Everybody wants to get in on the HQ2 bid
Thursday, Sep 21, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Press release…
State Representative Lindsay Parkhurst (R-Kankakee) and Kankakee County Board Chairman Andy Wheeler met with representatives from the Governor’s office, House Republican Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs), and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to request Kankakee County’s inclusion in Illinois’ statewide proposal for Amazon’s ‘HQ2’ this morning.
“The Kankakee County proposal offers an inspired, inventive, imaginative, and innovative plan quite different from most submissions. Plus, Kankakee County is the ideal location for transportation, water resources, workforce, accessibility, and other opportunities. Our workforce has a ready to work attitude and an unmatched desire to grow and develop a thriving economy,” Rep. Parkhurst stated.
Amazon’s ‘HQ2’ is accepting proposals for a second headquarters and Illinois is in the running. The ‘HQ2’ would provide tens of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in investments.
“Chairman Wheeler presented a visionary, comprehensive, and conceptual plan as a candidate for a potential ‘HQ2’ location in Illinois’ Amazon’s ‘HQ2’ proposal,” said Rep. Parkhurst.
The statewide proposal is due October 25th to Amazon.
Parkhurst defeated an incumbent Democrat last year, so press pops are always in order.
- OneMan - Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 11:51 am:
Think one of the requirements Amazon has that you are within 45 minutes of an airport…
- Anonymous - Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 11:55 am:
The McBroom Proposal from beyond. Cadillac sales would boom!
- t2t - Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 11:57 am:
Kankakee has an airport with runways longer than Midway.
- Pot calling kettle - Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 11:58 am:
Driving time it’s midway between O’Hare and UIUC…about 1 hr 15 min to each.
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 12:01 pm:
Kankakee hasn’t had a corporate HQ since Roper moved away in the late ’70s.
She’s right about the workforce though. It’s definitely ready to work. My guess is that many would be happy working for late ’70s wages too.
- Leatherneck - Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 12:03 pm:
On the Amazon bid itself, even Litchfield Mayor Steve Daughterty said “we’ll take Amazon” when he was quoted in this morning’s SJ-R article about the new industrial park near I-55 in Litchfield.
http://www.sj-r.com/news/20170921/litchfield-plans-third-industrial-park-with-21m-grant
- Sox Fan - Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 12:03 pm:
It’s going to be tough. I just found out, they don’t even have David Letterman’s Gazebo there anymore:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/schmich/chi-mary-schmich-david-letterman-kankakee-gazebos-20150204-column.html
- Ghost - Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 12:04 pm:
Use of the word imaginative is usually am indication of lack of imagination….
I still say our best bet is Amazon airfield. Build the third airport and offer Amazon neighboring land. That will beat everyone else hands down
- Ron - Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 12:06 pm:
“Kankakee has an airport with runways longer than Midway.”
With no flights though.
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 12:09 pm:
===With no flights though.===
No, but the security line is a breeze and there’s free parking.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 12:10 pm:
It’s the Saturn Plant all over again. That’s the first big one I remember where governments all over the coutnry went gaga “competing” over “economic development.”
Started the corporate welfare industry.
How’s Saturn doing these days? Don’t see many on the road. Mitsubishisis, either.
- Ghost - Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 12:12 pm:
47 and guests can stay at Goods BnB …
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 12:19 pm:
And dine at the Redwood Inn — all you can eat!
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 12:20 pm:
47th, the Redwood Inn has been closed for many a year. We always went there for birthdays.
- Mr. Smith - Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 12:24 pm:
With all due respect to Kankakee, that airport would need A LOT of upgrading to handle the air traffic. The longest runway at Kankakee is nearly 3,000 feet shorter than the SHORTEST at O’Hare. What kind of time would be needed to construct facilities that could deal with the volume of traffic?
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 12:29 pm:
OK, how about the Homestead? I used to bus tables there back in the day.
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 12:31 pm:
Nevermind. The Homestead closed last year.
I guess I should have visited more often.
- Ghost - Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 12:36 pm:
47th “For want of a nail the shoe was lost…”
- Anonymous - Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 12:58 pm:
Homestead was my dads haunt. Great place. Jim ? Was owner, and began by his father.
- City Zen - Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 12:59 pm:
Oak Brook’s old McDonald’s campus is a better choice.
- Go South - Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 1:03 pm:
Amazon should go to Cairo and just take over Alexander County
- WAUKEGAN - Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 1:13 pm:
Waukegan has lake front rights available, the train and two major expressways. Close to Ohare! Plus now traffic will go north instead south!!!
- Archiesmom - Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 1:48 pm:
Would’ve helped if the Peotone airport and Illiana expressway hadn’t been killed.
- Ron - Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 2:24 pm:
Folks, the only place in Illinois that Amazon will consider is Chicago. Not even a suburb has a chance.
- Leatherneck2 - Friday, Sep 22, 17 @ 8:45 am:
Ghost: 47 and guests can stay at Goods BnB …
————
Do you mean Goods in Kewanee? Not quite Kankakee.