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December 2007
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from the Koochiching Economic Development Authority.
This is a beautifully magic time of the year in Voyageur Country - we've got lots of fresh snow and we look forward to getting together with friends and family for the Holidays.
It's been a busy year in Koochiching County and as the year comes to an end, it's a good time to reflect back and chart our progress in business recruitment, job retention, job creation and investment. One of our primary goals was to focus on our various business/industrial parks - to market them to potential users, and to continue to develop our Foreign Trade Zone site. We've had success in both areas. Koochiching Freshwater Fisheries purchased the existing building in the International Falls Business Park and is currently constructing a fish processing facility on the adjacent property. Initial plans call for creating 15 jobs as part of the initial phase and increasing to over 40 later this year. The Occupational Development Center (ODC) has also been working with the KEDA to construct a 20,000 square foot facility in the Business Park this spring.
At the Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) site just south of the Port of Ranier, CN Rail recently completed construction of a Customs Facility with additional rail to support the increase in rail container traffic from the Port of Prince Rupert. We are working on further site development at the FTZ to accommodate anticipated opportunities related to the rail including warehousing.
We're also working to bring tenants to the 10-acre, shovel-ready industrial park in Northome, as well as working with the City of Littlefork to develop their 17-acre business park.
We continue to move on other projects, including the RECAP Plasma Gasification Project. This unique project will convert municipal solid waste to energy. We are currently awaiting a feasibility study to answer a number of operational, technological, and environmental issues relating to the project. Another project involves the development of the riverfront property just east of International Falls. The project is a public/private partnership involving the City of International Falls, Voyageurs National Park, and Ultimate Development, LLC. The plan calls for the creation of a Voyageur Heritage Center and a new National Park Headquarters on one parcel, adjacent to a hotel/conference center all located on Rainy River. An architectural firm has been hired to provide initial conceptual details, while the financing package is being finalized.
Finally, the Falls Memorial Hospital and Duluth Clinic continue to explore creating a joint healthcare facility. This is an extremely exciting project. A great deal of planning and discussion has occurred and a primary site has been selected. Final details will soon be released.
We have much to be grateful for this Holiday Season and are reminded of what a special place this is. We're excited looking ahead and building on the progress we've made.
Enjoy the season -
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