Frozen-pizza maker moving to Redmond

Redmond offers tax incentives and plenty of open space to lure companies and build its image as an attractive place for companies to set up shop. The city of 30,000 is home to a growing number of manufacturers including Eberhard’s Dairy Products and HVAC maker BasX Solutions.

“Redmond was the perfect location for this as it has tax incentives that can assist in this for growing companies like ours that need these kinds of programs to help grow the company, which grows the community and offers great paying jobs,” said Piazza.

Wild Mike’s, which operates in 46 states, plans to finalize agreements with Redmond after the city approves a tax incentive plan, said Piazza.

Every week Wild Mike’s produces around 300,000 pizzas and approximately 2.4 million servings of food for both retail stores and school lunch programs across the country. The $40 million facility the company plans to build in Redmond will more than double capacity.

“We will be looking to manufacture a little over double in one day what we currently do in a week, which will create hundreds of new jobs at Wild Mike’s,” said Piazza.

SA Piazza & Associates LLC, the holding company for Wild Mike’s, plans to purchase a 46-acre parcel located at NE Ninth Street and Antler Avenue for its Redmond facilities, according to a news release from the city. The company will build a 270,000 square-foot facility and employ around 115 people.

“Wild Mike’s Ultimate Pizza enhances the strong constellation of Redmond’s manufacturing and distribution sectors,” said George Endicott, Redmond mayor.

Jon Stark, senior director of Redmond Economic Development Inc., calls the plan a good example of public-private partnerships.

“The company was looking at multiple locations both in and out of state, and selected Redmond due to land availability, staff responsiveness, access to the Long-Term Rural Enterprise Zone program, and the quality-of-life Central Oregon has to offer,” said Stark.

This week Redmond City Council heard the terms of a 15-year tax abatement regarding the proposed plans to bring Wild Mike’s to Redmond.

Wild Mike’s asked Redmond for a 15-year tax exemption on the value of the improvements on the vacant site, this includes equipment, land valuation and new construction.

To receive Long-Term Rural Enterprise Zone exemption, projects must create at least 50 jobs within three years of occupancy and invest at least $12.5 million. While the program for exemption has existed in Redmond since 1988, this project is the first to be eligible for the Long-Term Rural seven to 15-year term tax abatement.

In exchange for the exemption, Wild Mike’s will create at least 114 jobs and pay an annual community investment fee equal to $618 per full-time equivalent job at the plant. Those fees could generate around $70,000 a year for the city under the proposed initial job creation.

On Tuesday, the council approved the city manager’s signature on the agreement, which Stark called “a major milestone.”

The agreement also requires approval by the Deschutes County Commission and the city of Sisters, which is a co-sponsor of the enterprise zone.

Stark said construction could start in 2021 and continue into 2022, with occupancy planned for late 2022 or early 2023.

“The incentive was a big part of their decision-making process,” said Stark. “In addition, the company spends time over here recreating, so it’s another example of the company leadership having the Central Oregon lifestyle on a full-time basis. And this company is growing.”