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New Water Line Marks Major Milestone For Great Falls, Montana Agritech Park

Great Falls Development Authority http://www.gfdevelopment.org is pleased to announce the recent start of construction on the new water line that will serve the forthcoming Great Falls AgriTech Park and the Montana Advanced Biofuels sites on the east side of Great Falls.

This marks the first piece of infrastructure for the Great Falls AgriTech Park and is one of the first major milestones in the Park’s development. Plans to develop the shovel-ready, heavy industrial agritech park have been years in the making. Montana Advanced Biofuels, meanwhile, is a proposed wheat-and-barley-based ethanol plant.

The water project includes construction of a main that connects to an existing water line at River Drive North to the Park, in east Great Falls on 18 Ave. N. From River Drive North a new water main will be constructed running north to 18th Ave, N, where it will extend eastward, as far down 18th Ave. N. as funds allow. The project will bring approximately 4,500 linear foot of water main to the area.

Funding for the water line has come from a $300,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which was secured by the Montana federal delegation, and $70,000 from the City of Great Falls.

HISTORY

GFDA undertook the Great Falls AgriTech Park to give local businesses a place to expand, new businesses a place to start up and to help attract outside companies who had a need for a fully served, shovel-ready heavy industrial site. Park plans consist of lots ranging between 10- to-950 acres that will provide all utilities and rail service by Burlington Northern Santa Fe. Lots will be sold at cost with financing packages, custom incentives and Work Force Training grants available. Anyone interested in more information on the park or park lots should contact Jeremiah Johnson at 771-9029 or [email protected].

The potential impact of a shovel-ready AgriTech Park on Great Falls economy is enormous. New and expanding agri-processing companies locating here will provide new market alternatives for agriculture producers as well as produce good paying jobs. While the park will not be exclusively for agri-processing companies, GFDA is marketing to agri-processing companies as well as energy support companies, based on the findings of the Agri-processing Diversification Report we commissioned in 2009, which states that our 13-county trade area is ideal for new and existing agri-processing companies.

Progress on the AgriTech Park project continues to build momentum thanks to the support of the City of Great Falls, Cascade County, the Montana Department of Commerce, the Montana Department of Agriculture, US Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Montana Congressional delegation, TD&H Engineering, Woith Engineering, Big Sky Civil & Environmental, Jardine, Stephenson, Blewett & Weaver, PC, and all GFDA Investors. GFDA thanks everyone who has supported the Park with funds or in-kind support.

The Great Falls Development Authority is a private/public economic development partnership that involves the City of Great Falls, Cascade County, the Great Falls International Airport Authority, Great Falls Public Schools, Montana State University Great Falls, the University of Great Falls, the Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce, the North Central Building Trades, the Cascade County state legislative delegation, the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians and 200 of the leading Great Falls businesses and institutions. Our mission is to promote economic growth, diversification and the creation of high wage jobs.

Jeremiah Johnson

VP – Marketing

GFDA

(406) 771-9029

http://www.gfdevelopment.org

Mission –

Lead Great Falls economic development efforts to promote growth, diversification and the creation of high wage jobs!

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