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* Gov. Pat Quinn has left for Belgium…

The governor will have a full schedule during the first gubernatorial trade mission to Europe in 13 years. He will participate in several events organized by NATO, address a trade conference sponsored by the European Union, and host a business roundtable with Belgian businesses that currently invest in Illinois, potential investors, and business leaders and associations.

“We want the world to know that their trip to America starts in Illinois,” Governor Quinn said. “We’ll showcase Illinois’ tremendous economic assets before an international audience and we’ll bring back more trade opportunities, tourism, and business investment to Illinois.”

* The Question: What specific Illinois location (in other words, not just a town or city) would you recommend as the first place a foreign investor visits? Explain.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Mar 22, 12 @ 11:49 am

Comments

They should all take the CTA downtown from O’Hare, sit in a “bum” car and experience the true sights, sounds, (and odours) of public transportation in Chicago. Maybe then we’ll get a few investors interested in providing public transportation dollars since the GOP is trying to cut off funding now.

Comment by PublicServant Thursday, Mar 22, 12 @ 11:57 am
The Abraham Lincoln Library in Springfield. Provides a great overview of a great man

Comment by OneMan Thursday, Mar 22, 12 @ 12:07 pm
The Dirksen Federal Building. It’s the real seat of Government in Illinois.

Comment by Say What? Thursday, Mar 22, 12 @ 12:14 pm
How can you forget the spaceship known as the Thompson Center?

You can also include the new water-sports mecca - the Chicago River

Comment by Plutocrat03 Thursday, Mar 22, 12 @ 12:22 pm
Wrigley Field. A great source of economic growth and jobs comes from our own sports teams. Rather that than show off our casinos.

Comment by Wensicia Thursday, Mar 22, 12 @ 12:22 pm
cubs white sox at wrigley is the weekend of the nato summit. I would go there, although given how awful the white sox will be this year, that might not be what chicago wants to show them.

Comment by Shore Thursday, Mar 22, 12 @ 12:22 pm
A Chicago-area rail-yard. It illustrates our central logistical position in U.S. commerce. If you build a factory in Illinois, you are in a great position to ship to markets throughout North America

Comment by Pot calling kettle Thursday, Mar 22, 12 @ 12:22 pm
Assembly Hall. A great engineering feat, with a beautiful city to the north and to the southeast side of the facility farmland rolling into Central Illinois.

Comment by Peter Thursday, Mar 22, 12 @ 12:24 pm
If it’s a trade or diplomatic mission, they need to visit Petro’s restaurant in the State of Illinois Building in Chicago(across from the James R Thompson Center). They will meet everyone they need to meet during the course of the day.

Comment by the Other Anonymous Thursday, Mar 22, 12 @ 12:25 pm
Key Lime Cove?

I would suggest the Museum Campus, starting with the Adler, walk the paths, past the “Spaceship”, to the Shedd, then to Natural History …

You get the Lake, you get some culture, you get on of the best views od downtown Chicago, starting from the walk from the Adler, heading west. Get over-ambitious … trek all the way and end … at the “Bean”/skygate.

or … again … Key Lime Cove … a toss-up.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Mar 22, 12 @ 12:29 pm
Kentucky Fried Carp. But really, there isn’t a more breathtaking sight than the Chicago lakefront from land and the city’s skyline from a boat. It tells you everything you need to know about how Chicago became the city it is today.

Comment by And I Approved This Message Thursday, Mar 22, 12 @ 12:30 pm
Southern Illinois! Hills and trees.

Comment by Ray del Camino Thursday, Mar 22, 12 @ 12:31 pm
Bridgeport. ‘Nuff said.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Mar 22, 12 @ 12:35 pm
Museum of Science and Industry

Comment by Newsclown Thursday, Mar 22, 12 @ 12:38 pm
A drive from the loop down I57 to Champaign- Urbana. From the road they’ll see industrial city, city neighborhoods, suburban sprawl, rural farmland (the best in the world), small towns, and end up being able to stroll around a world class university with diverse student body, great architecture, top-notch technology, and ag sciences.

