Rameen: Coming up on City Spotlight, we're talking Mattoon, once again, here in season eight, we'll talk with the Mayor of Mattoon, Rick Hall, and Ed Dowd, Executive Director of the Mattoon Chamber of Commerce, about the new sports complex and what impact it might have on Mattoon moving forward.

Also, an update on the new hotel being built over at Coles Centre and thoughts on the new year in Mattoon.

We're kicking off 2022, talking Mattoon here on City Spotlight.

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And hello and welcome to another edition of City Spotlight.

As you can see, we are back in the studios of WEIU, first time in a while, and we are presenting this episode to you at the beginning of the new year 2022, so happy New Year to you all.

And in this episode, we're going to be talking all about Mattoon.

And to help us out.

We welcome back to the program, the Mayor of Mattoon, Rick Hall.

Rick, thank you.

Pleasure to have you on and welcome first time to the studios of WEIU.

Rick: Thank you very much.

Looking forward to the Interview.

Rameen: Excellent.

We first talked with Rick eight months ago to the today.

I had to look and it was just prior to you officially taking office, so we're going to talk about how these last eight months have gone for you as you've transitioned into the role of mayor and the things that you learned about the community.

But before we dive into that, there was recent weather that happened through the area, Rick.

Rick: Yes.

Rameen: About 10 days ago, obviously there were some tornadoes that went through the center of the country, impacted communities to the west of Mattoon, but it did impact the very Northern corner of Mattoon, Northwestern corner of Mattoon.

Tell us how those tornadoes impacted Mattoon.

Rick: Okay.

The city of Mattoon, of course, we missed a bullet.

We were very fortunate.

The storm came from the west.

It was sort of heading east, Northeast of Mattoon.

There was lines down on 121 west of Mattoon and there was damage certainly north and then farther east of Mattoon.

Alton Trucking was damaged.

The old Donnelley plant was damaged, but really, as far as the city of Mattoon goes, we really... We had wind damage.

We had some trees down.

We lost power for a while throughout the city, but the good news is there are no injuries.

There was no really catastrophic kind of damage in the city.

The damage that did occur was primarily...

There were some homes on North 45 that were destroyed, but, again, no one was really injured.

We don't get involved in the county kind of damage, so we were very fortunate.

Our people were out cleaning roads, putting up signs, those kinds of things.

It's not that they weren't busy, but we really... We were really lucky.

Rameen: In a recent episode, I interviewed Charleston Mayor, Dr. Brandon Combs, about the tornadoes that, that struck the area and I asked him about when severe weather is happening like this, do you start thinking about how prepared your Emergency Preparedness Plans?

Talk about that thinking and who you're talking to in case you do have to react to a disaster-like situation?

Rick: Okay.

Well, we have a Emergency Disaster Plan specifically for Mattoon.

The county of course, has their own plan in and it sort of evolves.

If we've got something that we can handle within the city, the county doesn't get involved.

We may get involved if there something countywide, but those disaster plans... My previous position was as the Fire Commissioner, so I was directly involved in developing the last plan that we have in place and it's designed to cover all kinds of disasters.

The good news is we already had that in place.

It's up-to-date.

We know how it works.

We know how the players are.

We really didn't get involved in it this time just because the damage wasn't as great, but I feel like we're very well prepared to handle all kinds of disasters.

Not just tornadoes, but things you wouldn't even think of.

Whether it be ice and snow, whether it be a tornado, an earthquake, a major...

It could be a shooting and things like that.

Those kinds of things are all covered in that plan.

Rameen: Well, thank you for that insight.

Appreciate it.

All right.

Let's talk about you and you've been at hand as the leader of Mattoon for about eight months now.

What have you learned about the community of Mattoon?

Rick: Well, what I've really learned is simply I've reinforced what I've already known.

I was a commissioner for 13 years.

Yes, I've only been mayor for eight months, but I've been involved in the community all my life with a lot of different projects, so I know my way around the community.

I know a lot of people, so it's really what it's done becoming Mayor of Mattoon is it really has reinforced the good people that we have, the good workers we have in the city, healthcare, educational institutions.

