NEPHI — Small towns have always been places for big dreams. In Nephi, those dreams are becoming reality.
“Being located here, it’s really a great spot to be,” Chris Shurian said.
Shurian, who opened his restaurant Cody’s Gastro Garage in Nephi a couple of years ago, said moving forward with his plan was a dream come true.
Not only is he getting to know the locals, he is also involved in donating to several groups and charities in the community.
“We can get that little local vibe where people can come in and they know who we are, so this is perfect for us,” he said.
Since opening, Shurian says business has been good, and he sees more opportunities coming.
“Nephi is getting bigger, and it is going in all directions, and I thought this is a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor,” he said.
New development on the southern end of town includes a Maverik gas station, a Holiday Inn, and several new restaurants with more on the way.
One such restaurant that many people are looking forward to is a steakhouse run by Bar-W Beef, which is based in Nephi and raises cattle on the outskirts of town.
Business owners say the location plays a big role.
“This is such a nice location. It’s centrally located,” said Travis Worwood, who is the Chief Operating Officer of Bar-W Beef. “You can get anywhere in the state of Utah, north, south, east, and west, from right here.”
City leaders are hoping to turn Nephi into a frequent stop for travelers along Interstate 15, much like Fillmore, Beaver, and Cedar City are for those going between Salt Lake and St. George.
That traffic, and the money it brings, is key to the city’s future progress.
“It’s tax revenue that is coming in,” said Nephi Mayor Justin Seely. “We don’t make a lot off of property tax, so a lot of our city is run on sales tax.”
Property taxes in Nephi have remained the same for decades.
With more sales tax coming in, city officials hope to fund projects like an indoor pool, new park amenities, and other infrastructure improvements without raising property taxes.
“We’re relying more on that business travel and those that provide that kind of tax base for us,” Seely said.
It’s not just new businesses marking Nephi’s growth.
A brand-new ballpark facility is under construction in the Crimson Flats section of town near the new businesses to host baseball and softball tournaments, something the city already does at its older fields.
“We’ve established where we are up to 17 to 19 baseball tournaments a year,” Seely said.
The new complex will allow for more teams and tournaments, bringing in additional people and revenue to Nephi.
All those players, families, and coaches need places to eat and stay, and Nephi wants to be the town that welcomes them.
“Being right off (Interstate 15), this is a pretty important stop for a lot of people,” Shurian said. “This is a great place and even though restaurant owners like myself are competitors, I have always felt we help each other by attracting more people to an area. That’s what we are doing in Nephi.”
