Tailgaters Williamston Opens, Transforming a Former Brownfield Site into a Community Gateway
LEAP-supported Brownfield redevelopment brings $6M investment and 55 permanent jobs to Williamston
Williamston, Michigan (August 27, 2026) — Tailgaters Williamston has officially opened at 2810 N Williamston Rd, marking the completion of a brownfield redevelopment project supported by the Ingham County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority (BRA). What was once a contaminated, underused 3.5-acre gas station site has been transformed into a cleaned up, new 9,810-square-foot Tailgaters Sunoco gas station and convenience store, featuring a drive-thru restaurant, fueling canopy, parking, and landscaped grounds.
“We’re proud of what this project has brought to Williamston, and grateful to LEAP and Ingham County for the partnership that made it happen,” said Jeff Haddad, Owner of Tailgaters. “This new site lets us serve the community with a modern, welcoming stop that’s built to last.”
The $6 million project, completed in August 2026, is creating 55 permanent jobs and used the brownfield tax increment financing (TIF) program administered through the Ingham County BRA to help address the site’s environmental cleanup and redevelopment costs to make the project viable. The Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP) serves as administrator for the Ingham County BRA and guided the project through the full Brownfield approval process, from initial application to final sign-off.
“Tailgaters Williamston is a great example of smart growth and redevelopment done right,” said Bob Trezise, President and CEO of LEAP. “Economic development often results in the cleanup of contaminated sites at no cost to the taxpayer nor a tax break to the developer/business, as is occurring here with this Ingham County Brownfield project in Williamston. We are thankful to Tailgaters for growing their locally owned mixed-commercial business once again in our region, the partnership of Ingham County Brownfield Authority and Ingham County Commission, and city of Williamston’s City Council and Mayor Tammy Gilroy and Manager John Hanifan for their excellent work together. I want to commend LEAP’s Richard Enty for his tireless work and advocacy for this project as well.”
The project reflects LEAP’s ongoing approach to supporting small towns and communities across the region. By helping local partners put Brownfield TIF and other redevelopment tools to work, LEAP aims to turn underused or contaminated sites into productive investments that create jobs and strengthen main streets, key corridors and gateways in communities like Williamston.
“This is exactly what the Brownfield TIF program is designed to do,” said Monica Schafer, Ingham County Commissioner. “It’s about working together, the County, LEAP, and local partners, to turn a site like this into one that pays back into Williamston. What used to be a contaminated, idle property is now generating tax revenue and helping fund the services this community relies on.”
LEAP will continue working with local partners to support similar redevelopment and investment opportunities in small towns and communities throughout the region. Tailgaters Williamston is a great example of a business making the commitment to take an underutilized property and make it an active and productive property.