It really just showed me in a lot more detail.

I get a lot more involved in some of those things as mayor than I would be as a commissioner, but we've really got an outstanding community.

Again, my primary thing about that is just reinforce what I really already knew.

Rameen: All right.

Very good.

We have some exciting things to talk about taking place in Mattoon or we'll be coming Mattoon.

About two months ago, October 21st, an announcement was made for a new sports complex to be built near I-57.

My first thought is, "Wow," especially when I heard about it.

Give us an overview of that project for those that may be just hearing about it for the first time.

Rick: Well, the Lincoln Land Sports Complex, as it's named now, it may change that name.

I became aware of that project about three months or almost four months before that announcement.

I had a chance to look at a feasibility study, a draft feasibility study, before that ever came along and it was introduced to us by Rural King.

Rural King met some people in one of their new store openings.

They became aware projects like this.

They decided this might be something that could work for Mattoon.

They did some research.

They started a feasibility study, then they contacted us and said, "Are you guys interested in doing this?"

The sports complex may be the greatest thing that we've had in Mattoon for 20 or 30 years.

Rameen: Wow.

Rick: It's that big.

Rameen: Wow.

Rick: It's the $60 million project.

The total project is more than just the facility itself because it's also, and I want to touch on that just briefly, it's also a commercial development area.

It's about a 150 acres.

The sports complexes is roughly 50 acres.

It includes eight softball/baseball fields, four of them 300 feet and four of them 400 feet.

It includes eight soccer fields.

It's almost all on artificial turf.

Rameen: Wow.

Rick: It's well lit.

There is a indoor facility that's included in that, that's big enough to host 16 volleyball games all at the same time or four or eight basketball games.

It includes a health clinic, a sports health clinic that is on the land, the property, so it is a very large project.

It Goes right along Interstate 57.

It would be on the Southwest corner of the intersection of Interstate 57 and Route 16.

Rameen: So it's the land between Home Depot and interstate.

Okay.

Rick: Right.

And as far as Charleston Avenue, all the way to the driving range at the Mattoon Country Club.

Rameen: Wow.

Rick: So it's a big piece of land and it's designed in such a way that the Northern part of that district, which is about another 50 acres, somewhere right around that, 45 acres or so, but there'd be more commercial development, hotels, retail stores, restaurants, and it's also designed so it's all walkable.

You can literally park your car at a hotel or a restaurant, in effect leave it there, walk to all the events.

Rameen: Wow.

Rick: And again, it's a big project, needless to say.

Rameen: This is a very, a broad question.

Don't need a five minute answer from it, but it's fair that I need to ask you this.

What can something like this do for Mattoon?

And not just Mattoon, the region here in Central Illinois?

Rick: We have met with a lot of organizations about this and it is going to...

It's an economic event.

It includes housing, new businesses and a lot of other things, so it's going to have a big impact on our area.

We've talked to Lake Land, Eastern School District, just a lot of organizations.

Rameen: All right.

Another thing going on, or should I say getting started again, just further back to the east, Coles Centre, the new hotel was on a bit of a layoff there with construction.

It's back going and I saw the sign out front as I've driven by recently, Summer of 2022.

So the excitement of the hotel.

Rick: Yes.

The excitement of the hotel getting back on program is very exciting, of course.

It's about 100 rooms plus hotel.

We definitely want to do that.

There will be a lot of... We get the sports complex, there's going to be a lot of other hotels that have to be built.

In fact, we expect at least three more hotels.

We expect almost 600,000 additional visitors a year just because of that sports complex.

Rameen: You answered my next question, impact.

But for a community the size of Mattoon to not just add a new hotel and/or a sports complex, you're adding these two large things.

These are large things.

What does that say about the community of Mattoon?

Rick: Well, we've been working...

It seems like maybe a lot of things are coming together right now, but we've been working on these kinds of things to get in a position to do this for several years and we've got several projects that are going on today that are going to add new jobs and additional training.

Rameen: All right.

