The Hagadone Marine Group is full speed ahead, building the region’s only mega marine center with world-class service and premium facilities.
Duane B. Hagadone, chairman of the Hagadone Corp., announced the expansion plans for the Blackwell Island site to the marine group’s customers at the Hagadone Event Center on Saturday night.
“When we complete this latest phase of the first-class facility, it will give us a complete marine operation that will serve the entire Inland Northwest,” Hagadone said.
The project at the 44-acre site at the confluence of Lake Coeur d’Alene and the Spokane River will start on Wednesday and is expected to be completed for operation by April 1, 2017.
As a result of the developments, customers will enjoy a one-stop boating experience. The campus will offer sales, service, moorage and storage options.
“Like with any Hagadone project, no detail has been spared in the planning for this project,” said Craig Brosenne, the marine group’s general manager. “Perfection is the goal. We have outgrown all of our facilities, and this will take us well into the future of being the area’s only full on-the-water sales, service and boat manufacturer.”
Construction will include three buildings, including two 16,000-square foot facilities for boat service, fiberglass work, detail and rigging. The center will have up to 20 massive roll-up door service bays, providing space for up to 40 technicians.
“Our culture is that sales sells the first boat, but service sells the second, third and fourth,” Brosenne said. “If they don’t get good service, they’re not coming back. If you invest with us, we’ll invest in you to make your boating experience better.”
There will be oil-water separators, windows for natural lighting, overhead vacuum lines and each bay will have its own shampoo machine.
“I get to visit many dealerships in North America and this will be the finest and most efficient I have seen to date,” Brosenne said. “Mr. Hagadone’s vision of the lake and waterfront businesses will leave a lasting impact on this community for many years to come.
“The facilities will allow for a quick turnaround time in a season that is condensed and will put us ahead of the competition. It’s all about delivery.”
The third building will be a 3,600-square-foot wash bay facility.
The project also includes a 40,000-pound stationary crane to handle boats as they come in and go out on tractor trailers.
About 20,000 cubic yards of material will be added to the site’s surface before the buildings are constructed to meet flood plain requirements on the island.
The facilities will complement the 1,100 marina wet slips the marine group already offers on Blackwell Island.
With the updated facilities and consolidation, the Resort Boat Shop and Coeur d’Alene Custom Wood Boats will no longer be operated at their current location off Seltice Way in Post Falls. The operations and their staff will be relocated to the Blackwell Island campus.
The Hagadone Boat Storage facilities, however, will remain in Stateline. The indoor storage facilities house about 1,400 boats. Operating since 2006, the storage facilities offer 25 13,000-square-foot buildings with expansion capabilities of 25 more buildings.
The Blackwell Island developments will create growth opportunities for current staff and attract new technicians, boat builders, yard personnel, sales personnel, fiberglass technicians and marina attendants. The project could create as many as 15 jobs over the next two to three years. The marine group currently employs more than 130.
Read More at CDA Press