Inland port authorities are playing a growing role in how land is developed, how infrastructure is planned and how businesses are supported as they expand or relocate.

At their core, inland port authorities like the Omaha Inland Port Authority, Fremont Municipal Inland Port Authority and Bellevue Port Authority are tools communities use to think long-term about industrial and economic development. While the term “port” can suggest ships and waterways, the reality is inland ports like those in Nebraska help coordinate land use, infrastructure, utilities and transportation so businesses can move faster and with fewer obstacles.

In Nebraska, port authorities exist to provide solutions for growing businesses, particularly when projects involve industrial land, rail access or complex infrastructure needs. 

For Omaha, the inland port authority is closely tied to multimodal infrastructure and broader economic goals. Garry Clark, Executive Director of the Omaha Inland Port Authority, said inland port authorities function differently from traditional coastal port authorities.

“The difference for us is largely the connection to reliable inland nodes that are a little bit different than the traditional port authorities,” Clark said. “The multimodal infrastructure here is unique.”

The Omaha Inland Port Authority focuses on manufacturing, consolidated distribution and speed to market, while also addressing long-standing challenges in North and East Omaha.

“There’s a faction of our efforts that are tied to just changing that paradigm,” Clark said.

Geography, workforce and collaboration are key advantages for the greater Omaha region.

“Omaha kind of sits in the national crossroads,” Clark said. “That really helps when we talk about the major interstate and regional freight corridor space.”

He also emphasized the region’s culture of cooperation.

“We have a deep base of industrial talent and cultural partnership between the public and private sector which doesn’t happen on the coast as much as it happens here,” Clark said.

Population and workforce trends strengthen the case, according to Megan Skiles, President & CEO of the Greater Fremont Development Council.

“Relative to Nebraska, the population density is an important piece of it too,” she said. “Omaha has a young workforce too which is a helpful thing. We have the people and we have a young and educated workforce, and those become important pieces to the puzzle for companies, too.”

When a business or site selector approaches a port authority, the role is both strategic and practical. In Fremont, Skiles described it as a partnership built around fit, timing and long-term success.

“Can we get you your utilities and the infrastructure that you need on the timeline that you need?” Skiles said.

“We’re kind of the go between,” Clark said. “So you have a one-step process as opposed to six or seven different engagements.”

From there, port authorities help connect businesses to workforce resources, supply chain partners and community stakeholders, while also being upfront about any site limitations.

Nebraska’s approach stands in contrast to what he has seen in other parts of the country, where things can be more restrictive.

“Everyone is really a phone call away or a text message away from engagement or being a part of the room,” Clark said. “In Nebraska, the communication style is different. The legislative process as to how businesses get support is a lot different.”

Skiles said the port authority structure supports that flexibility by encouraging long-range planning.

“The port authority mechanism gives us the tools that we need to think long term about what we want and what that looks like and what the infrastructure needs are,” she said. “It just ends up being a better development because we’ve thought through that.”

Another advantage in the region is the focus on preparedness. Through initiatives like the Omaha Chamber’s virtual shovel-ready program, communities do the due diligence before a company commits.

“What we’ve done regionally is say okay, these sites are attractive for the types of projects that we would like to attract in and then we’ll go through that process of doing a whole bunch of due diligence,” Skiles said. “So then on the front end, when we’re getting these inquiries from companies or site selectors, it’s a lot easier to say with a lot more certainty what we can and can’t serve there.”

The economic footprint of inland port authorities is significant.

“The dollars generated by them for economic activity is not a small number nationally,” Clark said, pointing to trillions of dollars in economic impact and millions of jobs supported in recent years.

For Omaha and Fremont, inland port authorities represent more than logistics infrastructure. They are a coordinated way to plan growth, support businesses and position the region competitively for the future.