The folks at home are seeing this at the turn of the new year, we're taping this just prior to the new year, so happy holidays and happy new year to you.

Rick: Yeah, thank you.

Rameen: Just want to make sure I get that out.

I asked this to Mayor Combs recently.

What does the new year mean to you, Rick?

Rick: Well, the new year to me is very exciting because a lot of things are going to happen.

We're going to make a final decision on the sports complex once we get the financial feasibility study done.

We'll complete our downtown sort of rehabilitation next year, the last two blocks of that.

It's just an exciting year.

I think we're going to get a lot done this next year after developing some objectives early this year and putting in place and really getting these things going for this next year, so it's going to be an exciting year.

And actually, the next few years for Mattoon.

Rameen: Very good, you've touched upon the big things.

We've touched upon the big things.

We talked about the downtown.

Other things that you're looking for to touching upon because, again, it's been a rough two years for a lot of us and- Rick: It has.

Rameen: ... to have this optimism that I hear you talk about, so very optimistic for a solid new year.

Rick: Yes, it's going to be a great year.

I predict next year and even the year after that, the sports complex, of course, won't be done in a year, but once it gets going, we're going to see a lot of growth and exciting opportunities.

Again, not just for the city of Mattoon, but the whole area, county.

It's going to bring just a ton of opportunities to the whole area.

I'm really excited about what's going on, needless to say.

Rameen: Well, great to see a smile on the face for the new year in Mattoon.

Lots of great, big things coming to Mattoon in the future, Rick Hall, the Mayor of Mattoon, it's been a pleasure having you on City Spotlight again.

Rick: Thank you Very much and I wish everybody a great year and get this COVID behind us and everybody's healthy next year.

Rameen: I second that.

Very good.

And coming up next here on City Spotlight, we'll continue talking Mattoon with Ed Dowd of the Mattoon Chamber of Commerce.

But first, let's take a look at some of the upcoming activities going on in Mattoon.

[music plays] And we're back here on City Spotlight as we continue this new episode on Mattoon.

As you can see, we've obviously changed locations.

No longer in the studios of WEIU, we are in Mattoon for this particular portion of the program.

We're at a familiar place, the Mattoon Chamber of Commerce offices.

And if we're at the Mattoon Chamber, that means we're talking with Ed Dowd, Executive Director of the Mattoon Chamber.

Ed, pleasure as always, Ed: Always a pleasure.

Thank you for having me.

Very excited to talk about what's going on here in Mattoon.

Rameen: There is a lot to talk about.

We're taping with Ed a couple days after our segment we taped with Mayor Hall.

This episode, Ed, is airing at the beginning of the new year, so happy new year.

Ed: Happy new year to you as well.

Rameen: Very good.

Let's dive right into what we talked with Mayor Hall in our first segment, two gigantic things in the works.

A little bit being constructed, some in the planning stages.

Let's talk first about that new sports complex.

Your overall thoughts on the sports complex coming to Mattoon.

Ed: Yeah, I can't be more thrilled and excited about the opportunity for the sports complex, what it's going to bring to community with an estimated 600,000 visitors coming and $24 million in revenue, 59,000 additional hotel stays.

I just can't be more excited about the opportunities this presents to our community.

It's just going to be fantastic.

Rameen: You know me, Ed, I like numbers.

Those numbers are all just mind blowing and I know it's a little... so much to be "Wow, this could happen," but I think one of the really interesting parts about the sports complex is the location.

I mean, how many times have we all driven right there underneath the Interstate and there's that plot of land and that's where it's going to be.

Talk about talk the location of where this is going to be.

Ed: Yeah, those are two of the things that excite me the most.

One, how great is it going to be that the 27,000 plus cars that travel past Mattoon on a daily basis are going to see this beautiful sports complex?

And the other part of it is Rural King donating all 96 acres right on I-57.

I mean, that's prime real estate.

And those two things are what excite me the most because for a project to work, how many communities can say that a local investor was willing to donate 96 acres of prime real estate right on the interstate?

So again, this is very exciting and I think that this project is definitely going to happen and I can't wait.

