Crapo, HUD Secretary Turner Visit Idaho’s First Opportunity Zone Project, Highlight Benefits of Program’s Permanent Expansion
Twin Falls, Idaho--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner visited 2nd South Market, Idaho’s first completed Opportunity Zone (OZ) project and Idaho’s first food hall. During their visit to the Magic Valley, Senator Crapo and Secretary Turner met with Lisa and Dave Buddecke, owners of the 2nd South Market, discussed the benefits of the OZ program and highlighted the impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) for Idahoans.
Pictured from left: Idaho Senate Pro Tempore Kelly Anthon, Senator Mike Crapo, Secretary Turner, Dave Buddecke, Lisa Buddecke
To access downloadable photos from the event, please click HERE.
“Permanence of the 2017 Trump tax cuts was a top priority of mine when drafting the One Big Beautiful Bill. Permanency provides the consistency needed to help drive success for American businesses, communities, families and workers,” said Senator Crapo. “2nd South Market is a shining example of the Opportunity Zone Program at work in Idaho. It is a first-of-its-kind in the state, and I hope there will be more development like it in the Magic Valley soon. I could not be happier to be joined today by Secretary Turner, Lisa and her husband Dave, and other members of the Magic Valley community.”
“Thanks to President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, Opportunity Zones are now a permanent part of the tax code. This much needed continuity allows for the creation of more jobs, the construction of more homes, and the revitalization of more forgotten neighborhoods across the country,” said Secretary Turner. “I am delighted to join Senator Crapo and the Magic Valley community today in the great state of Idaho to witness first-hand how Opportunity Zone projects like 2nd South Market are transforming the lives of Idahoans and breathing new life into the state.”
“Were it not for this building’s location in an Opportunity Zone, developing Idaho’s first food hall would not have been possible,” said Lisa. “We hope our small success story serves as a catalyst for future projects – not just in Twin Falls and Idaho – but across rural communities throughout the country. Local business successes can happen when a great federal program like this make them possible.”
"Southern Idaho has become one of the most successful rural regions in the country, and programs like the New Markets Tax Credit and the Trump Administration's Opportunity Zones are a big reason why,” said Idaho State Senate President Pro Tempore Kelly Anthon. “With Senator Crapo’s support of these important tools, we’ve been able to attract investment, create jobs, and transform communities across the Magic Valley. The results speak for themselves—Southern Idaho is thriving."
Background:
2nd South Market is a 13,000 square-foot food hall restaurant in a refurbished 1926 blacksmith and machining building. The Market brings together small local business owners--including seven vendors--that collectively employ nearly 80 people. The project’s first investment was launched in 2019, and 2nd South Market opened in January 2021. The business is the first completed Opportunity Zone project in Idaho. It boasts over 13,000 square-feet of food vendors and a full bar, as well as an additional 14,700 square-feet outside socializing area.
Opportunity Zones were established by the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to encourage private, long-term investments in low-income urban areas and rural communities with low economic activity. Within the first two years of the program, 54 percent of Idaho’s Opportunity Zones saw investments. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law on July 4, 2025, makes permanent the expanded OZ program, especially focusing on spurring investment in rural areas. It also enables governors to expand the map of targeted communities and creates new reporting and transparency requirements to evaluate the program’s success.
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