The EDC business retention effort - BizBAM! - is functioning. The EDC staff and five outreach specialists representing the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Heartland Community College, Career Link, Small Business Development Center and the Illinois Manufacturing Extension Center recently completed a day of training focused on interview and appointment setting skills and a brief technology overview. 

The outreach specialists are being supplied with company targets, marketing materials and continued technology training. Appointments are being set, so please take the BizBAM! call if you receive one. If you have questions about this program or other local business assistance efforts, contact Chad Carson at (309) 663-8095 or chad@bnbiz.org.

New Business Recruitment & Development

Recently, the EDC has been actively involved in marketing projects that will enhance our ability to attract new businesses to the area. Projects consist of some advertising, but mostly include participation in joint marketing groups:

Central Illinois Development Partnership – a group consisting of municipalities and economic development organizations throughout the Central Illinois area, including Heartland Partnership (Peoria), Dwight, LaSalle-Peru, Clinton, Leroy, Gibson City and others. The group also includes some private sector members including Nicor, Ameren and Tom Jacob Group. Check out the Web site at www.cidponline.com.

I-39 Logistics Corridor – a group consisting of communities stretching from Janesville, Wisc. on the north end to Bloomington-Normal on the south end. A recently commissioned study by the group completed by York, Penn.-based St. Onge Company said “Companies are increasingly factoring congestion into their location decisions. The I-39 corridor is clearly free of problems experienced in the metro and suburban areas.”
Check out www.i-39logisticscorridor.com.

Community Improvement

The Community Improvement  programs have been off to a busy start this spring with continued outreach to surrounding municipalities and community organizations making sure they are aware of  the services the EDC has to offer and the programs and assistance other government agencies and organizations have in place to assist local government and business.

• Christina and Marty have held follow-up meetings with mayors and other elected officials to discuss ways the EDC may be of assistance with new business and expansion opportunities in their respective communities. The programs discussed have included enterprise zone expansion, TIF districts and revolving loan funds, as well as various state and federal programs.

• Marty, Ken and Christina have met with representatives from Habitat for Humanity, State Farm and Rural LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation) to discuss potential revitalization projects on West Market Street and the EDC's involvement with the projects. 

• Marty served as a guest speaker on the local economic impact of wind energy at a press conference at Horizon Wind Farm held by United States Senator Dick Durbin commemorating Earth Day. 

Contact Brooke Weishaupt at (309) 663-8095 or brooke@bnbiz.org if you have any questions about our community outreach programs or government relations.

Program Oversight & Investor Relations

The EDC will sponsor an Investor and Board Member Briefing on Tuesday, June 26th. At this briefing, investors and board members will receive information on the many programs that we are conducting to help build the economy in McLean County. This is an excellent chance for investors to learn about our mentoring program, our progress with the incubator program, the plans for the Community Development Corporation and the retention program.

In addition to these programs, investors and interested companies can learn about what is happening with projects we supported in Washington D.C. on our One Voice trip. Finally, they will be briefed on the latest information regarding the McLean County Economic Activity Index.

Investors and board members will be receiving invitations soon. The event will take place at 7:30 a.m. on June 26th, place TBA. A continental breakfast will be served.

Utility Information

The EDC serves as a one-stop-shop for prospective developers seeking utility information for their projects. The EDC can provide data regarding the availability of utilities and can also provide introductions to appropriate utility providers and suppliers in the community. The EDC also has access to public utility maps and, along with GIS tools, can put together infrastructure guides for specific sites.

Larger projects have the freedom to negotiate service arrangements from a number of different utility providers, and the EDC can provide appropriate contacts and advice on a case-by-case basis. If you would like to discuss potential utility options for an upcoming project, please contact the EDC at (309) 661-6332.

Corn Belt Energy

Corn Belt Energy was formulated in 1938 when the McLean County Farm Bureau board of directors approved a Rural Electrification Administration (REA) project to bring electricity to the farmers of the Bloomington-Normal area. Following numerous meetings to develop the cooperative structure, secure funding, acquire right-of-way, hire staff and build 1,146 miles of distribution line, “Corn Belt Electric Cooperative” employees strung the first wire in 1939.

Since its inception, Corn Belt has grown to provide energy products to more than 32,000 members throughout 18 Central Illinois counties, using over 5,000 miles of line and employing nearly 100 people. The cooperative is governed by 15 directors who are residential members of Corn Belt Energy.

