Prospective buyer shows interest in former OCF

MARENISCO — A prospective buyer from Chicago has shown interest in purchasing the former Ojibway Correctional Facility in Marenisco for use as a farm to grow, process and test marijuana.

Marenisco Supervisor Richard Bouvette reported the news to his Board of Trustees at their Wednesday evening meeting and shared further detail with the Daily Globe in a Thursday phone call.

“I don’t know that this is going to fly,” said Bouvette, but he claimed, “This guy seems to know what he’s talking about.”

The supervisor said that the man, who is from Chicago, has extensive experience in the field, including work in Colorado.

Both of Gogebic County’s state representatives said they accompanied the interested party on a recent tour of OCF.

“He felt that it had a lot of potential,” said Sen. Ed McBroom, R-Waucedah Township, by phone on Thursday.

McBroom said that the isolated region, along with the already existing security, were obvious pluses. In addition, he said the possible buyer expressed interest in working with local universities in relation to research in the field of marijuana.

Bouvette said that OCF has about 70 acres and “lots of buildings.”

In a separate call on Thursday, Rep. Greg Markkanen, R-Hancock, said that the situation is still in “very preliminary” stages, but added that it could result in “good-paying jobs” for the region.

McBroom said that 100 to 200 jobs could result, and — in the event of the project taking hold — both representatives expressed interest in keeping those positions local.

They both also said that they told the Chicago man that he should seek community input on his plan.

“I hope the local community wants to see the facility put to re-use,” said Markkanen, while McBroom said it’s clear that the property, which is a “significant” asset, should not go to waste.

McBroom said he has connected the possible buyer with various state resources, including offices of economic development.

Markkanen believes more progress may occur once the state “settles down” from the current issues with COVID-19.

In general, said Markkanen, “We want to get the economy going.”

McBroom said that some next steps will be to assure whether the prospective ideas for OCF are “safe” and “viable.”

Bouvette said he has requested the prospective buyer to submit a formal proposal.

Last summer, the Marenisco board voted to pass an ordinance allowing various levels of recreational marijuana enterprise within the township.

Local citizens, however, processed a petition to get the matter on last November’s ballot and voted the ordinance down, after which the board rescinded it.

At Wednesday’s meeting, Trustee Kelly Dunbar questioned that status in relation to the new interest in OCF. “Our township voted not to do this,” he said.

“The township voted to repeal the ordinance,” said Bouvette. “Marijuana is still legal. It’s still going to be grown. It’s still going to be sold.”

The supervisor, who said the possible buyer expected to work mainly with recreational marijuana, added that he believed the main public concern was to keep such activity away from residential areas. The former OCF is in a gated area off M-64.

Moreover, he added of the potential buyer, “He did not ask for a retailing license. He would ship it (the product) to other places.”

“It’s the perfect place for it,” conceded Dunbar.