Comment by Responsa Thursday, Mar 22, 12 @ 12:42 pm
Stagg Field at the University of Chicago, where the first nuclear reaction took place.
It is a reminder that Illinois has always attracted the best and the brightest. Companies relocating here can count on having a highly educated workforce.

I also like Pot Calling Kettle’s idea of a rail yard.

Bringing somebody to the lakefront or Wrigley or to a nice park downstate would be nice if we want to bring people here that will stay a day. If we want to bring people here to build factories, we need to show them that we can make them productive.

Comment by Jasper Thursday, Mar 22, 12 @ 12:50 pm
i echo Pot calling Kettle but would add a specific location: the Joliet Intermodal Terminal. This is Union Pacific’s new world-class facility that should anchor development of and investment in our region’s number one asset: transportation and logistics. It has enormous potential to attract international investment.

After a half day tour there, then they can hit the City and Michigan Avenue, the lakefront, a ball game and museum or two. The city sells itself, but Joliet is where the business interests should intersect nicely.

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Mar 22, 12 @ 12:55 pm
==Bringing somebody to the lakefront or Wrigley or to a nice park downstate would be nice if we want to bring people here that will stay a day.==

Tourism is a big part of this state’s economy; showing multiple sites would encourage longer stays and interests for visitors.

Comment by Wensicia Thursday, Mar 22, 12 @ 12:56 pm
1. Montrose Harbor at the far end of the point there. Spectacular view of the City, especially at night;

2. Manny’s…but only if Axelrod is having lunch there that day;

3. The middle of some corn or bean field somewhere in De Kalb or Kendall County. Let them see just how damned big this place really is.

Comment by Steve Judd Thursday, Mar 22, 12 @ 1:14 pm
===The middle of some corn or bean field somewhere in De Kalb or Kendall County. Let them see just how damned big this place really is.===

Kendall County … one of the fastset growing counties in the US … or at least it was.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Mar 22, 12 @ 1:33 pm
Show the big spots in Chicago like others have said, then hit 55 and go to Springfield during the height of the corn season simply for the size of the farms. While there, side trips to go to Johnson Transfer by Auburn to see just how huge the corn crop is. Finally stop in Jacksonville to see the large plants for international companies like Reynolds and Nestle that already ship worldwide.

Comment by zatoichi Thursday, Mar 22, 12 @ 1:34 pm
There are places outside of Chicago that people visit in Illinois?

Comment by Estoy Confundo Thursday, Mar 22, 12 @ 1:52 pm
Not just the Thompson Center. Make it Ronnie’s Steakhouse. Best value in the loop. Best guys at the grill. And, no, I don’t own the place.

Comment by dupage dan Thursday, Mar 22, 12 @ 2:21 pm
I am a car guy and will have to say Rt. 66 does draw folks from that part of Europe. I have personally met two different groups of Bikers off the Highway in central IL.

When I talked with the group from Ireland at a gas station north of Bloomington I was told they flew over and picked up their Motorcycles in Chi- town and would follow as much of the road as they could to L.A.
Springfield often gets groups passing thru. I remember some folks from Eastern Europe shipped over their Trabants over to drive RT. 66. A Morgan owners group did the same thing and timed it to display their Morgans at the International Route 66 Mother Road Festival in Springfield.

Getting those fine folks to invest here I am sure is whole other thing.

Comment by Bemused Thursday, Mar 22, 12 @ 2:56 pm
Two that haven’t been named:

Architectural Tour along the Chicago River

Building SS of the CAT Plant in East Peoria

Comment by Regular Reader Thursday, Mar 22, 12 @ 3:04 pm
If they’re Belgians, take ‘em to Moline. They can visit the museum at John Deere, see the river, maybe spot some eagles, and then beer, brats, and rolle bolle.

