RICE LAKE, Wis. (NWN) — More details about the possible future of the Besse Forest Product manufacturing property in Rice Lake.
The lakefront location has been idle since the factory abruptly closed in August 2024, and parent company later went into receivership with its assets being liquidated.
At the Rice Lake City Council meeting Tuesday evening, Barron County Economic Development Director David Armstrong told the city council a developer was looking at a 30 million dollar project for the site. They were asking for help from the city in demolishing the factory buildings. Armstrong said there was a 250 thousand dollar matching grant from the state, if the city committed the same amount for demolition. Armstrong said there was a state grant to cover costs of testing the ground for contamination.
The council was considering those grants, and entering an agreement with the developer to start phase one of the project.
This is a developing story.