The Stout Technology and Business Park (STBP) is a university-affiliated, mixed-use technology and business park with 403 acres in a park-like setting. The park features open space, community walking/biking paths and attractive, permanent buildings. It is a community of industrial, commercial, business and educational owners with a unique blend of value-added benefits from UW-Stout, a premier industrial technology institution.
$232 million estimated annual wage impact on the community.
STBP has ample acreage available for new development with many relocation incentives. Both commercial zone and technology zone acreage are available for development. Ideal owners are industrial and business enterprises involved in research and development, high technology, professional services and manufacturing related to the mission and programs of UW-Stout.
Park Highlights
The Stout Technology and Business Park is located in Menomonie, Wisconsin in Dunn County. Within a mile of I-94, just 45 miles east of Minneapolis/St. Paul and 20 miles west of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Just 60 minutes to an international airport, 20 minutes to a regional airport and within one mile of a municipal airport.
Interchange access to I-94 is within one mile, and airport access is exceptional: 60 minutes to an international airport, 20 minutes to a regional airport and a county airport across from the park servicing private planes. Dunn County is also served by two rail systems, the Canadian National (CN) and Union Pacific (UP), together operating in six of its communities.
The Menomonie Municipal Airport is a transport/corporate facility located on the east edge of the city, less than one mile from STBP. Its east-west runway is 5,100’ x 75’ and the north-south runway is 3,470’ x 75’ with a full-length parallel taxiway on the east-west runway; both are hard surfaced. Pilot-controlled MIRL, PAPI, REIL and LIRL lighting and GPS instrument approach support are available. A new terminal building provides 24-hour-per-day public accessibility.
Current STBP owners significantly impact the economy of the region. With more than 1,150 employees and an estimated annual payroll of $49 million, the wage impact on the community is estimated to surpass $232 million annually. In addition, with building valuations exceeding $65 million, real estate taxes are nearly $715,000.
Advantages to relocating operations to Wisconsin include growing in a progressive, pro-business state where manufacturing machinery and pollution control equipment are sales and property tax exempt. Computers and related equipment are property tax exempt, and materials consumed are sales tax exempt.
West Central Wisconsin makes better business sense when compared to the Twin Cities of Minnesota. Taking the key cost factors of labor, workman’s compensation and corporate income tax, savings range from 22% to 77% in each of these line items. Wisconsin’s state, county, and city incentive programs include I-94 Corridor Technology Zone tax credits, active TIF districting and training grants.
With three University of Wisconsin campuses and multiple Wisconsin technical colleges located within 45 minutes of the park, the region is known as the "IQ Corridor." The campus of the University of Wisconsin-Stout is just minutes from the park where the Discovery Center provides technical assistance and fosters partnerships with business and industry. Located within the park is Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC), one of the top-rated technical colleges in the nation, providing facilities for training and workforce development.
Innovation, technology, and research are key components of the STBP. The park contains two UW-Stout business incubators which provide entrepreneurs with access to facilities, guidance and technical assistance to accelerate the successful development of their start-up businesses.
Dunn County’s 26,036 skilled workers are well trained to support your labor force needs. Employees are:
- Young: average age is 32.
- Educated: 90% are high school graduates, 25% hold a baccalaureate degree or higher and 9% hold graduate degrees.
- Stable: 71% own their own homes.
- Hardworking: average more than 40 hours of work per week.
- Satisfied: 90% report being satisfied or very satisfied with their work.
- Trainable: are confident in their skills and are willing to undertake skill training that will improve productivity.
The 37,353 students enrolled in higher education in the West Central Wisconsin region nearly matches that of UW-Madison. The region is served by three universities, two technical school systems, a two-year school and many private and for-profit educational institutions. Employers are also served through the services of the West Central Wisconsin Workforce Development Board headquartered in Dunn County.
The average wage rate in West Central Wisconsin is $23.69 per hour for manufacturing and $14.67 per hour for production workers. Per capita income is $31,093 per year in West Central Wisconsin and $27,588 per year in Dunn County.
Covenants ensure that the park remains an attractive research and technology park for the benefit of the university, the community and park owners. Covenants include provisions and requirements for building construction and quality, density and green areas, landscaping, nuisance control, signage, parking, accessibility for persons with disabilities, assessment for common area maintenance and resale or transfer of ownership.
Sites include street, sewer and water service. The park’s sandy soil is ideal for ease of construction, yet provides a firm base for light manufacturing.
- Zoning: Sites within the city limits are zoned for industrial use
- Sewer: 8-12 inch sanitary sewer
- Storm Drainage: 8-12 inch water main system, with regional retention ponds
- Electricity and Natural Gas: Xcel Energy
- Interconnectivity: High-speed broadband from multiple providers
With a population of more than 16,000, Menomonie is a great place to live. It offers the relaxing environment of sophisticated living on a small scale, yet is within an hour’s drive to big city life. It has exceptional PK-16 educational institutions, unique niche shopping, rich history and culture, and renowned biking trails, nature corridors and lakes. Dunn County has a low crime rate, high graduation rate and a high percentage of residents with advanced degrees. Area highlights include:
- A landscape of rolling hills, abundant waterways, plush woodlands and geological formations going back millions of years.
- The Red Cedar State Trail along the Red Cedar River for biking, hiking and cross-country skiing.
- Boating, fishing and water sports galore with two interconnected 1,600 lakes.
- Several golf courses within the city limits and more than a dozen within a 45-minute drive.
- A community park band shell featuring summer concerts and community theater performances.
- Dunn County Fairgrounds with the farmers’ market and annual county fair.
- Historic downtown Menomonie and Dunn County’s array of eclectic shopping including antique and collectibles shops, cheese outlets, coffee houses and bakeries, garden centers and artist studios.
- Live cultural performances by community theater and professional entertainers at the refurbished Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts and other venues.
- A wide variety of dining experiences from comfortable pub, supper club, waterfront deck or elegant martini bar.