Comment by Way Way Down Here Thursday, Mar 22, 12 @ 3:06 pm
Harrisburg.

Comment by Esteban Thursday, Mar 22, 12 @ 3:24 pm
Roof of the Sears (aka Willis) Tower. Great view of The Loop, which is the economic engine not just of Chicago, but the state.

Bonus points for going out on The Ledge with nothing between you and the pavement 1300 feet below but a sheet of glass.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Thursday, Mar 22, 12 @ 3:25 pm
Take them to Brussels, Illnois (Calhoun County) becasue both have a town called Brussels.

Comment by Stooges Thursday, Mar 22, 12 @ 3:34 pm
How about one of those near-City-Hall places where the connected guys cook up what is really going to happen?

Comment by JustaJoe Thursday, Mar 22, 12 @ 3:52 pm
Don’t ferget da ice hock-key down here in Moline, hey? We got da heat on in da morning and AC in da afternoon. Like bein’ in 2 places at once, yaaaa.

Comment by Lil' Enchilada Thursday, Mar 22, 12 @ 4:00 pm
An take da train across Illinois. Nothin’ says wide open spaces like dat does.

Comment by Lil' Enchilada Thursday, Mar 22, 12 @ 4:04 pm
Really? Is this a joke? An investor would be looking out of a hole of a state at Indiana, who appreciates business, Wisconsin a state that is trying to come to grips with a balanced budget, or Missouri which seems to have it’s own issues.
Seems as though the only reason they would visit anywhere in Illinois would be to see where they can establish a business and enjoy the tax break monies they would demand of easy Pat to locate a business here.

Comment by LisleMike Thursday, Mar 22, 12 @ 4:16 pm
The technology corridor on I88. Our very own silicon prairie filled with talented engineers.

Comment by cermak_rd Thursday, Mar 22, 12 @ 4:19 pm
Here’s a big surprise from me - develop Southern Illinois. Either the I-57/I-24 area south of Marion, Rte. 13 anywhere from Harrisburg to Carbondale, or the I-64/I-57 area of Mt. Vernon. This is such an economically devastated part of OUR state. Does everything have to be in Chicago or on the Route 66 corridor?

Comment by Little Egypt Thursday, Mar 22, 12 @ 4:28 pm
===Missouri which seems to have it’s own issues.===

That seems a bit bland and vague …

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Mar 22, 12 @ 4:33 pm
The President’s House at the U of I. Lovely crib, and it’s about to be vacant again, so it would be a great place for the bigwig to hang his hat while he’s here.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Thursday, Mar 22, 12 @ 6:23 pm
If it wasn’t for the MF Global mess and it being the Occupy meeting place I’d suggest “The Canyon” on LaSalle St. Obviously you could brag on Chicago being a great financial center with CBOT/CME. And you can talk about the film industry in this location as a place where global blockbusters like Transformers 3 and The Dark Knight are filmed. Ceres glittering above the CBOT building ties in the enduring agricultural wealth this state has been blessed with.

Comment by hisgirlfriday Thursday, Mar 22, 12 @ 11:57 pm
The Lincoln and Douglas statues in Ottawa.

Comment by Ivory-billed Woodpecker Friday, Mar 23, 12 @ 12:24 am
–Not just the Thompson Center. Make it Ronnie’s Steakhouse. Best value in the loop. Best guys at the grill. And, no, I don’t own the place.–

Ronnie’s has always been famous for keeping the stray dog population in the neighborhood down. You’ll notice that Ronnie’s doesn’t have the word “beef” on its menu.

Given that the Chicago metro is the fourth largest economy in the world, I think investors know a little bit about it already.

Outside of The Loop, I’d suggest the North Side. Hundreds of thousands of young people vote with their foot and move in and out of there every year to work and advance themselves.

They’re the real engine that keeps the area cooking. And they’re not looking for a job in a state prison, either.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Mar 23, 12 @ 8:48 am