A $203 million state-of-the-art Kraft Heinz manufacturing facility and expansive $160 million Sterilite manufacturing plant are part of $2.8 billion in public and private sector investments now taking place in the Quad Cities, according to the Quad Cities Chamber website.
Construction is also underway on a $1.4 billion bridge overlooking I-74 and connecting the six counties straddling state lines in Iowa and Illinois that sit along the banks of the Mississippi River.
Liz Murray Tallman, chief Economic development officer for the chamber, said the fact that the Hawkeye State is now able to go toe-to-toe with its far-larger neighbor is indicative of the job city leaders have done in transforming the region into a magnet for business.
Liz Murray Tallman
Talman pointed to a burgeoning public-private sector and an at-the-ready workforce as going hand-in-hand with the changing dynamics.
The Quad Cities region is also in the midst of an urban renaissance, with a $600 million-plus investment recently being interjected into its downtown area that includes the creation of a new urban community college campus and an Amtrak station with direct passenger service to Chicago.
Talman said it’s all part of plan to continue attracting top-flight businesses and the young talent needed to keep them afloat.
Once a company comes to Quad Cities, it is offered outreach in the form of a bi-state advocacy platform and technical assistance through a service called the Critical Talent Network.
Another component of the city’s outreach is its Business Connections program, which connects area operations with resources needed to overcome various obstacles.
Alerts Sign-up