Stalled downtown Beacon development in Grand Forks potentially to be back on track this fall

May 3—GRAND FORKS — With Epic Companies dealing with bankruptcy, another company — Grand Forks-based Dakota Commercial — hopes to have the Beacon public plaza back on track by this fall.
"We're working through the ownership group to find a solution for financing for getting the center area done," Dakota Commercial President Kevin Ritterman said. "There have just been a lot of things in the last year; we just keep knocking off (to-do items) every day."
The mixed-use Beacon development in downtown Grand Forks broke ground at the site of the former Townhouse Hotel in 2021. The original proposal had three buildings surrounding a public plaza that included a stage and an ice skating rink. To date, the plaza's stage structure has been completed, and two of the buildings are finished and have tenants living in them. The third building has not been completed, and was likely going to be delayed given market conditions, Epic told the city in 2024.
The development is still owned by Epic, according to Grand Forks property records. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in July 2024 and has been mostly silent since. Dakota Commercial took
over the management of the Beacon development in 2024,
but doesn't own the land. Ritterman said he hasn't heard directly from Epic representatives; Dakota Commercial representatives only speak to Epic's attorneys.
The city
also hasn't heard much from Epic.
The last official action the City Council took was in May 2024, when it approved a second
amendment to the development agreement.
"A $100 million-plus-revenue-a-year company (is now) like nothing," Grand Forks Mayor Brandon Bochenski said. "Ritterman and (Community Contractors President Craig) Tweten are trying to right this thing. They're trying to fix it."
The city would have reimbursed the company for the construction of the public plaza when the city assumed ownership. Two amendments to the development agreement laid out that set-aside beautification funds, around $1.1 million, would be given to fund t
he construction of the plaza ahead of schedule.
The city has not given Epic funds to date because the company has never met the conditions of a $2.5 million deposit, a sworn statement from the contractors, and loan paperwork being finalized.
There are still many unknowns, given that Epic is still going through bankruptcy proceedings. Likely, changes to the agreements would have to be brought forth depending on future ownership, and changes would be subject to City Council approval.
Epic still owns a number of other properties in Grand Forks, including at 301 N. Third St. and 22 S. Third St. Those properties are also now managed by other companies.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Business Upturn

an hour ago

• Business Upturn

GroomYourGram: The Profit-First Influencer Agency Rewriting India's Marketing Playbook

In a space often defined by vanity metrics and unpredictability, GroomYourGram has emerged as a refreshingly grounded and profitable force in influencer marketing. Founded five years ago, this Mumbai-based agency has worked with over 300 brands and powered more than 1,000 campaigns—ranging from beauty and skincare to automobile and finance. With a team of 32 operating out of its Lokhandwala office, GroomYourGram delivers not only scale but results. A core strength lies in its unparalleled access to India's creator economy. With a curated community of over 400,000 influencers and 10,000+ active campaign participants monthly, GroomYourGram helps brands like Juicy Chemistry, Tira Beauty, Pilgrim, and Dot & Key craft meaningful narratives. On the corporate front, the agency has driven HDFC Bank's LinkedIn growth strategy and supported pharma giants such as Cipla Health and Glenmark in awareness initiatives. From pioneering Instagram Reels marketing to being among the top 4 agencies for Moj, GroomYourGram has always anticipated trends before they broke mainstream. It has led campaigns with celebrities like Kiara Advani, Janhvi Kapoor, and Ranveer Singh for brands including Mercedes-Benz, Renault, Skoda Kylak, Pepe Jeans, Snitch, and Spykar. Spearheaded by Palak Tannaa, who commands a LinkedIn audience of over 62,000 professionals, the team combines creative ingenuity with data intelligence. Despite multiple investment offers, the agency continues to be self-funded—prioritizing vision over valuation. As a brand that has been profitable since Day One, GroomYourGram exemplifies what happens when influence meets intention. What sets the agency apart is its refusal to follow a one-size-fits-all strategy. Each campaign is customized—whether it's for a youth-centric fashion brand like Freakins or a global skincare label entering Tier II cities. Their campaigns aren't just viral—they're valuable. The agency's model blends strategy with scale. In a world saturated by content, it doesn't just amplify messages—it aligns them with audiences that matter. Fashion clients like Libas, Spykar, and Pepe Jeans see tailored influencer-led storytelling campaigns that go beyond 'likes' and drive brand lift. Healthcare and pharma clients get compliance-ready creativity, while finance brands benefit from thought leadership-led influencer models. Internally, the company operates like a startup but performs like an enterprise. Its operational agility allows quick campaign turnaround, while its in-house tech stack and talent pipeline ensure scalability without compromise. The company is in the process of rolling out an AI-powered influencer analytics tool to further help brands measure ROI and sentiment in real time. With its finger firmly on the cultural pulse, GroomYourGram is not just building campaigns—it's building a new marketing DNA for India's digital-first brands. As brands in India increasingly seek partners who can combine storytelling, performance, and trust, GroomYourGram is becoming the agency of choice—not just for creators and companies, but for the future of digital India. For Business Upturn readers who track growth-focused stories and high-ROI ventures, this isn't just about numbers. It's about sustainable scale, high-value execution, and the future of profitable digital innovation. FOR MORE INFORMATION: Ahmedabad Plane Crash

