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Council approves EDA sale of two industrial lots to Aventus Investments LLC; councilors note notice wording and public sensitivities
Summary
The council authorized EDA actions to sell two industrial park lots to Aventus Investments LLC for $2.25/sq ft; the planned development includes a 30,000-sq-ft warehouse for Guns R Us and a 20,000-sq-ft building for Steelhead Outdoors. Some councilmembers said the agenda language ('certain actions') and meeting timing limited public awareness for a potentially sensitive buyer.
The City Council approved EDA-authorized actions to move forward with the sale of the final two lots in the industrial park to Aventus Investments LLC after the EDA recommended accepting an offer at market value.
Ken reviewed the EDA action: the purchaser will pay $2.25 per square foot and is proposing two buildings — a 30,000-square-foot warehouse to house a wholesaler described in the presentation as Guns R Us (a Federal Firearms Licensee focused on wholesaling and non-retail operations) and a 20,000-square-foot building with Steelhead Outdoors as a lead tenant. The EDA's enabling resolution requires council approval for the sale to proceed and a closing and construction timeline that requires construction to start within one year of closing (expected close by February 2026).
Councilmembers expressed support for the economic-development goals but raised concerns about public notice. One councilmember said the agenda item was titled "certain actions by the New Prague Economic Development Authority" rather than naming the buyer or project, and suggested more explicit agenda language could have encouraged broader public participation, especially since some residents find firearm-related businesses contentious. Others countered that EDA meetings and industrial-park sales have long followed established procedures and that the purchaser met zoning and EDA criteria.
Councilmember Maggie Bass moved to approve Resolution 25-12-01-05 approving the EDA actions; the motion was seconded and passed 5-0. The resolution enables closing and requires construction to begin within a year of closing per the purchase agreement.
