Economic Impacts of Superior Refinery on St. Louis and Carlton Counties, Minnesota, and Douglas County Wisconsin

Abstract

The Superior Refining Company, established in 1950, has operated in Superior, Wisconsin, for over 70 years. On April 26, 2018, an explosion and fire led to the refinery’s closure. Shortly after, Husky Energy, the refinery’s owner at the time, was acquired by Cenovus Energy, Inc., which has since overseen the reconstruction of the refinery. Giant Voices, a Duluth-based marketing firm, partnered with Superior Refinery and engaged the Bureau of Business and Economic Research (BBER) at the University of Minnesota Duluth’s Labovitz School of Business and Economics to assess the economic impact of the refinery’s demolition, reconstruction, and eventual resumption of operations. Also examined was the specific impact of per diem spending on the local retail, hospitality, and accommodation sectors.