What are proactive steps Harrisburg can make to promote growth?

Be intellegent.

intelligent lol typo.(not a sign of my intelligence)

First need to get rid of the same clowns running the town who are just recycled over and over. Harrisburg is in a great location to serve all of Southeastern Illinois. The counties of Saline,Gallatin,Pope and Hardin counties really have nowhere to go shopping or to eat other than Marion,Paducah,or Evansville,we could change that by pushing for more coal production,tourism in the Shawnee and a strong willed panel of dedicated people to drive a plan to bring business here. Gallatin,Hardin and Pope counties have no new auto dealerships,we have Jim Hayes who sells Ford and Chrysler products but no GM dealer anymore,we need Jim Hayes to either consider selling GM products,or we need to find somebody willing to bring one here,like maybe Weeks,or Ron Ward,you know a branch dealership. Harrisburg has no university like Carbondale,or no interstate like Marion,but we have coal,we have Charlie Birger. Work with what we have as a start. I would love for somebody who has the talent and wealth to start a restuarant and club here that would take on sort of a gangster identity,Al Capone,the mob and our very own Charlie,not glorifing crime or criminals but a historic place to enjoy food,dancing,nightlife and some history of the area and some of the badder elements that drove it like prohibition. "Charlies Place". I believe people would come from all over around here to see and experience a great entertaining experience with food,drinks and dancing,and maybe a stand up comic or two now and then. We need something to attract people,and then the business will follow.

Well, we kind of had that with the Memories Restaurant and Bar. It was around for quite some time, but eventually was out competed by first Smuggler's and then any numerous other restaurants that sprung up through-out the '90s and '00s.

Right now, it seems that Mackie's and Morello's are the "in" restaurants.

But I agree, Harrisburg, has lost a great deal of its tourist attraction status.

But the thing that I hope sort of revitalizes Harrisburg is the final part of new Rt. 13. I think and hope that once that is completed, it will allow new business building and expansion along that route from say, BBQ Barn to ROC One Stop. Hopefully that corridor will become what new Rt. 13 did over in Marion when Rt. 13 was rerouted from going through the square to where it is now. Before Rt. 13 was rerouted like that, that area of town was a poor run down residencial area that was of little to no use...now look at it. At least with Harrsiburg, and it's decent development around Veteran's Dr. and Small St., I can see that part of town getting pretty developed over the next few years after the highway is done. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised to see some commercial development out my way by the prison.

My former home town needs an economic development office with professionals who can develop a plan and guide the city through initiatives over a period of time. Set goals, apply for grants, have incentives for businesses and industry, and establish guidlines for design and construction. There should be a 5-year plan, 10-year plan, and so on. While coal is still a viable option, it has always been constrained by the political will of state and federal regulations. Instead, the #1 emphasis should be on tourism and recreation development. The city, as county seat should be the hub for bus tours, camping, biking and hiking tours, water park, ATV courses, and more. Marketing, restaurants, hotel/lodges, car rentals, bike and camping gear stores... these are all potential businesses that could grow from this effort. Later, maybe a Great Wolf Lodge or Bass Pro would develop property there because they see viable potential as well as effort being made by local entities - and then possibly a manufacturer or two that also would supply the tourism businesses. To begin though, a concerted effort of the leaders (business and government) needs to begin promoting the area outside of IL. Target St. Louis, Evansville, Indianapolis, Memphis and everywhere in between. Then, as things take off, expand to areas in an even further ring... Nashville, Columbia Mo., Arkansas, Springfield, Louisville, etc. The area is untapped for the most part and has a long way to go before reaching its potential, but it's all there to begin building a new kind of town, one that doesn't rely on old ways of thinking or sole dependancy on a fragile coal market.

