“Illinois
truly is the middle of everything, as perfectly demonstrated by the
hundreds of miles of America’s highway—Route 66 that travels through
our state,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “These grants will stimulate
local economies across Illinois and highlight our growing EV sector,
honoring the history of Route 66 and looking to the future.”
The Route 66 Grant Program is awarding $3.7 million in funding to
seven recipients for the development of tourism, education,
preservation, and promotion leading up to the 100th Anniversary of
Route 66 in 2026. 300 miles of Route 66 weave through Illinois, and
Route 66’s economic and historical impact is felt firsthand in
communities across Illinois. The grantees will help develop and
enhance sites along Route 66, with a focus on future transportation
and tourism trends such as electric vehicles.
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“Illinoisans know our state is not only the best
place to live, work and do business, but also the best place to
invite friends and family from near and far for a visit,” said DCEO
Director Kristin A. Richards. “The millions of dollars the State is
investing in local tourism promotion and enhancing the historic
Route 66 will do wonders for Illinois’ tourism industry while
boosting local economies and promoting the future of travel.”
This funding supports a variety of projects across the state,
including the installation of iconic Route 66 signage, pylons,
monuments, as well as investments in museums, exhibits, service
areas and rest stops. As Illinois’ transportation sector evolves to
include more electric vehicles (EVs), the projects also focus on
building out EV infrastructure and promoting the state's tourism
areas as EV destinations.
The Logan County Tourism Bureau has been awarded
$29320 for "Installation of two Level 2 EV chargers and Route 66
insignia embedded on the road to support with wayfinding."
“Both Brookfield Zoo and the start of Route 66 are
fan favorites among children and parents alike, and the State’s
tourism marketing dollars will help them both continue to be a
landmark for the next generation,” said Sen. Javier Cervantes
(D-Chicago). “Every dollar spent while visiting Brookfield Zoo or
traversing Route 66 bolsters our local economy and keeps our
businesses humming.”
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Through the Illinois Travel and Tourism Grant
Program, $2.9 million is being awarded to 51 grantees to support
local tourism promotional efforts. This program provides funding for
promotional efforts by local governments, municipalities,
non-profits and local promotional groups such as Illinois' Certified
Convention and Visitor Bureaus (CVBs), with the goal of attracting
visitors to destinations, attractions, and events throughout
Illinois. This program is funded by a federal Economic Development
Administration (EDA) grant.
“The Village of Rosemont will soon be able to launch advertising
campaigns to draw in out-of-state visitors thanks to the latest
round of local tourism marketing grants,” said Sen. Robert Martwick
(D-Chicago). “Illinois’ tourism industry is thriving, and Rosemont
will continue to be a top destination for visitors as word spreads
about the variety of amenities available in the area.”
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Through the grant opportunity, the State is matching
local funds used to promote destinations, attractions and events
through marketing such as promotional materials, media production
costs, billboards, and promotional materials at trade shows. The
ultimate goal of the program is to support promotional projects that
increase visitation and overnight stays, thereby fueling the local
economies across the state.
“I’m pleased to see the State of Illinois partner with Kane County
to promote the beauty and adventures of the Fox River we all know
and love with creative, consistent branding,” said Sen. Karina Villa
(D-West Chicago). “Families in Kane County have been lucky enough to
enjoy the Fox River for years, and these tourism marketing grants
will ensure the local landmark continues to not only be enjoyed by
its neighbors, but also by visitors from near and far for years to
come.” Grant awards will help
increase marketing efforts outside of Chicago to promote The Joffrey
Ballet and further promote Visit Champaign County's destinations
through print, digital and video advertising to drive economic
impact, among many other projects.
“Thanks to Illinois’ unmatched tourism marketing campaigns, locals
aren’t the only ones who know about the sought-after destinations
and hidden gems in every corner of the state,” said Rep. Lance
Yednock (D-Ottawa). “The dollars awarded to DeKalb, LaSalle County
and Ottawa in the latest round of tourism funding are essential to
encouraging trips to Illinois while ensuring local economies benefit
from the uptick in visitors.”
