Tenino is looking to enhance the agricultural industry in the area, and the Southwest Washington Agricultural Innovation and Business Park would do just that.
The business park has been in the works for two years now, according to Aslan Meade, business and investor relations manager at the Thurston Economic Development Council’s Center for Business and Innovation.
The last two years have mostly been spent getting feedback about what the agricultural community already has and what support they could use. They have also been gaining community support, everyone from farmers to the president of Centralia College have written letters in favor of the business park.
“The biggest part, which you never really get to see, is the relationship building,” Meade said.
The overall goal of the business park is to create jobs and increase the economic viability in the area. According to a study done by Jason Robertson and Co., a business management consulting firm based in Olympia, the business park could create upwards of 150 jobs and $25 million in overall sales for the area. These are solely projections based on other similar business parks, Meade said.
“What we’re looking to do is to increase the viability of the agricultural business,” Tenino Mayor Wayne Fournier said.
The park will most likely be placed on the city-owned lot next to the wastewater treatment facility in Tenino, according to Fournier. The lot is just over 20 acres, with 4 acres dedicated to the treatment facility and “plenty of room to grow,” Fournier said.
Recently, the business park received $618,000 from the state capital budget. This money will be used for the infrastructure and making the lot “shovel ready,” according to Meade. Infrastructure would include putting in utilities, creating any roads that need to be put in and possibly fencing.
Other various grants and funding avenues have also been looked into. Currently, Meade is awaiting the final decision from the Port of Olympia about $75,000 that could possibly go to the business park to be used for master planning. Master planning would largely include overall planning design and site due diligence.
There will be three components to the park: creating a regional food system, bringing in agricultural business experts and creating a tourist draw.
The main focus will be on creating the regional food system. The business park will include manufacturing, packaging and processing plants, according to Meade.
Agricultural economic viability is struggling in America right now. Having this business park will allow businesses to source locally, creating a regional food system and adding value to the local markets. This is also where the majority of the potential jobs would come from.
“It will help increase the price point,” Meade said, pointing out that currently farmers may grow a large amount of a crop without knowing how much they will actually get in return.
The second component involves bringing in agricultural experts to help the farmers and various companies. This section would be similar to the work done at the Thurston EDC, but with a focus on agriculture.
“There would be people specifically there to help the people of the region,” Meade said.
Agricultural experts from various areas would be there to coach and train the individuals and to help companies with all of their various needs. Representatives from the Thurston EDC, WSU-Extension and possibly the Northwest Agriculture Business Center would be available to help solve problems and coach companies in areas they may be weak in.
The experts would be an asset not only to companies near Tenino or within Thurston County, but also to those in nearby counties, up and down the I-5 corridor, Meade said.
The last component to the business park would be a tourism area. Businesses could set up small shops or tasting rooms. They would have the ability to give out samples and to sell their products.
People come from all over to get custom and local goods, Meade said. This would enhance the area’s tourism by creating a hub where multiple companies sell their custom goods.
Last summer tours of the area were given and several parties said they would be interested in being a part of the business park. The Northwest Business Center, Olympia’s Whitewood Cider Co. and Holy Kraut from Alberta, Canada were all interested parties.
The Thurston EDC and Meade have been an incredible asset to the creation of the business center, according to Fournier.
“The EDC has been amazing. They are worth their weight in gold,” Fournier said.
Meade also attested to the worth of the EDC, especially in helping new and small businesses.
“Our EDC is the envy of all other EDC’s around the state,” Meade said.
The park is largely still in the planning stage. The goal is to begin building during the first part of 2019 and be open ealy 2020.
“It did take us two years to get to where we are now and it’ll likely take two more years to get the building open,” Meade said.