Rameen: Again, maybe if folks didn't quite catch some of the information we talked about with Mayor Hall, the physical location will be there between I-57 and is it Home Depot?

Ed: Home Depot, yep.

Home Depot on I-57, right off of Route 16, right off on Exit 190 on 57.

And again, just people being able to see that as they're traveling past Mattoon and saying, "Wow, Mattoon is really happening.

What's going on there?"

Rameen: It's going to be literally the first thing people see now of Mattoon, so wow.

Ed: Exactly, very exciting.

Rameen: Exactly.

I can only imagine, I could ask you 12 minutes worth of questions just about the sports complex.

But this new facility, I can only imagine as the Chamber Director and moving forward, the possibilities that could evolve because of this.

Ed: Yeah.

One of the parts of it is 126,000 square foot multifunctional facility\ that's going to be there.

We don't really have a place where we can have conventions or very large weddings, trade shows, expos, so that is going to be fantastic.

Not only, but we are going to be able to recruit prime restaurants, prime retail who are going to say, "You know what?

If you're going to have 600,000 people coming to your community extra, we're going to want to be part of that and we're going to want to develop projects there as well."

So again, just thrilling for the opportunity.

Rameen: And I think as Mayor Hall, if my memory serves me correctly, he talked about more hotels could probably blossom in that area as well too.

Ed: Yes.

Rameen: And the construction has resumed on that new hotel that we've talked about previously at Coles Centre, the excitement of that project resuming.

Ed: Yeah.

The Hilton Garden Inn and Convention Center is what it's going to be.

And with the Hilton name, that's a very popular, very big name, so we're very excited about that.

They had some struggles with the pandemic and, as you know, hotel stays dropped considerably because of it, but they have gotten all their funding in place and it's going to happen.

They're looking for the summer of this year and what better opportunity for them is they're going to have a brand new sports complex within a mile of their location, so it's really a no-brainer for them to say, "Look, we need to get this project done and we need to get it up and running."

It's going to be 104 rooms.

It's going to have a restaurant.

It's going to be just a fantastic opportunity, right next to the beautiful Blue Cross and Blue Shield facility, which is right there and HSHS Medical.

That area is building up as well, so we have so many great things happening in our community.

Just can't say enough.

Rameen: I'm having a moment here of remembering our very first City Spotlight episode we ever taped was with Tim Gover of Mattoon- Ed: Yes.

Rameen: ... and we talked about all the years and decades down the road, maybe long after we're both gone of where that land between Charleston and Mattoon fills up.

Well, you're filling up a couple of those spots there with the sports complex and the Coles Center there, so it's slowly, slowly going that way.

Ed: It's happening.

It's happening, yes.

Rameen: I'd love to get your comment on for a community to add anything, especially in this time and age of where we're at is fantastic, but we're talking about two large things, a hotel and a sports complex.

What does that say about Mattoon as a destination?

Ed: Again, it just shows that we have so many opportunities.

When a lot of communities are shrinking in size, we are growing and it's just so exciting that people are willing to invest in our community.

They feel comfortable investing in our community where we're at right off of 57, so it just shows that with all the different people, volunteers of spirit and everything else that's going on, that, "You know what?

We want to invest in Mattoon," and we're so excited about that.

Rameen: We last talked with you, Ed, about eight months ago.

What else, economic development wise, has joined the Mattoon community in the latter half of 2021?

Ed: Yes.

So along with what we just talked about, the sports complex and the Hilton Garden Inn, we have a lot of great things happening as well from an industrial standpoint.

North American Lighting has just agreed and purchased a new building.

It was the former Justrite facility, Justrite Manufacturing, which is a safety manufacturing company.

What happened is Justrite, locally, They said, "You know what?

We need to expand," so they moved about a mile down the road to a bigger facility and then left this one vacant.

This one is right across from the Mars Petcare and North American Lighting said, "We're going to invest in Mattoon and we're going to put our replacement bulb signaling factory there."

Again, this is potential for a hundred jobs over the next year, so just so exciting that that's going to happen.