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Grants were awarded to entities in every economic
region in the state, with awards ranging from $9,640 to $100,000,
with an average award of $57,502 for a total of $2.9 million. A link
to the full list of the recipients can be found here.
“The iconic Route 66 attracts visitors from around the world to
drive on the historic highway and enjoy everything Illinois has to
offer – from the biggest cities to the smallest towns and every
place in between,” said Rep. Larry Walsh, Jr. (D-Joliet). “As we
come upon Route 66’s 100th anniversary celebration, I'm thrilled
that Joliet and Will County will be getting the opportunity to
shine.”
The State of Illinois continues to prioritize our tourism industry
as millions of visitors spend billions of dollars annually across
Illinois, boosting economic development and supporting jobs in the
industry. The State recently awarded $22.5 million in grant funding
for 89 projects across Illinois to support local festivals and
attractions and drive tourism across the state. In FY23 to date,
hotel tax collections have surpassed all of FY22 collections and are
on-track to surpass the highest fiscal year collections on record in
FY19. Per the latest data available, in 2021 Illinois welcomed more
than 97 million visitors who spent more than $32 billion in the
state.
The success of Illinois' tourism sector is due to commitment to
supporting the industry as well as the Illinois Office of Tourism's
award-winning ‘Middle of Everything' campaign. New data from
Longwoods International shows that the campaign had an enormous
positive economic impact – leading to an additional 2 million trips
which equated to an additional $1 billion spent in Illinois hotels,
restaurants, small businesses, and attractions. Additionally, every
$1 spent on the campaign equated to $91 in visitor spending while
generating $10 in state and local tax revenue for every dollar spent
– an enormous return on investment.
[Illinois Office of Communication and
Information] |
Grantee |
Award Amount |
Project Description |
Bloomington-Normal Area Convention and Visitors Bureau |
$263,319
|
Development, site preparation, and installation of monument
gateway signage in five communities along Route 66 in McLean
County, as well as one Level 3 charger including Route 66
design and installation and statewide Route 66 promotion. |
Choose Chicago |
$210,756
|
Installation of architectural pylons on the north & south
side of Jackson Boulevard where it meets Michigan Avenue.
The Pylons will incorporate the iconic Route 66 road sign
language attesting to the historical significance of Route
66 and its starting point in Chicago. The Pylons will also
include a QR code with information on EV charging stations
along the route. The funding will also install interpretive
signage in four diverse neighborhoods in Tri-Taylor,
Douglass Park, North Lawndale and Little Village.
|
Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau
|
$493,032
|
Funding for multiple projects, including expansion of the
mural trail, creating interpretative panels for Green Book
sites, Route 66 event signage for promotional use across the
state, funding for Route 66 promotion at festivals and
events, parking upgrades, exhibitions and more.
|
Heritage Corridor Convention and Visitors Bureau
|
$1,609,400
|
Funding for a variety of statewide Route 66 promotional
programs, including statewide marketing/advertising and
promotional costs. Additionally, funding will support EV
charging station and landscaping projects in Lockport,
Bolingbrook and Joliet, several Route 66 monuments, murals,
and Route 66-themed enhancements to welcome centers and
local museums.
|
Logan County Tourism Bureau
|
$29,320.00
|
Installation of two Level 2 EV chargers and Route 66
insignia embedded on the road to support with wayfinding. |
City of Springfield
|
$623,000
|
Creation of 12 murals connecting Williamsville, Sherman,
Springfield, Chatham and Auburn to the murals in Heritage
Corridor and Great Rivers & Routes service area, as well as
upgrades to Shea's Gas Station and 12 site specific wayside
exhibits.
|
Visit Oak Park
|
$475,000
|
Various projects to add or upgrade iconic stops along Route
66 in Oak Park, including an illuminated Route 66 Gateway
structure on Ogden Avenue, new Route 66 signage, wayfinding
signage to iconic Route 66 locations, and new signage to
promote new car chargers. |
|