MAEDA receives $65 million to support further development of Marshall Megasite

MARSHALL — The Marshall Area Economic Development Alliance has received additional funding to support the development of the 1,900-acre Marshall Megasite.

On Tuesday, the Michigan Strategic Fund board approved a $65 million Strategic Site Readiness Program performance-based grant for MAEDA that will support "land acquisition, site studies and preparation, water and wastewater upgrades, road enhancements, professional fees, administration and other necessary publicinfrastructure improvements" on roughly 800 acres of what's been dubbed the Marshall Area Jobs, Opportunities and Recreation (MAJOR) campus.

The vote came less than 24 hours after Ford Motor Co. announced it is "pausing work" on a multibillion dollar electric vehicle battery plant — BlueOval Battery Park Michigan — on the eastern portion of the site.

"We fully expect that Ford will continue to develop the BlueOval Battery Park Michigan site and we need to allow the Ford Motor Company and the UAW to continue their negotiations," Quentin Messer Jr., CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, explained Tuesday. "The vote today is really to ensure that there is non-Ford land at the Marshall site that is developed as we continue to attract interest from suppliers seeking to co-locate there."

Earlier this year, Ford announced its intention to build the nearly 2.5-million-square-foot EV battery plant on a 745-acre portion of the Megasite, a $3.5 billion investment expected to create 2,500 jobs when production of lithium iron phosphate batteries begins at the plant in 2026. As part of the deal, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, state lawmakers and local officials agreed to provide the automaker a combined $1.7 billion in public subsidies.

On Monday, Ford announced it would be pausing work and limiting spending on construction at the Marshall site "until we’re confident about our ability to competitively operate the plant," Ford spokesman T.R. Reid told the Detroit Free Press. "We haven’t made any final decision about the planned investment there."

MSF board member Dan Meyering voiced concern Tuesday about moving forward with further investments at the MAJOR campus given that Ford, perceived to be an anchor tenant, is pulling back at the site.

"The investment timing, it seems like it would make sense to take a pause and make sure (Ford is) moving forward," Meyering said. "Just with the consideration that we want to use the $250 million fund in the best way possible and if it turns out that there’s a better use of those funds at a different site, it would give us the flexibility to do that with the understanding that we can perhaps extend these (land) options to firm up the strategy at the site."

Marshall Township resident Glenn Kowalske, a supporter of the Committee for Marshall – Not the Megasite, which is working to prevent the Ford plant from locating in the Marshall area, also voiced similar sentiments during public comment Tuesday.

"The site has been to date pretty much built around the Ford request," Kowalske explained. "At this point, I would think it’s irresponsible to continue to fund a site that’s in question, it’s also in litigation, so I would urge this body to hold back that funding."

The Committee for Marshall — Not the Megasite filed a lawsuit against the city of Marshall June 27 in Calhoun County Circuit Court after its petition for a city-wide vote on a rezoning request tied to the Ford project was denied by Marshall City Clerk Michelle Eubank. The committee submitted about 810 signatures May 30, well above the minimum threshold of 578 signatures required by the city charter to place the measure on the ballot.

A judge dismissed the complaint earlier this month, but the committee has since submitted an amended complaint with two new claims and additional facts, namely that the city "failed to provide proper notice of the ordinance amendment under City Charter section 4.02," and that the city "cannot rezone an area the Joint Planning Commission has refused to rezone."

When asked about the pending litigation Tuesday, MAEDA legal counsel Richard Lindsey informed board members that in his opinion, "there’s nothing that stops (the Ford project) from going forward."

He also reiterated that the $65 million site readiness grant is tied to land outside of the Ford project footprint.

"This work is related to infrastructure that’s off the Ford site so that lawsuit has absolutely nothing to do with this," Lindsey said. This work needs to be done either way."

Messer said he believes Ford's pause is only temporary and reiterated that Tuesday's approved funding is aimed at supporting infrastructure development that is independent of Ford.

"I think that the risk of this potentially being something that will be dormant is highly, highly unlikely," he said. "We need to make sure that we’re ready and make sure that our sites are not an impediment to us competing for these (development) opportunities."

Marshall Public Schools Superintendent Rebecca Jones was among those to voice support for continued investment in the MAJOR campus, urging the MSF board to keep the momentum moving forward as the campus "will be a game changer for our region and our entire state."

"The good news for our future graduates is they won’t be forced to move away to find good paying jobs," Jones said. "This site will be a magnet for billions of dollars of new capital investment in our region, which in turn provides funding for community services and our schools. Those things all work together to help improve our overall quality of life for our families, students and neighbors."

MAEDA CEO Jim Durian said Tuesday's approved funding will allow the organization to purchase all of the properties needed to complete the overall infrastructure work for the entire site.

“Investment in this campus now will allow us to have a site ready for future suppliers and new businesses — and that means even more local jobs in Marshall long into the future,” Durian said. “We are confident Ford’s BlueOval Battery Park will be a magnet for new investment and will spark new small businesses and we applaud state and local leaders for helping to ensure the vehicles of the future are built here in Michigan and the advanced manufacturing facilities of the future are built here in Michigan.”

The MAJOR Campus includes a 245-acre conservation easement at the southern edge of the site along the Kalamazoo River, which Ford has committed to protecting with resources from its Ford Fund. It also covers nearly 23 acres of the Bear Creek property, including a historic barn, three houses and several other historic structures that MAEDA aims to preserve and repurpose as a museum, nature center and trail.

“The Marshall community has long talked about the development of this site and it’s exciting to know that we’re finally seeing real progress,” saidCaryn Drenth, who owns Living MI and Handle & Hinge in downtown Marshall. “It’s great to know that so many opportunities are being created for young people for years to come – so they won’t have to leave our area to find good-paying jobs.”

Contact reporter Greyson Steele at gsteele@battlecreekenquirer.com

This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: MAEDA receives $65M to support further development of 'MAJOR' campus