A tax incentive plan put forth by National Fish & Seafood has been okayed by the Gloucester, Massachusetts City Council, better positioning the company to potentially purchase an area facility currently owned by cold-storage provider Americold as well as seek state-based tax incentives in the future.
The seven-year tax increment plan (TIF) was approved in a 6-3 vote by the council, and could ease the company’s tax burden by USD 68,000 (EUR 62,368), said National Fish president Todd Provost to the Gloucester Times. The council’s approval of the TIF has given National Fish a show of local support that will help in the company’s effort to secure grant funding through Massachusetts Economic Development Incentive Program for the facility, which sits on the Gloucester waterfront, added Provost.
National Fish is enthused by its deepening partnership with Gloucester, said Provost.
“As we're moving forward, we are creating a greater relationship with the city," he said to the Times. "It does create more of a sense of partnership, in that the city is supporting the company through this.
"The number of jobs and other things are still speculative," added Provost. "We anticipate that we'll be able to improve (the property) and grow jobs. But we still have to hope things fall into place."
As of now, National Fish – which is owned by Pacific Andes International Holdings – employs 65 full-timers with 200 additional seasonal or part time positions filled as well. The TIF package could create 15 or more new jobs, City Council President Joe Ciolino indicated, according to the Times.
The property up for grabs contains two warehouse buildings and 14,800 square feet of dock space.