The other thing that we talked about, Phoenix Investors.

LSC Communications, again that was unfortunate that they had to close their facility, however, Phoenix Investors, they said, "We are going to invest in this.

We're going to purchase that property," and what's great about that is they're in the business of marketing these things.

Where LSC Communications, they're not in the business of selling their facilities.

So for Phoenix to take it over, they have plans in place and they are working right now with multiple suitors for that location, so it's just another great thing.

They have painted the facility, they're fixing the parking lot, so they are plans to get that to fruition with other investors.

So again, just very exciting about that as well.

Rameen: Many names, that facility has been more commonly known to many people as RR Donnelley.

Ed: Donnelley's.

Rameen: Very good.

Ed: The old printing company, yes.

Rameen: Very good.

That's amazing about North American Lighting.

I know, not personally, I know several people that have had family and friends that work at NAL over in Paris, so another location within central Illinois.

Ed: That's great.

Rameen: We are sharing this episode again with you at the very beginning of the new year.

And as I asked Mayor Hall and also Dr. Brandon Combs in the previous episode on Charleston, Ed, the new year, what does it mean to you?

Ed: What it means to me is optimism.

I am so optimistic about the future of our community.

We had a fantastic year in 2021/.

We're planning on having a fantastic year in 2022.

Unfortunately, the pandemic has slowed some progress, but again, it just shows how many people are willing to invest in our future.

I just can't say enough how excited I am.

The downtown streetscaping, I'm not sure if Mayor Hall had a chance to talk about that, but our downtown is looking beautiful.

We have most of our buildings filled up.

So again, it's just so exciting.

Mattoon in Motion is still going strong.

We have 150 volunteers who are working for that organization.

Rameen: Wow.

Ed: We have another Peace Corps, I mean, AmeriCorps Fellow, who's going to be working with us for a year promoting Mattoon, getting us employment opportunities and working for Mattoon as well, just like Carlos Ortega did, so we can't say enough about the future for 2022.

Rameen: Wonderful.

And Carlos is obviously doing very well as we talked with him at the elevate in the mall.

Ed: Yes.

Rameen: As I came over here, you greeted me with a pleasant surprise.

You have a new addition to the Chamber of Commerce staff.

Ed: Yeah.

So excited.

Latanya Davies, who was our former Executive Assistant, I'm so happy for her.

She's like a dog whisper and she decided to start her own business.

And again, anytime we can get a new business in our community, it's so exciting.

But Latanya Davis, she's working with animals and that's her passion.

However, I was able to steal, as I say, Carolyn Cloyd away from the United Way.

Rameen: Wow.

Ed: She has so much experience and so much knowledge and she does so much for the community.

I can't be more excited about having someone with the connections she has, with the wealth of knowledge, with her abilities to be able to be here.

I think we have a great Chamber team now.

I'm excited for that as well.

Rameen: It brought a smile to my face.

It's like, "Oh, Carolyn, good to see you."

Ed: Yes.

Rameen: Carolyn appeared earlier this season on City Spotlight talking about her great friend, Steve Thompson, who passed away.

But Carolyn, wow, the groups that she's been a part of, a lot of people in Mattoon know her, so what a great addition and congratulations.

What a duo you guys will be together.

Ed, that's all I have as far as questions.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

Ed: No, just again, for those who wonder, Carolyn's got a replacement, so United Way will be taken care of.

That was one of her big worries and one of my worries.

I thought her board and the people in the community would be like, "Hey Dd, what are you..." But we're excited that they have a new person in place and the United Way will still run strong and so will the Chamber.

Thank you so much for having me.

And again, looking forward to a wonderful 2022.

Rameen: Excellent.

We've been kicking off 2022 in Mattoon.

Pleasure as always to have Ed Dowd of the Mattoon Chamber.

Ed, happy new year and thanks again for being on City Spotlight.

Ed: Happy new year.

Rameen: Thank you very much.

And that'll do it for this latest City Spotlight episode on Mattoon.

Again, happy new year and thanks for watching.

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