Senior management of a pontoon boat company has turned down a counter-proposal from the Chanute city commission and will re-open their search for a manufacturing plant.
Chanute Regional Development Authority Director Matt Godinez reported Tuesday morning that Coach Marine Group has turned down Chanute’s offer and has re-opened its recruitment for a new city in southeast Kansas. The company still plans to move forward with the purchase of the Legacy Trailer building on Ross Lane in the Safari Industrial Park to use as a warehouse space for lease and the company’s own use.
Coach Marine Group is looking to relocate manufacturing of its Xcursion pontoon boat line to southeast Kansas from Iowa. One concern was that Coach Marine did not release financial information the city requested. Godinez told commissioners he asked about different formats for the info, such as having City Manager Jeff Cantrell and City Attorney David Brake as the only ones to view it directly.
“I want more information and I want due diligence,” Mayor Sam Budreau said.
(Read more: The Chanute Tribune – news,news/)