Expand your business in Logan County, Illinois! |
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Available Workforce = 371,000
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Joel A. Smiley, MPA, Executive Director
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Within 60 miles |
ABC NewsChannel 20 airs Top Story about tourism in Logan CountyAugust 3, 2010 ABC NewsChannel 20 aired a Top Story about Logan County tourism and the Logan County Fair on their August 3 evening news. Click here to watch the video. Lincoln and Logan County Development Partnership’s Grant Proposal moves forwardJuly 29, 2010 The Lincoln and Logan County Development Partnership submitted a $99,000 Rural Development Business Enterprise Grant to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in May for the purpose of creating a centralized business incubator. We just received word that Logan County was one of two communities in the state of Illinois to have their proposal move to the final stages. Each state is allowed to submit 2 projects for funding. Projects are evaluated on a point basis and Logan County’s project amassed enough points to qualify as a finalist. If selected, Logan County would be given up to three years to purchase and renovate a building to develop a business incubator geared at housing start-up businesses. This project was identified in the Lincoln and Logan County Development Partnership’s Five-Year Strategy and will be included as part of the Economic Development Master Plan, which is being developed by Vandewalle and Associates and will be shown to the public on the evening of September 30th. This will be Logan County’s first centralized business incubator. The Lincoln and Logan County Development Partnership is the economic development agency for Logan County serving businesses, government, and residents of Logan County. The Partnership’s mission is to enhance the economic prosperity and quality of life in Logan County. J’s Place in Emden Become’s First Business to enter the Logan County Center of Success Business Incubator ProgramJuly 19, 2010 J’s Place in Emden formally was accepted by the Center of Success Board of Advisors last week as the first Center of Success client. J’s Place is now Emden’s only restaurant featuring a full service family diner. Their address is 219 Lincoln Street in Emden. J’s Place will serve a good hot meal for a fair price with great service and treat everyone with respect. At J’s place they want their customers to feel like it is their place and to feel at home and like family. J’s Place owners Tina and John Cotton have been working with the Lincoln and Logan County Development Partnership and their Center of Success program for the past month to open the restaurant in Emden. A ribbon cut will happen in the next few weeks. J’s Place features great breakfast and lunch items sure to please every member of your family. Emden Mayor Ivan Rademaker said “Great food and I am excited they are in the community. the opening were very smooth as well” Sonnie Alexander, Co-chair of the Center of Success Advisory Committee. “I commend John and Tina for the great effort they made in researching and planning prior to their opening. This will greatly increase their potential for success. Thank you for entering the program. We look forward to working with you as your business grows and progresses. Lincoln and Logan County Executive Director Joel A. Smiley said “We are excited to see a community embrace a business through the Center of Success. Tina and John Cotton have put a lot of work in both the restaurant as well as their business plan. They are off to a great start.” The Center of Success is a business incubator that fosters the growth of new business. This incubator concept allows start-up companies to reduce costs through a three-year rent reduction program. Applicants for the program will qualify by going through the *SCORE process which includes the development of a business plan and budget. By having locations spread throughout Logan County, this program will be able to accommodate a variety of space requirements ranging from hi-tech to manufacturing. Facilities available through The Center range from a warehouse with square footage starting at 100,000 feet, store fronts in Logan County’s beautiful downtown districts, and office space that may include some shared copiers, fax and high speed internet to further reduce expenses. With the SBA sighting alarming statics such as small business start-ups failing at a 70% rate within the first five years, The Center of Success’ three-year program gives entrepreneurs an extra advantage to help overcome these odds. In addition to reduced start-up costs, The Center provides education, ongoing support and professional business advising at no charge to participants in the program. The Center of Success is open to any entrepreneur with an idea for a business that is willing to put in the work and the time to make his/her dream come true. If you are thinking about starting a business, please contact Joel Smiley, Executive Director at the Lincoln and Logan County Development Partnership at 217-732-8739. * SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business" is a nonprofit association dedicated to educating entrepreneurs and the formation, growth and success of small business nationwide. SCORE is a resource partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). SCORE is America’s premier source of free and confidential small business advice for entrepreneurs. SCORE has helped 8.4 million small businesses. The Lincoln and Logan County Development Partnership just recently announced the launch of the Logan County SCORE program in October of this year. Lincoln and Logan County Development Partnership to Host Fundraising Luncheon on Friday June 18th from 11:30-1:30 at Lincoln CollegeJune 9, 2010 The Lincoln and Logan County Development Partnership will be hosting its first fundraising luncheon on Friday June 18th from 11:30 to 1:30 at Lincoln College. The theme of the luncheon is Logan County’s Future is in the Wind. Kevin Borgia Executive Director of the Illinois Wind Energy Association will be our featured speaker. The Lincoln and Logan County Development Partnership is the economic development agency for Lincoln and Logan County. Our mission is to attract quality jobs to Logan County as well as attract the resources and infrastructure necessary to facilitate business growth. We would like to invite you to join us at our first annual Partnership event. This will be a great opportunity for you to engage with our local business leaders regarding economic development in the region. Individual tickets are now available at $25 each. Please RSVP to Joel Smiley at econdev@lincolnlogan.com or 217-732-8739. The Lincoln and Logan County Development Partnership is a 501c3 non profit agency. Lincoln and Logan County Development Partnership Hosts Infrastructure MeetingJune 9, 2010 On June 8, 2010 the Lincoln and Logan Development Partnership brought together the top infrastructure funding agencies including USDA, Illinois Finance Authority, DCEO, IEPA, and SBA to describe their programs to community leaders and then have each community leader representing Logan County, Lincoln, Mt. Pulaski, Atlanta, Middletown, Hartsburg, and Emden. Most of the communities brought either their engineer or public works director to describe their problem and engage in discussion. Through