3 hours ago

Conservation group makes $60M land deal to end mining threat outside Okefenokee Swamp

SAVANNAH, Ga. -- A conservation group said Friday it has reached a $60 million deal to buy land outside the Okefenokee Swamp from a mining company that environmentalists spent years battling over a proposed mine that opponents feared could irreparably damage an ecological treasure. The Conservation Fund said it will buy all 7,700 acres (31.16 square kilometers) that Alabama-based Twin Pines Minerals owns outside the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in southeast Georgia, halting the company's mining plans. 'It's a big undertaking, but it was also an existential threat to the entire refuge," said Stacy Funderburke, the Conservation Fund's vice president for the central Southeast. 'We've done larger deals for larger acres, but dollar-wise this is the largest deal we've ever done in Georgia." Twin Pines President Steven Ingle confirmed the sale through a spokesman, but declined to comment further. Twin Pines of Birmingham, Alabama, had worked since 2019 to obtain permits to mine titanium dioxide, a pigment used to whiten products from paint to toothpaste, less than 3 miles (5 kilometers) from the southeastern boundary of the Okefenokee refuge near the Georgia-Florida line. The Okefenokee is the largest U.S. refuge east of the Mississippi River, covering nearly 630 square miles (1,630 square kilometers) in southeast Georgia. It is home to abundant alligators, stilt-legged wood storks and more than 400 other animal species. The mine appeared to be on the cusp of winning final approval early last year. Georgia regulators issued draft permits in February 2024 despite warnings from scientists that mining near the Okefenokee's bowl-like rim could damage its ability to hold water and increase the frequency of withering droughts. Twin Pines insisted it could mine without damaging the swamp. Regulators with the Georgia Environmental Protection Division agreed, concluding last year that mining should have a 'minimal impact' on the refuge. The decisions by Georgia regulators played an outsize role in the Twin Pines project after environmental rollbacks during President Donald Trump's first term stripped the federal government of any oversight. Advocates battling Twin Pines said there is still a potential threat to the Okefenokee, with thousands of acres of privately owned land remaining unprotected. Georgia lawmakers have batted aside multiple attempts in recent years to prohibit mining near the refuge. 'There's maybe 30,000 acres that's still vulnerable outside the Okefenokee on Trail Ridge that needs to be conserved,' said Rena Ann Peck of the Georgia River Network. Josh Marks, an Atlanta environmental attorney who fought the mining project, called the land sale 'a huge victory.' But he also called on conservationists to redouble efforts for a state law protecting the Okefenokee and to keep pressure on other companies to refrain from mining near the refuge. Funderburke said the steep purchase price for Twin Pines' land was driven largely by its mineral-rich soils that would have been highly valued by other mining operations. Reaching a deal became more urgent with the company so close to obtaining its final permits. 'It became pretty clear once a draft permit was issued last year that this was the final exit ramp' to stopping the project, Funderburke said. He said his group was closing Friday on about 40% of the property that includes the 820-acre (332-hectare) site for which Twin Pines' had sought its mining permit. The Conservation Fund plans to close on the rest by the end of July. Funderburke said he hopes there is eventually a deal for the land to pass into government ownership and protection. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which oversees the Okefenokee refuge, in January approved a plan to expand the refuge by buying up to 22,000 acres (8,900) along its perimeter from private owners. The proposal included land owned by Twin Pines. Negotiations with the Conservation Fund might explain why Twin Pines had yet to follow through on a financial commitment required before Georgia regulators could make a final decision on its mining permit. The Environmental Protection Division recently confirmed Twin Pines had been notified in February 2024 that it needed to set aside $2 million for future restoration of the mining site. The company never followed through in the 16 months before the sale was announced.

Business Insider

5 hours ago

• Business Insider

Walmart (WMT) Pays $10 Million Fine to Settle Lawsuit over Money Transfer Fraud

Walmart (WMT) has agreed to pay a $10 million fine to settle a U.S. Federal Trade Commission civil lawsuit accusing the world's largest retailer of ignoring warning signs that scam artists leveraged its money transfer service to bilk consumers out of hundreds of millions of dollars. Confident Investing Starts Here: Walmart has also agreed not to process money transfers it suspects are fraudulent, or help sellers and telemarketers it believes are using its services to commit fraud. 'Electronic money transfers are one of the most common ways that scammers tell consumers to send them money, because once it's sent, it's gone for good,' said Christopher Mufarrige, director of the FTC Consumer Protection Bureau. Bentonville, Arkansas-based Walmart did not admit or deny wrongdoing in settling the case. In its complaint, the FTC accused Walmart of turning a blind eye to fraudsters who used its money transfer service to target consumers. Walmart acts as an agent for money transfers by companies such as MoneyGram and Western Union (WU). Tricksters The FTC said fraudsters used many schemes via Walmart, including impersonating Internal Revenue Service (IRS) agents, impersonating family members, and telling victims they won lotteries or sweepstakes but owed fees to collect their winnings. The judge dismissed part of the FTC's legal claim last year but let the regulator pursue most of its case. Walmart appealed that decision. The $10 million settlement effectively ends Walmart's appeal. WMT stock is up 6% this year. Is WMT Stock a Buy? average WMT price target of $109.71 implies 14.14% upside from current levels.