Landing the first business will be the biggest challenge.

But the Port of Columbia’s marketing effort for Blue Mountain Station, its long term business development project, was given a boost Wednesday when it was awarded a Challenge Grant of $8,000 by Pacific Power.

“Finding funding for marketing has been difficult,” stated Jennie Dickinson, manager of the Port of Columbia. “A Port our size doesn’t have the funds necessary for the kind of marketing effort this project will require.  We are grateful to Pacific Power for continuing to support our community’s economic development efforts and this project in particular.”

Blue Mountain Station will be the world’s first eco-friendly artisan natural, organic, and sustainable food processing park.  The Port’s marketing effort will focus on creating a brand for the artisan natural and organic products to be processed at the park, creating a connection between regional growers and food processors, establishing distribution channels, and developing a Marketing ToolKit to be used by the Port for business attraction and development.    

“Pacific Power is committed to supporting community projects like Blue Mountain Station,” said Bill Clemens, Regional Community Manager for Pacific Power. “An effective, professional marketing effort is key to the success of a business development strategy.”

This grant brings the total Pacific Power has provided in funding for the Blue Mountain Station Project to over $29,000, including match support for the marketing and feasibility studies and for the $1,000,000 Washington State Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB) financial package secured by the Port of Columbia for property acquisition and infrastructure development.

The Port has been working on Blue Mountain Station since it was recommended in a marketing plan in April, 2008.  A feasibility study completed in June, 2009 confirmed the project was feasible and would provide needed economic vitality to Columbia County, and the financial package authorized by CERB in July enabled the purchase of 28 acres in late 2009.  The project is expected to create 300 jobs at full build-out, and site planning is currently under way. 

For more information contact Jennie Dickinson at 509-382-2577 or Bill Clemens at 509-522-7007. More information on the project is available at:  www.bluemountainstation.com