Is Sisters in the running for data centers?

As Prineville gears up for likely expansion of the Facebook data center and the possibility of Apple locating a similar facility there, some in Sisters Country are asking whether Sisters should be in the running for such enterprises.

According to Sisters Economic Development Director Mac Hay, a couple of factors keep Sisters off that playing field.

The first is electric power. According to Hay, each facility will have up to four buildings using between 20 and 30 megawatts of power per building.

"The demand for the entire Sisters Country is 240 megawatts," Hay noted. "CEC doesn't have the capacity over here."

Prinveville lies near major Bonneville Power Administration lines, making power accessible and affordable for large-scale uses.

The second factor is land prices. Facebook's facility is on 125 acres; the possible Apple facility would have 160 acres. Sisters doesn't have that kind of land available at attractive prices.

"It's a combination of private and either formerly or (current) county land (in Prineville) - so we're talking cheap," Hay said.

"When you look at the competition, we're not in it," Hay said. "When you don't have those two infrastructure pieces, you won't be on the list."

Hay said there are several irons in the fire on the economic development front in Sisters Country.

He has been working with new Sisters airport owner on including the airport in the Sisters-Redmond enterprise zone.

"That's looking very positive," he said.

He is also working with two Sisters manufacturers of food and beverage products to find suitable sites for production facilities. Hay noted that Redmond offers a range of attractive options to such businesses with which it is tough to compete.

Hay said he has helped to retain Rescue Response Gear in Sisters, assisting the company to move from its longtime industrial park location into a temporary home in the former Multnomah Publishing/Weitech building.

That facility was supposed to become the headquarters of Gutenberg College, but that proposal foundered on lack of funding. However, Hay still holds out hope that the college can eventually make the move from Eugene to Sisters.

"I'm still cautiously optimistic," he said.

He has also been in talks with a software designer who wants "to get into a creative atmosphere.... This guy loves Sisters. He likes the creative, artistic side of Sisters."

He has also helped one existing retailer secure an alternative for financing, a perennial difficulty for small Sisters businesses.

"That's one of the big nuts that's hard to crack," he said.

Another tough nut is the relationship between commercial tenants and landlords. With the retail economy still sluggish, some retailers are trying to negotiate with their landlords, and it doesn't always work out.

"A lot of times the conversation is that the tenant just isn't realistic about what is possible," said Hay. On the other hand, "I think some of them (landlords) are thinking maybe there's a guy in line behind you who's better, because things are going to turn around."

That turnaround still lies up the road for Sisters Country, but there are still people looking to build their businesses here.

Hay said he is working with a manufacturer of custom shotguns who expects to be operative in early 2012, with three to four employees.

"He's already got a guy in Sisters doing some of the machine parts for him," Hay said.

Another man is looking to establish a gunsmithing operation.

Forthcoming in 2012 are business startup classes, a business roundtable and a pub talk for Sisters businesses.