A future industrial park in Jefferson County received a big boost on Thursday. 

Alan Walker, secretary of the Department of Community and Economic Development announced that the county received $250,000 through the state's Infrastructure Development Program.

The money will go toward the future Jefferson County Business Park.

The park will be located along Route 28 just off of Interstate 80, exit 81. 

"This was my little Christmas present to Jefferson County. It's nice to see state funds coming back to help a rural area like this," Walker said. 

According to a press release, "Once the infrastructure improvements are completed, the developer, Nine Star Capital LP, will work to attract energy, transportation, manufacturing and healthcare businesses to the site."

"This is a really good high-profile property right along Interstate 80. Any national firm that would like to have their name up and well seen, this plays well," said Senate Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati. 

According to a press release, "The IDP funds will be used to extend the water, sewer and infrastructure to the park to make the site more attractive to potential tenants."

Officials said the site could hold around 30 companies. 

"It just paves the way for the future, more jobs, private sector jobs. It will really make the quality of life in this region much better than it was yesterday," said PA House Speaker, Sam Smith. 

Local leaders tell 6 News more than a dozen companies have already shown interest in using the industrial park. 

"We're really going to market this industrial park quite hard. I really don't think we're going to have that much difficulty getting it filled," said Jefferson County Economic and Development director, Brad Lashinsky. 

Lashinsky said they are hoping to break ground on the project during the spring of 2013.