A grain elevator at the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor could soon be back in use, with some help from the city of Portage. The city council Tuesday approved real and personal property tax abatements for the Louis Dreyfus Company. The company says it plans to invest $18 million to restart and improve the facility.
Mayor Austin Bonta said the city's success is closely linked to the port's. "Operations in the port are extremely important for us as a port city, and I would just say that, ultimately, a successful port is a successful Portage," Bonta told council members.
The Louis Dreyfus Company is based in Europe but has a large presence in the United States, including in Claypool, Indiana. It says it only plans to create about 13 new jobs, but it needs the incentive, due to the considerable risk in restarting an elevator that's been idle for two years. Once it's up and running, it hopes to purchase upwards of $70 million a year in crops from area farmers.
The company hopes to move forward with a lease next week.