the federal stimulus program, the state agencies have additional funding that should expire towards the end of the year so the timing of this meeting was ideal. The process will help communities begin the long grant process, but this was definitely a step in the right direction. Lincoln and Logan County Development Partnership Attracts $50,000 Grant for Economic Development Master PlanOctober 6, 2009 The Lincoln and Logan County Development Partnership submitted a $50,000 Rural Development Business Opportunity Grant to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in May for the purpose of creating an economic development master plan. Last week, it was announced that Logan County was one of two communities in the state of Illinois to receive full funding. The economic development master plan will analyze Logan County’s comprehensive plan along with growth areas and provide a road map for economic development growth for the entire county including business recruitment and the incentives needed to attract these businesses. By identifying the types of companies best suited for the area, the Partnership can target their marketing efforts. This plan will look at not only the City of Lincoln, but the agriculture areas and smaller outlying communities. A major consulting firm will be hired through the USDA grant that specializes in these types of studies. Our goal is to have the consultant hired by the end of the year and have the plan competed by September 2010. This will be Logan County’s first economic development master plan. |
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Discover Lincoln on I-55! The hot new location for development! Available Buildings Available Sites For more information, please fill out our Developer survey. It is official that the Partnership has assisted in attracting two major retailers to Lincoln.Goody's, under new ownership, has moved into their old location on Woodlawn. RP Lumber has redeveloped the former Kroger and CVS buildings. Their opening has been very successful and is now open in Lincoln. Logan County CEDS Program is Moving ForwardLogan County has been working with the Peoria Economic Development Council to become a member of the Peoria Economic Development District of central Illinois. We are working together to become integrated into the CEDS (Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy) which will enable Logan County to become eligible to receive federal Economic Development Authority (EDA) funds. The Center for Success business incubator program kicked off in November 2009The Business Incubator will enable business start-ups to locate throughout Logan County. The program enables the business owners to enter the properties at a reduced rent for the first three years enabling them to reduce costs and giving them a better chance to survive. The program will also assist in filling vacant space throughout Logan County. The Partnership is trying to focus energies on smaller communities throughout Logan County.The Partnership in June 2009 made a site visit to Emden as well as gave a council update and presentation to the Mt. Pulaski City Council. Over the next couple of months the Partnership will be looking to hold economic development breakfasts and workshops for smaller communities throughout Logan County. The Partnership will be creating a website newsletter as well as update the current website over the next few months.The Partnership is actively looking to find new ways to market Logan County to development prospects. This effort will increase communication to both the business community as well as the general public. The Logan County SCORE Program was launched in November 2009SCORE is a national program geared at counseling small businesses in areas including marketing plans, business plans, budgets, and identifying resources. SCORE is the Service Corp of Retired Executives that is under the Small Business Administration. The SCORE volunteers will assist both new and existing small business owners put together business plans and budgets as well as counsel businesses on critical issues. SCORE’s success rate nationally has been very effective in retaining small business. For more information, please call (217) 732-8739. Goody's has Re-opened in Lincoln
The new Goody's brings nationally recognized brand name apparel, accessories, cosmetics, and footwear for the entire family to small and mid-sized towns and communities with over 735 stores in 38 states. Goody's re-opened in Lincoln on August 19. 
June 8, 2009 About 300 community members attended Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital and Springfield Clinic's official groundbreaking ceremonies last week to celebrate the start of construction at the replacement hospital campus. The $50-million, two-story 116,000-square-foot building will be constructed on Business 55 adjacent to the Logan County Fairgrounds. The new hospital could open in late 2010 or early 2011. The adjoining 21,000-square-foot office building will be constructed by Memorial Health System and leased to Springfield Clinic. "We are extremely excited about offering our community a new and modern hospital – one that is designed around a new paradigm of patient safety, quality and convenience," said Dolan Dalpoas, President and Chief Executive Officer of ALMH. "Constructing a new hospital is much more than just new bricks and mortar. A new facility will work to ensure that our charitable mission which has thrived for over 106 years will be extended to benefit future generations – to our children and our grandchildren." Over the course of the last 15 years, the hospital has flexed the chassis of the current building in an attempt to accommodate the dramatic growth in outpatients; however, the essential design of the building is for the 100 plus inpatients that were cared for daily 55 years ago. Outpatient services has grown dramatically in this time period, with nearly 160 outpatient procedures performed daily at ALMH – a number that continues to grow. Patients will continue to receive an advanced level of patient-centered care that they have come to expect at ALMH. However, a replacement hospital will help ALMH better deliver care to patients, making the experience more comfortable and convenient for the growing number of patients who come through the doors every day for a wide variety of healthcare services. The project architect is Pansing Nolan Matlock Ltd., located in Webster Grove, Missouri. The contractor for the project is Harold O'Shea Builders of Springfield. About 100 workers are expected to be on site during peak construction, which is fall 2009 through spring 2010. |
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Logan County's Comprehensive Plan,
Acres of Opportunity
, is now online! |
Logan County, Illinois
is the geographical center of the State and is centered among five metropolitan areas. Peoria, Bloomington/Normal, Decatur, and Springfield are within 45 minutes. Champaign/Urbana is just an hour away. |
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Commuting to work? Consider moving to Logan County! Peaceful communities close to major employers. Check this out. |
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Call the Development Partnership for information about opportunities in Lincoln & Logan County before expanding your business elsewhere! |
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1555 Fifth Street |
