By Marilyn Odendahl and Josh Weinhold

modendahl@etruth.com jweinhold@etruth.com

ELKHART -- With little fanfare, a Las Vegas-based business consulting company has announced it intends to buy the Bayer campus and establish a renewable energy center that, a company representative says, will turn trash into electricity and bio-fuels.

To start, the company expects it will employ about 250 people, with the maximum reaching 400 to 450.

Crimson Partners is buying the property and expects to close by Aug. 14, said James McEvoy, managing director. Outside investors are providing the capital for the purchase which McEvoy said is "above $1.5 million." The energy producing operation will be run by Vista International, a Colorado company that Crimson is representing.

A spokesman for Hilco Real Estate, the agency listing the property, would not confirm or deny whether a sale of the 52-acre campus was imminent. He did say, however, that a number of companies have looked at the property in the year or two Hilco has handled the former research and development site.

In promotional materials, Hilco bills the Bayer buildings as a "prime redevelopment opportunity," at a cost of $2.5 million. The campus includes 10 buildings totaling 256,000 square feet and is located in a tax increment finance district, the documents said.

City officials have had one conference call with a Crimson representative but have few details about the proposed project. The city is not really involved beyond making sure whatever the company does here does not cause problems with zoning, said Brian Gildea, Elkhart economic development director.

"The issues we asked about were smell, noise, any type of pollutants," Gildea said. "Talk is one thing. We'll look at the full scope of the project when it's presented."

McEvoy said the company does not plan on asking for a tax phase-in or financial assistance from the city. The city did work, though, to connect McEvoy's group with Hilco during Crimson's search for available property, Gildea said.

GETTING TRASH HERE

According to its Web site, Vista is a "unique technology holding company in the renewable energy industry. Vista has devoted itself to the creation and expansion of businesses with innovative products, technologies and services in the environmental protection field for more than 20 years." A phone call to Vista seeking comment was not returned.

In Elkhart, McEvoy explained, Vista will take trash and turn it into electricity and bio-fuels through a cooking process. The electricity will be used to power Vista's operation, while the bio-fuels will be useable in today's vehicles. Also on the property, Vista will be making solar panels and wind turbines.

Where all the trash would come from is still being determined, he said, but the city will have a say in the process. It could come by truck or train from out of state or other municipalities in Indiana. The city could also sign contracts with other cities to take the refuse, he said, or have Vista handle everything.

The deliveries of the trash can be scheduled for only mornings or afternoons and will not be around the clock, McEvoy said.

ALWAYS SKEPTICS

A resident of Centerville, McEvoy said he decided to locate the "international center" in Elkhart because of the city's troubles caused by the economic recession. He said he connected with Johan Smith, chief executive officer of Vista, through a members-only Internet networking site.

McEvoy insisted there is a market for Vista's products. Although he declined to identify specific companies, he said there are "four or five major corporations" that will be buying "a great deal of the fuel" for retail and wholesale uses. He also expects the market for solar and wind equipment products to "hit a steady pace" in the next 21/2 to five years.

Gildea said the city is always willing to listen to any company considering bringing jobs to the area. But, he said, it's more difficult to assess potential when a plan doesn't involve an existing operation.

"I go into things like this with my eyes wide open," he said. "You just have to be diligent and make sure you don't get into a bad situation."

Of those who may view his plans as unattainable, McEvoy said "you're always going to have skeptics."

At the end of the day, they will have to decide if it's a good or bad thing, he said. "Hopefully, people will accept we're a good company to have around."