Turkey giveaway more than just birds
Move by proposed casino a sign of region’s economic revival
Margaret Graniczny, 63, was first in lineMonday when developers of a proposed casino gave away $10,000worth of turkeys at River Oaks Center in CalumetCity.
About 650 turkeys were distributed, organizers said. Afterwaiting in her vehicle for nearly three hours, Graniczny said she appreciated the developer’s interest in building a gaming and entertainment complex asmuch as the Thanksgiving-themed act of community goodwill.
“We need the revenue,” she said. Calumet City’s proposed casino is one of four projects vying for a single license. The Illinois Gaming Board recently said it will need until at least lateApril to review applications before awarding the licensee.
Developer DelawareNorth is proposing to invest $275 million in a gaming and entertainment complex thatwould be built near aMacy’s on the south end of the mall property, Calumet City Mayor MichelleMarkiewicz-Qualkinbush said.
“River Oaks Center has long been the economic engine of our community,” she said.
The mall opened in 1966 at a time when suburban shopping centers began replacing downtowncommercial districts as primary destinations for retail shoppers. Now, however, two of the mall’s four large department store anchor spaces are vacant.
Osi Imomoh, regional generalmanager for DelawareNorth, said duringMonday’s drive-through turkey giveaway that the casinowould drawvisitors to Calumet City and more shoppers to River Oaks Center.
“It will be a catalyst for revitalizing the mall,” Imomoh said.
Thatmay be, but it is undeniable that retail shopping preferences are changing again. The commercial corridor along TorrenceAvenue north of Interstate 80/94 near the Indiana border seems to have lost some of its former luster.
As online shopping becomes more and more common, the decline of brick-andmortar stores could profoundly affect revenues for schools, municipalities and other taxing bodies.
Change is happening. Changesmay be so gradual as to be barely noticeable, but they are occurring, nonetheless. Abig project like the casino is a sign of the transformation that is underway. Private investment is creating jobs throughout the region.
“Economic development drives the jobs,” Markiewicz-Qualkinbush said. “It’s almost mind-boggling what this will do. It will change the future of Calumet City.”
The casinowould create 1,000
permanent hospitality jobs and another 1,000 temporary construction jobs, she said. DelawareNorth has partneredwith South Suburban College to offer training and educational courses in hospitality, she said.
DelawareNorth is the only one of the four applicants for the south suburban license that is already a licensed casino operator in Illinois, Imomoh said. DelawareNorthwould open a temporary casino in a former Carsons store at the mall within 90 days of being granted a license, he said.
“That means opportunities to create jobs sooner than any other project,” Imomoh said.
The other three proposed south suburban casino locations are in EastHazel Crest/Homewood, Lynwood andMatteson.
The proposed casino is among several signs that the region’s economy is in a state of revival after decades of decline. One of the biggest signs is Amazon’s growing presence in the south suburbs.
Driving south on the HarlemAvenue bridge over Interstate 80 in Tinley Park, one could look to the left and see the largeHollywood
Casino Amphitheatre that has drawn visitors to the region since its opening as a concert venue in 1990.
Or, one could look straight ahead at the much larger Amazon fulfillment center being built atHarlem Avenue andVollmerRoad inMatteson. Amazon also is building huge facilities in Markham andUniversity Park and employs about 2,500workers at a fulfillment center inMonee.
Amazon is among the more visible signs of the economic turnaround, but private business investment is fueling job growth throughout southern Cook and easternWill counties. In Calumet City, for example, a formerTarget store that has been vacant for five years is being transformed into an indoor vertical farm that will produce locally grown kale, arugula and other leafy greens.
“We’re really excited about that,” MarkiewiczQualkinbush said. “That was an innovative idea.”
Food manufacturing and processing is among several industries creating jobs and helping to revive the region’s economy, she said. Last month, theU.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic DevelopmentAdministration announced a $3.4 million grant to improve a business park in Calumet City. The investment is projected to retain 65 jobs, create another 100 jobs and spur more than $13 million in private investment, officials said.
Legalized recreational cannabis is another industry creating employment opportunities and tax revenues. Though the
COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted operations for many businesses, south suburban breweries have worked together to promote their industry. Visitorsmay also be attracted by investment in hiking and biking trails and other recreational projects.
For example, work is set to begin in the spring on a $2.4 million Calumet City park called BluesWater Run. The park will feature trails, a disc golf course and a canoe and kayak launch providing access to the Little CalumetRiver.
Grants will cover most of the costs of developing the park, an example of how strategic use of public funds can complement private investment. Local leaders haveworked with officials fromCook County and the state of Illinois to secure funds for road improvements and other infrastructure projects.
The increased economic investment is expected to create jobs. Government officials hope the increase in household incomes creates a ripple effect that leads to improvements in housing, education, health care, public safety and other areas.
The south suburban casino is among several developments that collectively are helping to transform the region’s economy and hopefully improve the quality of life for hundreds of thousands of area residents.
“This is awonderful opportunity not only for CalumetCity but for the region because it will draw people to the area,” Markiewicz-Qualkinbush said.