
The City of East Moline has been awarded a $128,000 grant to help the city with industrial development and attract more jobs and investment.
That grant, announced Thursday, Jan. 30, is through the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity’s (DCEO) Regional Site Readiness planning program.
The grant money will support development efforts for the I-80/I-88 Industrial Site, a strategically located parcel of land in the southeast quadrant of the interstate intersection, north of the Rock River and about seven miles from downtown East Moline. City officials want to use the money to eventually remove acres from the floodplain and get the land ready for industrial users, according to a news release from the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce on the city’s behalf.
“This grant is a tremendous step forward in our ongoing efforts to attract industrial development and investment to East Moline,” East Moline Mayor Reggie Freeman said in the release. “Preparing the I-80/I-88 Industrial Site for industrial use is a priority, and this funding allows us to take meaningful action toward unlocking its full potential, attracting businesses, creating jobs, and strengthening our local economy,” he added. “With the support of the Illinois DCEO, the Revitalize and Develop East Moline (REDEEM) organization, and the Quad Cities Chamber, we are making strategic investments to ensure our community remains competitive and ready for future economic growth.”
The City of East Moline will provide a $30,000 matching grant and REDEEM will provide a $2,000 grant toward the project.
Site readiness has been a regional priority for the Quad Cities Chamber for the past few years with ongoing advocacy efforts to ensure sites are prepared for economic development opportunities. The chamber played a key role in securing this grant, assisting in the application process and engaging with DCEO early in the program’s development, according to the release.
“The Quad Cities Chamber has been actively championing site readiness as a critical economic driver for the region,” said Julie Forsythe, the chamber’s senior vice president of Business & Economic Growth. “This funding is a testament to the collaborative efforts between the City of East Moline, REDEEM and regional stakeholders to position our communities for future investment.”
The chamber also has been advocating for site readiness by working with the region’s legislators, commissioning a regional site readiness study conducted by Hickey Global, a full-service economic development consulting firm, and sharing grant opportunities with Illinois partners to advance strategic site development.
The grant marks a step forward in enhancing the economic competitiveness of East Moline and the broader Illinois Quad Cities region, according to information from the city.