But his biggest coup, the mayor said, was to acquire 61 vacant acres, once owned by the Union Pacific Railroad.

We still have 380 vacant acres north of I-84.

Of particular concern, she said, is the town's Morewood property, 407 vacant acres where housing might be built, requiring another school.

For the remaining 2,350 vacant acres the report suggested a hotel-conference center, a golf course, a sports complex, a theme park and other tourist attractions.

"We've raised a phoenix out of the ashes because we were given 150 vacant acres to build on by the city," Pastor Youngblood said.

Local leaders declared those mainly vacant acres an area in need of development in early 2001.

The first phase will rise on five vacant acres across from the monument.

In 1979 there were 1,568 vacant acres and 463 developed for industry.

By 1991, there were 823 vacant acres, and the rest had been developed.

"We'd give them the trees free if they'd plant five or 10 vacant acres and give us a picking contract," he recalled.