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Committee recommends tax-abatement support for Heartland (Hartland) Food Products Group expansion
Summary
Committee members voted to advance SB1 approvals for real and personal property abatements for Heartland (Hartland) Food Products Group’s proposed Pike Township expansion, a project the presenters said represents about $90 million in investment and roughly 30 new full-time jobs.
The Metropolitan Economic Development Committee voted to forward Proposals 97 and 98, which comprise a statement of benefits (SB1) and personal-property abatement request for T.C. Hartland, LLC (doing business as Hartland Food Products Group), to the full council with a favorable recommendation.
Katie Culp of KSM Location Advisors introduced the project and said Heartland is proposing an expansion in Pike Township that would support SlimFast and other product lines. Gene Wolfe, vice president of finance at Heartland, described the company as a longtime Indianapolis employer with roughly 832 employees at its Georgetown Road facilities and said the expansion would add equipment and footprint to support new production.
Culp said the total proposed investment exceeds $90,000,000, including about $15,000,000 in real property investment and roughly $76,000,000 in equipment. She said the company anticipates creating about 30 new full-time-equivalent jobs during the early years of the expansion and expects a meaningful share of hires to be Marion County residents; presenters projected roughly 21 of the 30 new jobs would be filled by Marion County workers. Wolfe said starting wages would be provided in follow-up materials and confirmed there is no union at the facility.
Councilors asked procedural and community-impact questions. Councilor Nielsen asked DMD staff whether the abatement route required council review because the site is inside a TIF district; staff confirmed that is the case and that council approval of the SB1 is required. DMD program manager Tanya Ellison asked the committee to consider hearing and voting on Proposals 97 and 98 together because one application covers real property and the other personal property for the same project.
Presenters described proposed uses of community-impact payments tied to any abatement, such as walkability improvements and potential bus-stop upgrades in coordination with Indigo transit. A committee member moved to advance both proposals to the full council; the motion was seconded and carried on a voice vote.
Action: Committee moved Proposals 97 and 98 to the full council with a favorable recommendation (voice vote).
