The city received welcome news for economic development just in time for Christmas.
The Missouri Department of Economic Development announced Friday that Holts Summit had been designated an Enhanced Enterprise Zone.
The program, first implemented in 2004, is designed to help communities create sustainable jobs in a targeted industry.
"This will give Holts Summit the ability to try to attract and retain jobs," said Holts Summit City Administrator Brian Crane, noting those jobs would be primarily manufacturing and light industrial companies. "We get leads (on businesses looking for locations) and businesses looking to see what land is available.
"We had talked to a few different companies and realtors, and they asked what we had to offer. If you're going to try to bring in jobs, you have to (do something to) be competitive."
John Fougere, a spokesperson with the Department of Economic Development, said communities seeking an Enhanced Enterprise Zone must meet a list of criteria.
"Unemployment has to have gone up over a measurable time period, the population must have gone down in the same time period and the income level has to have gone down," Fougere said.