Meantime, a Colorado-based company Hippo Extracts acquired plants off U.S. 12 in Michigan City for the purpose of extracting CBD oil from hemp.

“They're looking for people, I mean right away. l know three jobs they want are three engineers. Those are high-paying jobs,” said Clarence Hulce, executive director of the Michigan City Economic Development Corporation.

Hulce admits it’s a project that landed in his lap when company officials from PHM Brands came knocking on his door unannounced.