GFDC
The Fremont Municipal Inland Port has been designated as a Union Pacific Focus Site, a recognition that leaders say will elevate Fremont’s role in regional and national logistics while attracting new investment and jobs to eastern Nebraska.
The Fremont site encompasses more than 1,600 acres of flat, developable land with direct access to Union Pacific’s mainline. Fremont City and Dodge County leaders established the Inland Port Authority in 2021, one of the first five in the state, with the vision of creating a logistics and industrial hub. That vision now gains new momentum with Union Pacific’s designation.
Fremont Mayor, Joey Spellerberg, called the move “a monumental step for Fremont’s economic future.”
“We are pleased to have our inland port recognized as a Union Pacific Focus Site,” Spellerberg said. “It brings us closer to realizing the full potential of our infrastructure, location, and community partnerships to attract quality investment and jobs.”
Union Pacific’s Focus Site program highlights shovel-ready properties across its 23-state rail network that have undergone extensive vetting, including pre-approved rail design and streamlined utility and infrastructure planning. The goal is to give companies confidence and speed in development.
“This designation dramatically enhances our ability to market Fremont as a logistics-ready, industrial-ready destination,” said Megan Skiles, President of the Greater Fremont Development Council (GFDC). “With Union Pacific’s pre-approved rail access and our own strategic investments, we can now offer companies speed, certainty, and efficiency.”
The Fremont site has already benefitted from significant state support. In 2022, the city secured a grant through the Nebraska Rural Projects Act, which funded engineering studies, infrastructure planning, and site readiness efforts. Those investments, combined with its Union Pacific recognition, position Fremont as one of Nebraska’s most development-ready industrial sites.
Former Nebraska Governor, and current Fremont Municipal Inland Port Authority Board Chair, Dave Heineman praised the designation as an example of long-term planning capable of paying dividends.
“The Fremont Inland Port’s designation as a Union Pacific Focus Site is exactly the type of forward-looking planning Nebraska needs,” Heineman said. “It strengthens our state’s competitive position in logistics, supports rural and urban growth alike, and ensures Fremont plays a leading role in building Nebraska’s economic future.”
The announcement ties directly into Fremont’s “Here We Grow 2030” initiative, a regional economic development strategy to attract industrial and logistics projects that create quality jobs and broaden the tax base. Local leaders say that with land, utility and rail access planning in place, Fremont is positioned to welcome companies seeking a reliable, centrally located hub for distribution and manufacturing.
