Hagadone unveils plans for mega marine center

COEUR d'ALENE — 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.

"The new mega marine center is expected to generate large business growth overall, and with the recent annexation into the city of Coeur d'Alene, that means the potential benefit of additional tax dollar revenue for the city," a press release states.

Hagadone said the region's love for boating and the marine group's improved facilities have gone hand in hand.

"The boating business has always been strong, but as we have developed better facilities it has allowed us to grow," he said. "When people come to North Idaho, one of the first things they do is buy a house and one of the next things they do is buy a boat."

If the economy continues to grow, a 250-slip dry stack storage unit will be added to the campus in the future. It would be the only dry stack storage option in the area and offer new boaters access to the lake.

"It will be the only boat valet service on Lake Coeur d'Alene," Brosenne said. "All you'll have to do is call an hour ahead and we'll have your boat fully maintained and ready for your enjoyment on the lake. It's the next revolution for our marine group."

The development project will provide the latest improvements to the Blackwell Island site that Hagadone has made since it was purchased in 2004. Two on-the-water showrooms were added last year.

"It's been a very challenging piece of property," Hagadone said. "It was formerly a sawmill and, after that closed, it became the dump for the City of Coeur d'Alene. Over the years we've developed a program that has allowed us to move forward and develop the marine center that we're now in the final phase of."

Today, customers are greeted with the grounds that resemble a well-kept Kentucky horse ranch with lush lawn and white fencing. The property has nearly a mile of shoreline.

"We saw it as an opportunity to continue our corporate strategy of developing along the north shoreline of Lake Coeur d'Alene," Hagadone said. "Every time we have done so, it has always worked out extremely well for us."

The expansion comes on the heels of the city of Coeur d'Alene's recent 172-acre annexation approval that included 24 acres on Blackwell Island and portions of the lake and river. In addition, the recent planned unit development allows all marine-related service over the 44 acres.

The marine group is working with Ginno Construction and Welch Comer Engineers on the development.

Hagadone Marine Center sells top-of-the-line boat brands, including Regal, Cobalt, Malibu, AXIS, Coeur d'Alene Custom Wood Boats and Harris Pontoons. The business has set a record in sales this year.

"Considering we sell premium brands, that's spectacular," Brosenne said.

The company has been a "Top 100 Dealer" every year it has applied for the past 10 years and was No. 12 on that list in 2016.

The Cedars Floating Restaurant, owned by Hagadone Hospitality, is at the southern end of Blackwell Island.