PHOTO: Courtesy of WLUK
(WTAQ-WLUK) — The company that owns coal piles in downtown Green Bay says it has agreed to a meeting with city and county officials about possibly moving the piles.
C. Reiss Company issued this statement Thursday:
Earlier this week, the state agency in charge of the $15 million grant to move the coal piles publicly stated that all parties need to ‘sit in a room and come to an agreement.’ C. Reiss completely agrees, and we’ve now accepted an invitation to meet with Brown County and the City of Green Bay to negotiate an agreement on moving the coal piles to the old Pulliam Power Plant site.
Wisconsin Department of Administration secretary Kathy Blumenfeld says her agency awarded the $15 million state grant three years ago, but has not distributed the money yet.
Brown County has gathered around $33 million to expand port operations at the mouth of the Fox River. The county and C. Reiss have not been able to reach a lease agreement to start putting coal at the 37-acre property.
Brown County leaders have claimed C. Reiss became nearly impossible to negotiate a fair lease with after hearing the grant was contingent on a deal to move the coal piles. That has led county officials to explore alternate uses for the Pulliam Power Plant site. They have been talking with seven other companies interested in the potential port site, while maintaining negotiations with C. Reiss.
Last week, it was revealed Green Bay officials are working with C. Reiss on an alternate site near the Pulliam property if a deal can’t be reached with the county. Blumenfeld says the state would have to see the details before deciding whether the grant money could be shifted to that plan.
Blumenfeld said that no matter what happens, the money has to be utilized before the end of 2026.
The coal piles have sat on the same riverfront property for 125 years. Studies have shown the land could garner $150 million in new development.
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