BECKER - Becker is one of three Minnesota cities to be designated as "shovel ready".

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development designates the shovel ready status to business parks ready for expansion.

The Becker Industrial Park features 70 acres of industrial property. Becker is within 50 minutes of the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport, and less than 20 minutes from the St. Cloud Regional Airport.  Becker also has access to a labor market of over 98,000 people living within a 15-mile radius, and is home to Xcel Energy's Sherco Power Plant.  The Becker Industrial Park site was upgraded in 2011 with new streets, storm sewer, and lift station.  The site also has the potential to access the BNSF rail line from the city-owned rail spur.

The other two cities to get shovel ready status are Pine City in eastern Minnesota, and Stewartville in the southeastern corner of the state.

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