Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) Franklin, Jackson, Jefferson, Perry, and Williamson County, Illinois August 2010 The preparation of this report was financed in part through a grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration; and annual appropriations from the Illinois Counties of Franklin, Jackson, Jefferson, Perry, and Williamson; the Kinkaid-Reed’s Creek Conservancy District; Rend Lake Conservancy District; the Assembly of Local Governments; and the Cities of Benton, Carbondale, Du Quoin, Herrin, Marion, Mt. Vernon, Murphysboro, Pinckneyville, and West Frankfort. Publication #2010-1004 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................................i LIST OF TABLES.....................................................................................................................................iv LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................................................vii CHAPTER 1 - ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATION........................................................................ 1 District Board..........................................................................................................................................1 Commission Board Composition...........................................................................................................1 District Management..............................................................................................................................2 District Staff ............................................................................................................................................8 Inter-Organizational Linkages............................................................................................................10 CHAPTER 2 - HISTORICAL ASSESSMENT OF PAST DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS ................ 13 History and Geography of Region.......................................................................................................13 Regional Interdependence ...................................................................................................................20 Clusters Analysis...................................................................................................................................23 Residential..........................................................................................................................................23 Agriculture .........................................................................................................................................26 Commercial ........................................................................................................................................28 Manufacturing and Industry...............................................................................................................31 Mining................................................................................................................................................31 Healthcare ..........................................................................................................................................33 CHAPTER 3 - TRANSPORTATION AND CORRIDOR STUDY...................................................... 37 Transportation......................................................................................................................................37 Local Corridors.....................................................................................................................................39 Route 13 Growth Corridor .................................................................................................................40 I-57 Growth Corridor .........................................................................................................................42 Du Quoin-Pinckneyville Growth Corridor.........................................................................................43 Summary ............................................................................................................................................44 CHAPTER 4 - INFRASTRUCTURE ..................................................................................................... 45 Electricity and Natural Gas.................................................................................................................45 Water .....................................................................................................................................................46 Waste Water Systems...........................................................................................................................48 Communication.....................................................................................................................................48 Internet ..................................................................................................................................................49 CHPATER 5 - PUBLIC SERVICES AND GOVERNMENT .............................................................. 51 Education...............................................................................................................................................51 Government Administration and Services .........................................................................................51 CHAPTER 6 - TOURISM AND QUALITY OF LIFE ......................................................................... 59 Tourism and Recreation ......................................................................................................................59 Quality of Life .......................................................................................................................................60 i Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, 2010 CHAPTER 7 - DISTRICT ECONOMY ................................................................................................. 63 Population .............................................................................................................................................63 Social and Racial Composition ..........................................................................................................65 Migration............................................................................................................................................67 Population Projection .........................................................................................................................69 Local Economic Conditions .................................................................................................................71 Labor Force ........................................................................................................................................71 Mass Layoffs......................................................................................................................................75 Major Employers................................................................................................................................76 Sectoral Employment Trends.............................................................................................................80 Sectoral Employment Projections ......................................................................................................83 Livable Income...................................................................................................................................84 Annual Income ...................................................................................................................................86 Income by Industry Sector .................................................................................................................89 Poverty ...............................................................................................................................................94 Knowledge Economy ............................................................................................................................95 Talent..................................................................................................................................................95 Innovation Capacity .........................................................................................................................102 Knowledge Sector Jobs ....................................................................................................................105 Digital Economy ..............................................................................................................................106 Globalization ....................................................................................................................................113 Economic Dynamism .......................................................................................................................115 Economic Stimulation and Incentives...............................................................................................116 Enterprise Zone ................................................................................................................................116