Tri-City Regional Port District: 1959-2009

PRESS RELEASES

PORT CONTRIBUTED $208 MILLION TO ECONOMY; NEW HARBOR ALSO PLANNED

By Chris Coates
Wednesday, January 30, 2008 8:35 AM CST

Ask Tri-City Regional Port District Executive Director Bob Wydra how many tenants are housed in the 1,200-acre industrial park and warehouse center he leads, and it's likely he'll hand over a poster-sized page packed with the names of 75 companies, firms and other clients in tiny type.

"And this one's old. There's probably another 10 more," Wydra said on a visit to his offices Thursday afternoon.

The list is telling because it underscores a recent report that shows the sprawling port, which sits just off Illinois Route 3 in Granite City, Venice and Madison, is one of the largest economic generators in the region.The study, completed by Edwardsville-based RSN Economic Group Inc., found the complex generated more than $208 million last year and employed 1,347 people.

During 2007, the port also:

* Facilitated more than 4 million tons of cargo on 2,500 barges, 30,000 railcars and 40,000 trucks

* Provided $66 million in wages and salaries

* Generated $10 million in annual state taxes and local tax revenues

The results were surprising to even to Wydra, who commissioned the report last year after a number of in-house studies.

"I didn't know how it would turn out," he said. "I was very pleased."

The facility grew out of the Melvin Price Support Center, a former army depot the federal government closed, and now includes three elements with different client bases: the Chain of Rocks Harbor, River's Edge Industrial Park and a Foreign Trade Zone.

The complex includes warehouse space and manufacturing mixed with remaining military housing and a nine-hole golf course.

Among the largest clients are U.S. Steel, the U.S. Air Force, Shapiro Metals Inc., Ameren, Mattingly Lumber & Millwork Inc., St. Louis Steel Rule Die Inc., DaimlerChrysler Corp. and ConocoPhillips Co.

That diverse nature, Wydra said, makes the port and River's Edge somewhat more insulated to economic downturns than previous years, when the port heavily relied on transporting grains and steel. A single drought or economic slowdown could have spelled disaster, he said.

"We're in a different place now," Wydra said. "We have a lot of balance. We have a much more reliable variety."

Among the new projects set for this year are a new manufacturing facility for the air dome maker Arizon Cos. and the long-anticipated Abengoa ethanol plant.

Wydra said he's confident the Abengoa Bioenergy project, which will cost $205 million, provide 340 jobs and generate $323 million, will get off the ground.

"They are going to build," he said.

The port also recently signed a lease with Ultimate Fighting Championship personality Matt Hughes to open a mixed martial arts center called Hughes Intensive Training Squad in the 13,500-square-foot former Post Exchange Building at 400 A. St

Other recent new tenants include a Connecticut fabric maker, Fairfield Processing Corp., and Western Extralite Co., a Kansas City, Mo.-based electrical and data communications retailer.

Western Extralite Operations Manager Justin Williamson said the company selected Granite City for its proximity to St. Louis and its growing roster of Illinois clients, which includes Granite City schools, the city and the Park District.

"It's always been a goal of ours to get an Illinois branch," said Williamson, who grew up in Granite City and worked for several years in Maryland Heights. Most of the other workers are from Illinois, he said last month.

"We're all local guys," he said.

Wydra said officials are now looking to create another port, called River's Edge South Harbor, below Dam 27 at the south section of the facility, near the McKinley Bridge. It will cost about $18 million.

Crews will also replace roads and some rail lines in the complex, Wydra said.

"There are a lot of capabilities here," he said, "lots of site development opportunities."