. The conference center will also be home to the Kokomo Automotive Museum, with a space to display the museum’s permanent collection of historically significant and Kokomo-made Haynes-Apperson automobiles.

“I couldn’t be more excited about breaking ground on the hotel and conference center,” Moore says. “This project is a long time coming – almost 10 years in the making. To see the dirt finally start to move and see that it’s coming to fruition has been amazing. It’s the final piece of the rebirth of downtown. It will really bring it all together.”

Downtown also saw the implementation of its new Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA.) Residents and visitors will be able to purchase alcoholic beverages from approved businesses and enjoy them within the boundaries of the DORA district, operating year-round from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. The DORA is designed to make it easier to stroll within the district and support our local restaurants and bars. You can purchase a drink from one of these approved DORA business participants: Cook McDoogal’s Irish Pub, Cooper’s Pub, The Coterie, Foxes Trail, The Hobson, Marble The Steakhouse, Oscar’s Pizza, and Sun King Brewery. The DORA is designed to make it easier to stroll within the district and support our local restaurants and bars.

Moore also reflected on the jobs and investment in the community from Jaewon Industrial, a South Korea-based supplier of chemicals and allied products. The supplier established operations in the community by locating a new chemical recycling plant in Kokomo, to serve lithium-ion battery manufacturers and the growing electric vehicle supply chain. The investment will likely have a transformational economic impact for generations to come.

“As we near the end of the year, the first battery plant is starting full production and will have actual product leaving the plant in the middle of December,” Moore says. “We’re thrilled to see things continue to plug along there and the economic impact the supplier and employees are providing. Seeing these individuals integrate themselves into the community and being welcomed and embraced is wonderful.”

As Kokomo looks forward to 2025, the focus shifts to enhancing the quality of life for residents through plans for expanded recreational spaces and housing, upgraded public transit, and continued investment in education.

“For the coming year, there’s excitement in seeing a number of housing projects getting started,” Moore says. “We’re finalizing details on a number of them now, and 2025 will see ground being broken on much-needed housing options: apartments, townhomes and single-family homes. There is a flutter of activity in our community right now and this is a need.”

Moore is also excited to add amenities to local parks that have been in the works in the past year. There will be new restrooms at Jackson Morrow Park, along with a pump house that will supply water to the new splash pad. At Cutler Park, new pickleball and tennis courts are being added.

“We are continuing to focus on the rotating effort of the additional parks and upgrading equipment,” Moore says. “We’re also looking forward to the miniature golf course coming to Highland Park in late 2025.”

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