The mission of the Economic Alliance of Kankakee County is to create jobs and expand the economic base by improving the business climate. With only half of 2014 behind us, the alliance has made great strides with upholding their mission thus far. In an interview with Illinois Real estate Journal, President/CEO of the Economic Alliance of Kankakee, Mike Van Mill, shared all of the great things happening in Kankakee.
What better way to begin than with the fact that the Kankakee-Bradley Metropolitan Statistical Area is currently ranked Best-Performing Small City in Illinois by Milken Institute. In fact, from 2012 to 2013, the county climbed from #121 to #42 nationally. The outcome-based Milken Index measures community success in creating and sustaining jobs and economic expansion, components of which include job, wage and salary, and technology growth.
“The good news from Milken tells the big picture story, synthesizing leading statistics that our office tracks closely,” explained Van Mill.
“An emerging market presence is imperative for any community seeking to thrive now and in the future,” continued Van Mill. “The Milken study ranks our area #15 among small cities nationwide in terms of single-year high-tech GDP growth, reflecting the pioneering work and relative strength of our local advanced manufacturing sector.”
The most recent report from the U.S. Department of Commerce Bureau of Economic Analysis, for example, positions the Kankakee-Bradley MSA #6 among 381 MSAs nationwide in Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth and #1 in the state of Illinois. Personal income and job growth are also on upward trajectories.
He added that, “aligned with this growth is Olivet Nazarene University’s booming engineering program, which is spurring the Reed Hall of Science expansion along with cutting-edge capstone projects with local industry leaders like Nucor Steel, Millipore/Merck, Peddinghaus and Merisant. Coinciding with the fact that Kankakee Community College’s award-winning and nationally certified renewable energy program prepares students for real-world jobs in the emerging solar and wind industries.”
As far as those industries, there are developments in Farm Wind. Van Mill says that long-term negotiations with K4 Wind Farm are now bearing fruit.
“The project, to be located in the southwest portion of Kankakee County extending to Iroquois County, is scheduled to break ground in September for completion yet this year. The estimated capital expenditure is $400M, with the project employing more than 100 construction workers.”
Another area school, Kankakee Community College, has demonstrated consistent responsiveness to employer training needs and a commitment to workforce readiness.
“This was exhibited most recently in the establishment of its Manufacturing and Industrial Technology Center, Van Mill said. “This imparts the fabrication, machine tool, welding and millwright skills required by our advanced manufacturers. In addition, KCC’s new LEED Gold-certified North Extension Center provides state-of-the-art classrooms for credit division courses, corporate training and GED preparation classes.”
Kankakee can also look forward to the Illiana Expressway being built. According to Van Mill, the Chicago Southland is seeing the emergence of large inland ports for intermodal transfer and logistics, as well as a population growth projection of 175% and employment growth projection of 225% over the next 20 years.
“As land speculation begins around the much-anticipated Illiana project,” he said, “Kankakee County is positioning itself by readying industrial and commercial sites in its northern municipalities and in the vicinity of our new I-57 interchange, Exit 319 at Bourbonnais Parkway.”
The Illiana Expressway, to be constructed adjacent to Kankakee County’s northern border to connect I-65 in Indiana and I-55 in Illinois, will meet Kankakee’s advanced transportation and growth requirements.
Moreover, Van Mill says from 2015 to 2048, the Illiana project is expected to generate an average of 3,378 jobs per year and a cumulative total of $6.8 billion in personal income and $21.3 billion in economic output.
Kankakee residents will also see a Sam’s Club in a few years. A 135,000-square-foot Sam’s Club will be built at the northeast corner of Illinois Route 50 and St. George Road in Bradley. The site will include a Sam’s Club gas station as well as space for 10 other businesses. Groundbreaking is slated to begin in 2015.
Finally, perhaps the most exciting news in Kankakee is that the Chicago Bears are expected to retain Summer Training Camp at Olivet Nazarene University until 2022.
“While this marks the 13th year of camp in Bourbonnais,” Van Mill said. “Capitalizing on this outstanding opportunity to expose Kankakee County to the larger Chicagoland region and beyond is now a top community priority.”
Public entities like the Kankakee County Convention & Visitors Bureau and public-private entities like the Economic Alliance of Kankakee County have invested considerable sums to help fund capital improvements – including new weight and locker rooms as well as field improvements – at the private ONU campus.
“These capital funds,” Van Mill explained, “are being matched with innovative marketing campaigns designed to engage the 100,000 visitors to Camp each summer, all of whom are now being recognized as prospective commercial, industrial or residential investors.”