Will County Center for Economic Development

Will County Center for Economic Development
Name	Will County Center for Economic Development
Formation	1988
Type	Public-private partnership
Headquarters	Joliet, Illinois
Location	Will County, Illinois, United States
Leader title	Executive Director

Will County Center for Economic Development is a regional development organization serving Will County, Illinois, focused on business attraction, retention, and site development. It operates within the Chicago metropolitan area and collaborates with municipal, state, and federal entities to promote industrial, logistics, and advanced manufacturing projects. The Center engages with corporations, utilities, and academic institutions to leverage infrastructure and workforce assets for regional competitiveness.

History

The Center was created amid late-20th-century growth in the Chicago metropolitan area, responding to shifts driven by the Interstate 80 corridor, the rise of O'Hare International Airport in regional logistics, and suburban expansion associated with Joliet, Illinois. Founding stakeholders included county officials, municipal leaders from Lockport, Illinois and Bolingbrook, Illinois, local chambers such as the Will County Chamber of Commerce and civic development advocates influenced by policy trends from the State of Illinois and federal programs administered through agencies like the Economic Development Administration. Over successive administrations it has navigated regulatory frameworks set by the Illinois Commerce Commission, coordinated with transportation authorities such as the Illinois Department of Transportation and engaged landowners tied to projects near the Des Plaines River and Illinois and Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor.

Mission and Organization

The Center's mission aligns with county strategic plans modeled on best practices from organizations like Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, seeking to attract investments from firms similar to Amazon (company), Caterpillar Inc., and John Deere. Its governance involves a board drawn from elected officials from Will County Board, private-sector executives from local firms, economic development professionals educated at institutions like University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Northern Illinois University, and representatives from workforce entities such as Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act partners. The organizational structure includes divisions for site selection, business retention, and workforce development, coordinating with state agencies including Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and federal partners like the Small Business Administration.

Programs and Services

Programs emphasize site certification, brownfield remediation navigation, tax incentive consultations, and workforce pipeline initiatives partnering with community colleges such as Joliet Junior College and universities including Governors State University. Business services mirror models used by Economic Development Corporation of Chicago and Cook County and include export assistance aligned with U.S. Commercial Service resources, financing facilitation through contacts with Community Development Financial Institutions Fund-backed lenders, and support for manufacturing firms using technologies referenced by National Institute of Standards and Technology. Site development services include coordination for rail-served properties near Metra corridors, utility coordination with ComEd and Nicor Gas, and land use planning consultations reflecting practices from the American Planning Association. The Center also runs incentive programs for logistics, distribution, and advanced manufacturing employers comparable to projects undertaken by Prologis and Duke Realty.

Economic Impact and Metrics

The Center tracks metrics such as job creation, capital investment, and acreage developed, reporting outcomes comparable to regional benchmarks set by Bloomington–Normal, Illinois and metropolitan peers like Lake County, Illinois. It compiles data drawing on sources including the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and state-level employment metrics from Illinois Department of Employment Security. Project-level impacts often cite private investment levels similar to large site deals mediated in collaborations involving firms like UPS, FedEx, and industrial employers such as Baxter International. Infrastructure metrics reference intermodal connectivity with terminals serving corridors to Port of Chicago and highway throughput on Interstate 55 and Interstate 57. The Center publishes annual summaries of tax base growth, assessed valuation changes reported to the Will County Clerk, and workforce participation trends linked with regional training providers.

Partnerships and Funding

Funding sources combine county appropriations from Will County Board, municipal contributions from cities like Romeoville, Illinois and Plainfield, Illinois, project-specific private-sector investment, and grants from entities such as the Economic Development Administration and state incentive programs administered by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Strategic partnerships include collaborations with utility companies Commonwealth Edison (ComEd), transportation stakeholders like Union Pacific Railroad and BNSF Railway, workforce intermediaries such as Illinois WORKS initiatives, and philanthropic grants from regional foundations patterned after grants from entities like the Grand Victoria Foundation. The Center also engages federal partners including the U.S. Department of Transportation for infrastructure grants and aligns with regional planning bodies like the Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Facilities and Location

Headquartered in Joliet, Illinois, the Center's activities span industrial parks, rail-served sites, and certified shovel-ready locations across Will County, Illinois including corridors adjacent to Chicago Rock Island & Pacific Railroad alignments and riverfront parcels near the Des Plaines River. Facilities used for workforce training involve partnerships with Joliet Junior College campuses and training centers modeled after National Center for Construction Education and Research affiliates. Site inventories highlight proximity to interstates I-80, I-55, and I-57, rail gateways served by CSX Transportation, and air cargo access via Midway International Airport and O'Hare International Airport logistics networks.

Category:Economic development organizations in the United States Category:Organizations based in Illinois Category:Will County, Illinois