The business is also looking to add two full-time employees as well as two part-time employees. The mixed martial arts studio currently has three full-time employees as well as five part-time employees.
The idea of the employment incentive agreement is to aid small businesses that are coming to Springfield and making financial investments in the area as well as creating jobs, said Tom Franzen, the director of economic development for the city.
Credit: Bill Lackey
Credit: Bill Lackey
Storm Mixed Martial Arts has been operating in the county since 2013 and had been located at the Upper Valley Mall up until this year when the mall shuttered in June.
Sandy Bise runs the mixed martial arts studio with her son Anthony DeWitt and daughter Cassie Cwalinski. Bise said she was given a 60-day notice earlier this year that the mall would be closing and wanted to find a location that was close by.
Bise said they started moving into the new location on North Thompson, which is within Springfield city limits, on June 15. Franzen said Storm Mixed Martial Arts, which is leasing the new space, has invested at least $109,000 into the property as part of tenant improvements.
Bise said that includes improvements on both the outside and inside of the building, which included painting parts of the property and tearing down a wall to create a more open space for her students.
Storm Mixed Martial Arts provides classes five days a week. Bise did not give the exact number of students she has but mentioned it is sizable and they come from Clark County, Champaign County as well as the greater Dayton and Columbus areas.
Credit: Bill Lackey
Credit: Bill Lackey
She said the goal is to add to her staff and when those new hires will occur depends on the pace of growth of her business.
However, the hope is to add a full-time position by the end of this year or early 2022. But Bise said part-time positions could be added sooner.
A first reading of the employment incentive agreement was done by Springfield City Commissioners during their public meeting Tuesday. Those elected officials are expected to vote on it during their next meeting July 20.
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