During the 2026 Kentucky General Assembly, Christian County was granted a $17 million loan to purchase Commerce Park II, and local Representative Myron Dossett shared why he and his fellow lawmakers worked to receive that funding.
The loan was included in House Bill 900, a $1.7 billion one-time spending bill. Originally, Ascend Elements’ Apex 1 Facility was supposed to be up and running by now, producing materials for lithium batteries. After construction delays, a lawsuit and the company’s recent Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the fate of the facility remains uncertain.
Without an operational facility at the industrial park, Dossett says the City of Hopkinsville and the Christian County government will be held responsible for upcoming real estate payments.
Dossett says the loan will be paid back as businesses move to the industrial park. Also, by owning the park locally, Dossett says Hopkinsville and Christian County officials will have more power when it comes to choosing which industries are the best fit for the area.
Christian County government’s 2026-27 fiscal year budget totals $60.8 million, and Judge Executive Jerry Gilliam says the loan is a large part of it.