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* Nika Schoonover at Capitol News Illinois…
Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Monday announced the creation of a $40 million grant program to incentivize the creation of large development-ready areas known as “megasites” across the state.
Megasites are large swaths of land, developed to attract businesses such as manufacturing plants, warehouses and distribution centers. Pritzker said developing these sites will help make Illinois more competitive, especially as sectors including clean energy and manufacturing are rapidly expanding in the U.S.
The Megasites Development Program announced Monday uses Rebuild Illinois capital funds aimed at providing the necessary infrastructure improvements to develop these megasites. Other eligible costs include various land acquisition, clean-up and development expenses. […]
“The idea here is to identify large sites that can be brought up to speed quickly so that we can promote them across the country and even around the world,” Dan Seals, president of Intersect Illinois, said.
To help companies look for these “turn-key” locations in Illinois, Intersect Illinois has created a property finder that has more than 150 investment-ready sites in Illinois and a standalone guide with megasites over 1,000 acres.
* Maxwell Evans at Block Club Chicago…
The state will give up to $5,000 per acre of development, with totals ranging from $250,000 to $5 million. Applicants must own or have an agreement to own sites of at least 200 acres, and must match grant funds.
“We want these sites cleaned up,” Pritzker said. ” … It’s about providing dollars upfront so that can get taken care of and you can take that off of the expenditure list of things that you need to put in to make a site ready to go, and to get going on whatever it may be in that location.” […]
The megasites program will encourage businesses to locate projects in Illinois rather than neighboring states, Pritzker said.
“I venture to argue to you that they are not cleaning up their sites at the pace that we are cleaning up ours,” he said while pointing out a window toward Indiana, which is several miles from Pullman.
* From the Q&A with the governor…
We want the sites cleaned up. And we want to attract business to these sites. What this is doing is providing the precursor for that. Because as Dan Seals was saying, when we talk to companies around the country, they have the problem in all the other states, too, of finding locations that are nearby the central business districts, but large enough so that they can put in large distribution buildings, facilities, or manufacturing. They want to be nearby, but they also want to be next to transportation. And they have to be ready to go because no one wants to wait 10 years or five years to start construction. And so that’s what these grants are really all about. It’s about providing dollars upfront, so that that can get taken care of. And you can take that off of the expenditure list of things that you need to put in to make a site ready to go and to get going on your new whatever it may be in that location. So we’re making it less expensive to do business in Illinois than it is in other states, I venture to argue to you that they are not cleaning up their sights at the pace that we are cleaning up ours, I’m pointing to Indiana. And it’s frankly, for two reasons, right. One is we’re being more aggressive at attracting businesses to Illinois. And secondly, we are more interested in being environmentally friendly here in Illinois. And frankly, businesses are too, they want to move somewhere where they can get clean energy where they can move to a clean site. And Illinois is offering that.
Please excuse all transcription errors.
* From the press release…
CNI Corp’s Pullman Park development is one example of a powerful community transformation, serving as home to the Method Soap Manufacturing facility, Amazon and Whole Foods Distribution Centers, Gotham Greens and more. The former shuttered factory site was developed in order to attract more than $700 million investment and creating more than 2,000 jobs.
“CNI’s Pullman Park Development went from a 180-acre brownfield to a new, green manufacturing and distribution hub,” said CNI Corp. President David Doig. “This area is now a model for economic development - creating more than 2,000 jobs - and it all began with a $10 million grant from the State.”
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Feb 7, 23 @ 11:54 am
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This really makes sense to me. Every time Illinois gets a shot at a major project, we have to recreate the wheel with legislation a lot of the time to approve these kinds of upgrades. It makes us more attractive right of the bat.
Comment by levivotedforjudy Tuesday, Feb 7, 23 @ 12:13 pm
This is a great idea that should have been done long ago. We have so many great assets, and this will be able to leverage them much more fully.
Comment by DuPage Dad Tuesday, Feb 7, 23 @ 12:29 pm
Can we stop playing games where we give special tax deals or taxpayer funds to mega developers and just reduce corporate income taxes across the board? This is the same governor who tried to give us the 2nd highest corporate income tax in the nation (10.49%) and a progressive tax but the voters rejected him. Is he now for cutting taxes on the rich and sticking the poor and middle class with higher taxes?
Comment by bcostin Tuesday, Feb 7, 23 @ 12:41 pm
” And frankly, businesses are too, they want to move somewhere where they can get clean energy where they can move to a clean site.”
Are they also making it a requirement that the developer must incorporate clean energy into the infrastructure of the development… not just buy PPAs? Rooftop solar and rooftop wind turbines and even geothermal should be able to be integrated into these developments. Might need to strengthen some zoning and building codes to make that happen.
Comment by Anon221 Tuesday, Feb 7, 23 @ 12:51 pm
One of the quiet success stories of this Administration is all the great work being done by Dan Seals and the staff at Intersect Illinois. When Rauner created it, it was largely a useless joke. Pritzker brought in the right folks to make it easier for businesses to come to Illinois. I’ve worked with them on a client project and they are an impressive bunch.
Comment by New Day Tuesday, Feb 7, 23 @ 1:00 pm
Great move to boost economic growth region by region. Thank you, Governor Pritzker, from Downstate.
Comment by West Wing Tuesday, Feb 7, 23 @ 1:05 pm
For the curious, here’s a link to the Intersect Illinois map of megasites: https://intersectillinois.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Megasites_FINAL_Digital_updated_FP_link.pdf
– MrJM
Comment by MisterJayEm Tuesday, Feb 7, 23 @ 1:22 pm
bcostin. you are spot on.
Comment by Blue Dog Tuesday, Feb 7, 23 @ 1:31 pm
== Can we stop playing games where we give special tax deals or taxpayer funds to mega developers and just reduce corporate income taxes across the board?==
Nah, state funds should be spent on things that will benefit the people, and that’s certainly not every corporation.
Comment by Arsenal Tuesday, Feb 7, 23 @ 1:55 pm
Arsenal. you surprised me a bit there.
Comment by Blue Dog Tuesday, Feb 7, 23 @ 2:31 pm
==Arsenal. you surprised me a bit there.==
If the choice is between “do we give every corporation a tax break” or “do we only give some of them a tax break based on what they can do for us” then I’m gonna pick the latter every time.
If the choice is “do we give NO corporation a tax break” or “do we only give some of them a tax break based on what they can do for us” then I’m more on the fence.
Comment by Arsenal Tuesday, Feb 7, 23 @ 2:47 pm