Motorsports company coming to Fairfield in 2022

FAIRFIELD — A motorsports business announced it will open a dealership in Fairfield next spring, after it moves into a shell building south of town.

Sun & Fun Motorsports of Iowa City purchased Fairfield Economic Development Association’s 30,000-square-foot shell building and the 3-acre site it sits on along 227th Street in the Business & Industrial Park off Highway 34. Sun & Fun expects to invest $2.7 million in developing the location and completing this expansion project that will result in creating up to 17 jobs. Construction improvements will begin immediately and an opening of the new dealership is slated for March 2022.

Scott Goedken, owner of Sun & Fun Motorsports, said in a news release, “We are very excited about coming to Fairfield.”

Sun & Fun is the largest powersports dealer in the Midwest, currently retailing 11 brands companywide. The new dealership will retail two off-road vehicle brands, Can-Am and CFMOTO.

“As a new business coming to Fairfield, it has been great working with the community,” Goedken said.

The new dealership will be comprised of a showroom sales floor with quality parts and accessories for sale and a certified full service shop.

Amy Jones, FEDA Board President, said “The shell building was completed in Fall 2019 after a culmination of discussions to position the city of Fairfield and Jefferson County for further growth and creation of new jobs. FEDA is thrilled to welcome Sun & Fun Motorsports to Fairfield!”

Jones said FEDA is proud of its shell building partners who came together to make this project a reality. Those partners were Access Energy Cooperative, the City of Fairfield, Northeast Power, Jefferson County, and Iowa Area Development Group.

“A special thank you goes to Josh Laraby, FEDA Executive Director, for his passion and drive that continued to move this project forward,” Jones said.

The sale included a development agreement with the City of Fairfield involving a 6-year, $360,000 Tax Increment Financing incentive, along with a $500,000 loan from Access Energy Cooperative’s Revolving Loan Fund and a $400,000 loan from Northeast Power’s Revolving Loan Fund.

Sun & Fun purchased the shell building and acreage for $870,000, which was FEDA’s asking price. Laraby said all the partners who lent money to the project will be repaid in full. He said the purpose of the project was not to turn a profit, but like Jones said, to promote growth and create jobs.

Laraby said it feels great to accomplish this goal of selling the shell building just two years after its construction.

“When the partners came together to do this project, everybody had the understanding it was a long-term plan,” Laraby said. “Speculative and shell buildings can take up to 10 years to sell or to find the right buyer. I’m extremely proud and excited that this project has moved on the faster side.”

Laraby said he is indebted to the hard work of Bruce Nuzum, CEO of Iowa Area Development Group, for his leadership and guidance.

“Without Iowa Area Development Group, this project would not be here today,” Laraby said.

Iowa Area Development Group has assisted in creating more than 70 shell buildings in the state.