Marseilles hears public testimony on Constellation annexation; company pledges $10 million and zoning changes

Constellation Energy representatives told the Marseilles City Council at a special public hearing that the company seeks to annex roughly 715 acres south of the Illinois River into the city to create an emerging-technology development district and to make the site competitive for future customers.

Ryan Tozer, Constellation’s local government affairs manager, introduced the company’s team and said the annexation would bring “economic development and growth in the regional community” and make the site more attractive to tenants. Tozer said Constellation currently has no customer for the new land but argued the annexation and agreed terms would provide needed certainty to attract tenants.

Greg Smith, outside counsel for Constellation, summarized the key terms in the draft annexation agreement. He said Constellation would pay $10,000,000 to the city over five years (larger payments in years one and two, then smaller amounts with deductions tied to property and utility taxes), fund any required water and sewer extensions, and pay for relocation of a portion of 2553rd Road if relocation is needed. Smith described a suite of incentives and rebates: property-tax rebates that would begin only after the city receives $2,500,000 in property taxes from the development in a year, a $5,000,000 utility-tax threshold to trigger utility rebates, and a…