News and Media

July is Park and Recreation Month! In Jacksonville, Illinois, parks and recreation amenities abound. They add to the quality of life and this, in and of itself, drives economic development because vibrant and resilient communities attract workers and businesses, as well as tourists.  Research on micropolitan communities has found that amenities such as recreation opportunities are likely as big of contributors to healthy local economies as traditional “business-friendly” measures such as lower taxes and labor costs. Smaller cities with a higher quality of life experience both higher employment and population growth than similarly situated communities, including those that rank high b...

Competition for skilled workers in today’s economy is tight, and Jacksonville Regional Economic Development Corporation (JREDC) recognizes creative approaches are required for workforce attraction and retention. JREDC leveraged Jacksonville’s advantage as a college town by partnering with Illinois College business majors completing their senior capstone projects, realizing they could be an underutilized resource. Illinois College seniors Jacey Nall, Ace Robinson, and Taylor Vieira collaborated with JREDC to produce “Implementing Geofencing at Jacksonville Regional Economic Development Corporation.” Using employee-centric data provided by JREDC on locations, commute times, and benefits, the students researched how geofencing could be used to attract and retain worker...