Grand Traverse County – Kingsley could soon be home to a $20 million medical marijuana plant.
TheraCann, a cannabis corporation, is looking to build the 100,000 square-foot facility in Kingsley’s Industrial Park.
The plant would also bring nearly 100 new jobs to the village which Marc McKellar, a member of Kingsley’s Downtown Development Authority, said would be a welcome change especially after the shutdown of Pugsley Correctional Facility last year.
"I was very much against it and once I started applying objective reasoning I determined that there are some positives here," said McKellar.
McKellar also happens to live in one of the closes homes to the proposed site for the plant, which is right next to the existing wastewater treatment plant off of M-113.
"The reality is that I did move next to an industrial park and so you have to take that in consideration when you’re looking at what’s going on here," said McKellar.
"Obviously you have your people who are adamantly opposed to it," said Kingsley Village Manager Jacob VanBoxel. "And you have those who think it could be a benefit to the community."
"Given the economics and the potential jobs we decided we need to really look at this seriously," said McKellar.
According to McKellar, right now, the entire DDA taxable value is around $6.2 million. The medical marijuana plant, alone, would have a taxable value of $9.5 million.
This means more than $500,000 extra in taxes would be going back into the community.
Vanboxel said one of the main concerns some people who are against the idea have is the stigma that comes with marijuana.
"It is not something we take half heartedly, we have really looked at this because we live here," said McKellar.
No decisions have been made yet, Vanboxel said there is still a lot that needs to be taken into consideration.
There will be a public meeting Wednesday where the DDA will vote on whether they will support the project or not.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker
Full Article: Medical Marijuana Plant Proposed For Grand Traverse County
Author: Raphael Pires
Contact: 800.968.7770
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Website: UpNorthLive
