News photo by Steve Schulwitz Alpena Area Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Director Mike Mahler updated local business leaders with an economic development update Friday.

ALPENA–Local economic development officials in the Alpena area have been having discussions with some large retail companies urging them consider opening locally.

Alpena Area Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Director Mike Mahler, told local business leaders Friday at the Good Morning Alpena Breakfast, that he has spoken to representatives from Target, Marshall, T.J. Maxx, and other corporations. He stressed that talks are very preliminary and exploratory now and no deals are imminent.

Mahler said through the summer he has been working with three downstate developers for four different projects. He said a pair of them involve property near Home Depot and Meijer, and the others downtown.

If these projects become reality, Mahler said it could lead to capital investment of about $40 million.

“There are an awful lot of things that need to happen for these things to come to fruition, but it is nice to have Alpena squarely in the sites of some of these developers,” he said. “These are developers from downstate who have a focus on this market.”

Mahler said he couldn’t expand on who is involved in the proposed projects, because he is bound to a confidentiality agreement with them.”

Mahler also noted that although it was reported by local media that Aldi’s was on the verge of making a deal with Alpena Public Schools to build a store where the bus garage is on M-32, he said recent conversations with Aldi officials show Alpena is on the company’s radar, but there is nothing concrete at this point.

Aldi’s Interest in the school’s property was discussed at a local school system meeting a few months ago, and when a search was done for Alpena, on Aldi’s website, it said coming soon.

The claim has since been removed from the website.

Mahler explained to those at the meeting that he is excited to see the sale of the mall to I2P move forward. He said manufacturing jobs, like those being created by I2P could make more developers consider Alpena, including those he is in talks with now.

“Those 100-plus jobs may convince them to put a shovel in the ground,” he said.

The Good Morning Alpena Breakfast was the first of the year. Normally, they are held quarterly, but the COVID-19 pandemic and gathering restrictions has forced the cancelation of the others slated for earlier in the year.

Friday’s event was held at Art in the Loft.