Grand Sky seeking state support for expansion

Grand Sky is seeking $22 million dollars from the state to help with enhancements to the UAS business park west of Grand Forks.

The money is part of a much larger Department of Commerce budget. The local “ask” includes $12 million for construction of a new taxiway and $10 million dollars of additional infrastructure to support the site.

Grand Sky’s Tom Swoyer told members of the Senate Appropriations Government Operations Division that the drone park is a good investment for the state. “I have a tenant staring us in the face that wants to put 450 to 500 thousand square feet of facilities on the ground at Grand Sky over the next three years. They would create hundreds of new jobs and create a 24 hour a day – seven day a week – national defense asset called Sky Range.”

Swoyer says Grand Sky generates over $2 million dollars in taxes every year – and with the new tenant that figure should jump to around $4 million dollars.

The committee is scheduled to take additional testimony on various funding aspects of House Bill 1018 today (Monday).