Redneck meats could be coming to Columbia Falls
<p>Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney, left, shakes Stampede Meat Packing Co. plant manager Sam Laurens hand after Cooney presented Laurens a $27,000 check Wednesday at the industrial park in Columbia Falls. The Big Sky Trust grant will be used by the company to research and design a new facility. The industrial park is the preferred site for a new plant. In the background is Columbia Falls City Manager Susan Nicosia.</p>
First bakeries and beer, now sausages and other cured meats. Columbia Falls could become the culinary capital of the Flathead. Stampede Meats, the parent company of the popular Redneck brand of hot dogs and sausages could set up its business at the Columbia Falls Industrial Park, but the company cautions a lot still has to come together.
Stampede is “at least a year out” said Lynnmarie Maves, finance manager for the company.
“There are a lot of variables that have to come together,” she said Monday.
Still, Columbia Falls is the preferred site, she noted.
Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney and other dignitaries from the state presented Stampede with a $27,000 Big Sky Trust grant at the Columbia Falls Industrial Park. The funds are earmarked so the company can research and design a new facility.
City Manager Susan Nicosia said another company’s plans to expand at the industrial park are a key component to the overall plan for the site.
SmartLam, which makes super-strong cross-laminated wood products has a plant in Columbia Falls near Super 1 Foods, but like Stampede, is also looking to expand.
Optimally, SmartLam would start its expansion at the park at the same time as Stampede. The city, through the park’s Targeted Economic Development District, would then leverage bonds from the companies’ expansion toward the estimated $1.2 million in infrastructure costs needed to serve them.
Part of SmartLam’s expansion hinges on a state new market tax credit, a federal program that is given to states to help fund business growth. The state makes announcements on applications to the tax credit program June 1.
If SmartLam gets the credits and decides to expand, it would also brighten the outlook for Stampede as well.
The $1.2 million in infrastructure costs include bringing sewer and utilities to the site as well as other costs, such as roads and building and planning fees, Nicosia noted.
Stampede Meats is currently located on Airport Road in Kalispell, but has reportedly been looking for a location to expand for some time.
The company does not slaughter animals on site. In addition to sausage, it makes hams, bacon and other cured meat products.
Stampede is owned by T.S. Laurens and his family.
Maves is his daughter. They’ve been in Kalispell since 1984 and have between 25 and 30 employees.
In addition, the city could already have three new bakeries by year’s end and already has a new brewery.