City rejects offer from interested Gateway buyer

By Stefanie Donahue

An offer from an investment firm to purchase 6 acres of land on the city’s Gateway Parcel, formerly the site of the Blaine Municipal Airport, was rejected by Blaine City Council during a meeting on May 29.

Representing the interested buyer, Uppal Investments, Ron Freeman of Freeman Real Estate approached Blaine City Council with the offer. Uppal Investments specializes in facilitating business development projects, such as retail, trucking, multi-family, gas stations and lodging.

Freeman said the firm, which does business in the U.S. and Canada, intended to build a truck/fuel stop, a coffee shop, a fast-food restaurant and a 20,000-square-foot grocery building on the site. Early projections from Uppal Investments indicate the combined developments would bring 45 jobs to Blaine and generate an estimated $25.9 million in annual revenue.

“With the potential 6-acre property, we plan on this development benefiting both U.S. and Canadian traffic,” read a statement from Uppal Investments to Blaine City Council. “Due to rising costs for various goods in Canada, hundreds of people cross into the U.S. from Canada everyday shopping for everyday essentials, including dairy products, fuel and much more.”

Mike Kent, the city’s listing broker for the Gateway Parcel, said “It was evident very early on that they had serious interest. This property is pretty unique.”

Uppal Investments intended to purchase land located on the north half of the parcel.

Following an executive session on Monday, Blaine City Council chose not to take action on the offer. Mayor Bonnie Onyon said, Uppal Investments' intended use for the property did not meet the city’s intended use for the property.

Note from the editor: This story has been updated for clarity purposes.