AG Griffin finds no ‘prohibited’ ownership of former Trane site in Fort Smith

The Fort Smith industrial property that Gov. Sarah Sanders brought attention to with a pre-investigation concern of being connected to Chinese communists, has been found to not have any connections to a “prohibited foreign-party-controlled-business.”

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin on Tuesday (Aug. 13) said his investigation of new owners of the former Trane manufacturing plant near the Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith found no prohibited connections.

“In my investigation into the ownership of 4811 S. Zero Street in Fort Smith, I determined that there is no violation of Act 636 of 2023. 4811 S. Zero Street, LLC is not owned by, controlled by, or associated with any ‘prohibited foreign-party-controlled-business.’” Griffin noted in a statement. “I thank the Secretary of Agriculture for alerting me to this issue and to the owners of 4811 S. Zero Street, LLC for their cooperation in the investigation. I also praise the diligence of the attorneys and agents in my office who handled this case.”

Griffin’s office declined to provide info about property ownership.

The building at 4811 S. Zero St., is the former Trane manufacturing plant that closed in 2017 and was recently sold in an auction. The building and property sold for $5 million, according to Sebastian County Assessor Zach Johnson.

The 378,700-square-foot building – which is near the Fort Smith Regional Airport – once had more than 500 workers producing residential heating, ventilation and air conditioning products. Around 250 were employed at the plant when it closed.

Ebbing, home to the 188th Wing in Fort Smith and co-located with the Fort Smith Regional Airport, was selected in March 2023 by the U.S. Air Force to be the long-term pilot training center supporting F-16 and F-35 fighter planes purchased by Singapore, Switzerland, Poland, Germany, Finland and other countries participating in the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.

Prior to the investigation by Griffin’s office, which was initiated July 23 by Agriculture Secretary Wes Ward, Gov. Sanders issued a statement raising awareness about the call for an investigation.

“Communist China is America’s greatest adversary. I won’t let them buy up land close to our military installations and spy on our nation’s defense assets. I kicked out a CCP state-owned company once and will do it again to protect Arkansas’ Ebbing Air National Guard Base,” the governor noted on social media.

The Arkansas Legislature in 2023 passed Act 636 to prohibit a “foreign-controlled business” from acquiring property in the state. In the letter, Ward asked Griffin to “commence appropriate legal action” if he determines the company is controlled by Chinese-based interests.

“It is the Governor’s priority to investigate any potential violations of Arkansas law and make sure our farmland, our military bases, and all Arkansans are protected against hostile foreign adversaries,” Sanders’ spokesperson Alexa Henning said after Griffin’s finding was made public.