City Looking to Purchase Cabela's Building for UST Global, MMP Moving Forward with Purchase Plan

In a move to ensure a new company remains an anchor in the community's future, the Sidney City Council is proposing the purchase of a three-story building at the intersection of Thirteenth Avenue and Illinois Street.

The building is the home of Xpanxion, a UST Global Group company.

In September 2018, Xpanxion announced it will be leasing up to 65,000 square feet of space and employing up to 200 workers in the Sidney community. Xpanxion announced in 2018 the Sidney location would serve as a major service delivery center for UST Global's healthcare practice. The company announced services will include healthcare platform-based solutions, operations and supporting digital services.

Sidney Economic Development Director Melissa Norgard said the intent is for the City to purchase the building, then lease it to UST Global. The purchase of the building will protect job investments by the company.

A public notice published today, March 27, says the City proposes to hold a public hearing 7:15 p.m. April 9 regarding the possible purchase of the building owned by Cabela's LLC with a purchase price of $1 million.

In its September 2018 press release, the company said it will invest in training the local workforce in healthcare operations. The training could include partnering with other industries and learning institutions to develop "highly capable local talent that can satisfy the future needs of its healthcare and other technology and digital practices," the company said in its press release.

Norgard said UST Global and Xpanxion employs approximately 10 staff with additional employees to start in April.

"They've hired people. They're moving forward," she said.

In January, MMP Enterprises President Mark Priemer announced the company's intention to purchase the two-story original Cabela's corporate building in Sidney. MMP company representatives and Priemer attended the community job fair the same week as the announcement of the company coming to Sidney. Priemer said it could take up to a year for the company to hire its 100-plus new employees. In January, Priemer said the Sidney location would be hiring for positions including marketing, manufacturing and research and development.

Norgard said the company is in the final stages of the purchase agreement. She added additional business paperwork and company registration is being completed.

MMP Enterprises was founded in 1981 and has a 49,000 square foot facility in Canada. The company was founded to serve the dietary supplement, food and skin care industries.