Corn Belt Energy currently offers electricity, natural gas and surge protection services to members in Central and Northern Illinois. The membership base has changed dramatically from primarily farmers to an ever-increasing number of urban, suburban and commercial accounts. The cooperative retains its rural farm heritage, but serves many of the new residential subdivisions and commercial areas in Bloomington-Normal, as well as in other communities.

A major event in the cooperative’s history occurred Jan. 1, 1999 when Corn Belt Electric Cooperative (serving 10 counties) merged with Illinois Valley Electric Cooperative of Princeton (serving eight counties). The merger created a new organization known as Corn Belt Energy Corporation.

As the cooperative has grown, it has become an integral part of the Bloomington-Normal business community. Corn Belt Energy has long-time involvement in the EDC and the McLean County Chamber of Commerce. They also contribute passionately to educational endeavors in the region through education grants, the Touchstone "Get Charged" Web site and the "Youth to Washington" program that provides students an all-expense paid trip to Washington D.C.

Learn more about Corn Belt Energy

This site, a former car dealership, is located in a high-traffic area immediately off of Veterans Parkway and G.E. Road in Bloomington. It features public water and sewer. Taxes are $39,306.

Learn more about our building and sites locator

Bloomington-Normal Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

One of the closest relationships the EDC has is with the Bloomington-Normal Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) – due in large part to the fact that they have shared an office for over three years in the Central Illinois Regional Airport.

The CVB, like the EDC, became a separate organization from the Chamber of Commerce in 2002. Since that time, the economic impact of the CVB has more than tripled, from $2,279,760 in 2002 to $7,571,088 in 2006. This economic impact is a result of the CVB’s efforts at marketing Bloomington-Normal as the place to visit and hold events. In 2006, McLean County had over 2 million visitors which economically impacted the county by more than $241 million, according to the Illinois Bureau of Tourism.

“Tourism is a big business,” said Crystal Howard, director of the CVB. “Each visitor spends an average of $116 in the community through hotel stays, retail purchases and dining.”

One new service the CVB has recently begun offering is Twin City Tours, a two-hour bus tour around Bloomington-Normal that will highlight over 40 attractions. They will run every Saturday at 10:00 a.m. from the McLean County Museum of History and cost only $1 per person. The tours are designed for visitors to see what there is to do in the community, as well as local residents who may not know all Bloomington-Normal has to offer.

Howard said the CVB has been so successful because of the relationships and partnerships it has built in the community, particularly ones with hotels. She said the CVB has gotten a lot of community support which has enabled the organization to branch out into new services and events. Some of the newer events managed through the CVB’s office include tours of the Mitsubishi Motors North America plant, the COUNTRY Youth Classic golf tournament, the Lake Evergreen Triathlon, the US Army Midwest Nationals Wrestling Tournament and the Gus Macker basketball tournament.

In the future, as larger hotels and conference facilities are built, Howard said the CVB will probably add staff to accommodate bigger groups. She would like Bloomington-Normal to be recognized regionally and nationally as a great place to hold conventions and events.

EDC Moving to Uptown Normal

The EDC will be moving into its new office at the recently constructed Bank of Illinois building in Uptown Normal in June. Over the past year, the EDC has expanded from two full-time employees to five, and its current location cannot house all the employees in the same office.

Some employees are in the main office the EDC shares with the Bloomington-Normal Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, while others are working in the airport business office. The new location will enable the EDC staff to function more cohesively in the same environment and will also allow them to hire additional support staff and interns.

The EDC's new address will be 200 W. College Ave., Suite 402, Normal, IL, 61761. The EDC will announce its new telephone number when it is installed. E-mail addresses and the Web site address will remain the same.

2007 Economic Development Almanacs Available

The EDC's 2007 Economic Development Almanac is now available. This year's edition features a business start-up guide produced in conjunction with the Illinois Small Business Development Center at Illinois State University.

Almanacs can be purchased through the EDC or most local bookstores for $30 each or five for $100. The 2007 Demographic Profile is also available from the EDC at no cost. For more information, contact the EDC at (309) 661-6332.

2007 State of the Village of Downs

Mayor Jeff Schwartz of the Village of Downs recently released his State of the Village of Downs report. The report discusses a sewer solution, water main extension, future development, new fire station and annexation, the haunted house and upcoming events. To read the full report, click here.