Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Economic Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Economic Alliance: $5.9 billion in county investment and 300 CSL Behring jobs make site readiness urgent for Manteno
Summary
Angela Moray of the Economic Alliance told the Manteno Village Board that Kankakee County saw about $5.9 billion in capital investment over five years and that a $1.5 billion CSL Behring project could bring roughly 300 jobs, urging Manteno to market larger, ready-to-develop parcels and to invest in housing and infrastructure to capture growth.
Angela Moray, a representative of the Economic Alliance of Kankakee County, told the Manteno Village Board on April 20 that the county has seen nearly $5.9 billion in capital investment over five years and urged the village to prepare larger, well-marketed parcels and basic infrastructure to attract employers.
"We are the economic development organization for our area," Moray said, describing the Alliance's work to "support existing businesses" and to "attract new investment" by connecting companies with utilities, workforce partners and incentives. She said site selection for large companies typically takes one to three years and that utilities (power, water, wastewater) and rail access are common decisive factors.
The presentation emphasized the county's recent wins and capacity: Moray said the Alliance submitted 57 properties for 34 projects in a recent period and highlighted a $1.5 billion investment by CSL Behring that the Alliance expects will add about 300 jobs. "This deal we have worked on with CSL and with the state of Illinois for 2 years," Moray said, calling it one of the largest recent investments in the state.
Why it matters: Moray told trustees that large, short-listed companies look for parcels of 20 acres or more, consistent ownership or brokerage to avoid fractured negotiations, and ready infrastructure. Manteno trustees asked questions about the village's control over incentives and enterprise-zone benefits; Moray explained that many enterprise-zone incentives (sales tax waivers on building materials, permit-fee waivers) are administered at the county or state level and that property-tax abatement schedules typically phase in over five to six years.
On housing and workforce, Moray said the Alliance has completed a housing study and said the county can support a range of housing types to serve incoming employees; she added that within a 45-minute drive the region offers about 2.8 million potential workers, which is a metric site selectors examine.
The presentation included practical advice for the village: identify large contiguous parcels whose owners are willing to sell or market land together, keep sites 'shovel ready' with roads and utilities, and coordinate with brokers and regional partners so sites can be submitted when a project searches the state database. Moray offered the Alliance's data and marketing resources to the village and closed by noting the Alliance's role as a public-private partnership that works with utilities, Olivet Nazarene University, Kankakee Community College and other partners to align training and workforce programs.
The board did not take formal action on the presentation; trustees thanked Moray and discussed next steps for site readiness and housing outreach.
