HOOD RIVER, Ore. — July 21, 2026 — The Port of Hood River announced today that its Purchase and Sale Agreement (PSA) with Amazon.com Services LLC for approximately 11 acres of industrial property in the Lower Hanel Mill Industrial Park has expired.

Under the terms of the agreement, Amazon was required to provide notice by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on July 20, 2026, if it elected to proceed with the purchase. The Port did not receive that notice, and the Purchase and Sale Agreement has expired pursuant to its terms.

The agreement, originally executed in September 2025, provided Amazon with a 210-day inspection and due diligence period to evaluate the property for a proposed last-mile distribution facility. During that period, Amazon completed environmental investigations, engineering analyses, utility reviews, traffic studies and the local land use application process. The agreement also provided two contractual 45-day extensions, both of which Amazon exercised.

In February 2026, Hood River County planning staff issued a tentative approval of the proposed development. That decision was appealed, and following a series of public hearings, the Hood River County Planning Commission voted to sustain the appeal and deny the application. Amazon subsequently appealed that decision to the Hood River County Board of Commissioners.

At its July 21 meeting, the Port Commission will consider an action item directing staff to return the Lower Hanel Mill property to the market and evaluate future economic development opportunities for the site. The Commission will discuss strategies for marketing the property consistent with the Port's mission to support family-wage employment, expand the local tax base, and promote long-term economic development within Hood River County.

In a staff report prepared for the July 21 Commission meeting, staff notes that the Commission's decision is not a determination regarding the merits of Amazon's proposed development. Rather, the issue before the Commission is the future disposition of a publicly owned industrial asset now that the Purchase and Sale Agreement has expired. Staff recommends that the Commission consider returning the property to the market to provide flexibility in evaluating future opportunities. "The Lower Hanel Mill property remains one of the Port's premier industrial development sites," said Executive Director Kevin Greenwood. "The Port appreciates the time and resources Amazon invested in evaluating the property and pursuing the project. With the expiration of the Purchase and Sale Agreement, the Commission's responsibility is to determine the best path forward for this important public asset."

Additional information regarding the July 21 Commission meeting, including the agenda and staff report, is available at www.portofhoodriver.com.

 

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