SFM Fairfield opens showroom, parts center for motorsports

FAIRFIELD – A motorsports company opened a showroom and parts center just south of Fairfield in 2022.

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. After the purchase of the building was announced in November 2021, Sun & Fun Motorsports sent their contractors to work right away, building out the rest of the structure to move in as soon as possible.

The business’s owner, Scott Goedken, said the company finished construction in time for a soft opening in late June, with a grand opening planned for a later date. Since last November, the business added to the shell building a 1,500 foot addition that serves as the east entrance, plus freshly poured floors, insulation, a heating and cooling system and security system. The company poured 31,500 square feet of concrete inside, and nearly that much outside for the parking lot.

“The building includes a customer lounge, three offices, a vestibule and our unit delivery bay,” Goedken said. “We have a glassed in delivery bay. When someone purchases a unit, sales people show them how to use the features so they understand everything about machine before they leave the store.”

The vehicles sold at the business include ATVs, side-by-sides and dirt bikes. The store includes a service department with employees working in sales and parts and accessories. Goedken said he’s hired four full-time staff thus far, and expects to hire more in the future, and to have as many as 17 employees within the next few years.

“We originally hired this team back in January, and they went through two or three months of training in Iowa City,” Goedken said. “They’re trained in all of our brands, both in Fairfield and Iowa City, so they have knowledge of everything. They’ve been helping us set up the building since March.”

Fairfield residents will notice that the business goes by the name “SFM Fairfield” here in town. Goedken said abbreviating the name made it easier to say, and its website address is shorter: sfmfairfield.com.

Goedken said he chose to open a branch of his business in Fairfield because he liked the location, and FEDA’s shell building perfectly fit his needs.

“We had a lot of customers at our Iowa City store from Fairfield and Southeast Iowa,” Goedken said. “We looked at a couple of different locations in the area, but there were not many existing buildings for us to rent or purchase.”

One day when Goedken was driving along Highway 34, he said FEDA’s billboard advertising the shell building and empty lots. He pulled off at the next exit to take a look at the property. He contemplated constructing a brand new building at one of FEDA’s lots, but decided that purchasing the shell building would be best because he could shave so much time off construction.

FEDA Executive Director Joshua Laraby said it’s been a pleasure to work with Goedken and the Sun & Fun Motorsports staff.

“As soon as the ink was on the contract, they had construction crews out,” Laraby said. “It was great to see the speed of the progress, especially considering the supply chain issues.”

Laraby said SFM Fairfield’s opening is a shining example of a successful public/private partnership and how such a partnership can bring investment to Fairfield.

Partnering with FEDA to create the shell building were Access Energy Cooperative, the City of Fairfield, Northeast Power, Jefferson County, and Iowa Area Development Group.

The sale of the shell building included a development agreement with the City of Fairfield involving a six-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 Motorsports purchased the shell building and acreage for $870,000, which was FEDA’s asking price. Laraby told The Union in 2021 that 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 to promote growth and create jobs.

“When the partners came together to do this project, everybody had the understanding it was a long-term plan,” Laraby told The Union in 2021. “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.

Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com