SPRINGFIELD, IL – Economic development experts from more than a dozen central Illinois entities met at the ADM campus on April 23 to learn about the benefits of the new Midwest Inland Port, according to State Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet).
“Central Illinois is blessed to have a one-of-a-kind transportation network. Many of our small and medium-sized businesses are not aware of the benefits that the new Midwest Inland Port can offer them,” Rose said. “Job creation is what this is all about — maximizing the enormous potential to create jobs and the new possibilities the port will provide.”
ADM transportation executives gave an extensive presentation about how the port’s global reach could positively affect local economic efforts. As an example, Midwest Fiber in Decatur reuses ADM shipping containers to ship their cardboard to China. Other central Illinois businesses could use the Decatur facility as a means to ship goods in and out of the area without needing to travel to Chicago.
Officials from the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity provided information about transportation grants keyed directly at job creation and low-interest business loans that may be available to help spur economic development.
The event, sponsored by Senator Rose’s office, was attended by 50 local community economic development experts, Chamber of Commerce leaders, city managers and other elected officials from the 51st Senate District and the surrounding area.