Planner at Heart wrote:

My former home town needs an economic development office with professionals who can develop a plan and guide the city through initiatives over a period of time. Set goals, apply for grants, have incentives for businesses and industry, and establish guidlines for design and construction. There should be a 5-year plan, 10-year plan, and so on. While coal is still a viable option, it has always been constrained by the political will of state and federal regulations. Instead, the #1 emphasis should be on tourism and recreation development. The city, as county seat should be the hub for bus tours, camping, biking and hiking tours, water park, ATV courses, and more. Marketing, restaurants, hotel/lodges, car rentals, bike and camping gear stores... these are all potential businesses that could grow from this effort. Later, maybe a Great Wolf Lodge or Bass Pro would develop property there because they see viable potential as well as effort being made by local entities - and then possibly a manufacturer or two that also would supply the tourism businesses. To begin though, a concerted effort of the leaders (business and government) needs to begin promoting the area outside of IL. Target St. Louis, Evansville, Indianapolis, Memphis and everywhere in between. Then, as things take off, expand to areas in an even further ring... Nashville, Columbia Mo., Arkansas, Springfield, Louisville, etc. The area is untapped for the most part and has a long way to go before reaching its potential, but it's all there to begin building a new kind of town, one that doesn't rely on old ways of thinking or sole dependancy on a fragile coal market.

Well said, I really think we should start a petition and send it to city hall for a said economic development office.

This town and many others like it in southern Illinois is dead or dying. You can't revive a fish that's been out of the water for years.

Hey...at least we're getting a new Pizza Hut. LOL!

Actually, with regards to a water park idea, I think the city pool has just recently learned hard lesson.

As some of you may have heard, the city pool was asking for money to revitalize the facility. Well, it was denied, for the most part. BUT the problem was not that it wasn't getting traffic (patrons), but how they were charging them...or more specifically, NOT charging them. You see, the so-called "Season Passes" never expired. They're good forever. So say a Season Pass that your parents bought say 20 years ago, you can still use for your own kids today. Well, the Pool was losing thousands of dollars with this business practice. Roughly $30K per season.

One of our family friends wh has been running the Pool for the last several years knew about this loophole and tried to convince management that these passes needed to expire or at the very least needed to be renewed every year that you use them. Well, it took her to finally show them the figures on how much they were losing each year in potential income to change their mind. So this year is the last year that you can use old passes. And from now on, people are going to have to buy new season passes every year.

Lisa, with an attitude like that, who would want to move there and bring business to the community? The whole area east of Marion resists change and progressive thought, so it's no wonder it's towns are dead or dying. There is always hope for areas to rebuild and reinvent themselves - check out Greenwood KS or New Orleans - even once blighted urban areas like Harlem NYC and East LA are seeing a renaissance, but there has to be buy-in by the residents and an extreme personality makeover of the people there. Negative thoughts and energy encourage laziness, whining, and ugliness. Look at where you can make a change in the community and encourage 3 friends to do the same. Grass roots involvement is key to showing others that you're serious about wanting improvement. As much as the area is beautiful with natural resources, the "old sorehead" mentality of the people is ultimately what is killing it.

That grass roots movement is exactly what Im trying to start for this area. I'm young, jobless, and living in an area that refuses to support my goals, so I have decided to try and make the area work for me in a sense, by trying to find ideas and promote and bring in friends and family to help support it. For real that petition idea lit a light bulb in my brain.

Brendan wrote:

That grass roots movement is exactly what Im trying to start for this area. I'm young, jobless, and living in an area that refuses to support my goals, so I have decided to try and make the area work for me in a sense, by trying to find ideas and promote and bring in friends and family to help support it. For real that petition idea lit a light bulb in my brain.

That's great Brendan. Young leaders with a vision would definitely benefit the area. Good luck in your efforts.

Coal built Harrisburg,when coal mining faded,so did Harrisburg.

lisa wrote:

Coal built Harrisburg,when coal mining faded,so did Harrisburg.

Well you can thank the "green" Democrats for that. And this isn't something recent, this goes back to the '80s, at least. One all that strip mining was done around where new Rt. 13 goes through, the coal industry in this area started dying off.

Hell, we were supposed to get a strip mine go in directly behind our lot in Buena Vista and we habven't heard squat about it in recent times. It was supposed to open up about now, IIRC. But with Obama and his Cap & Trade energy tax bill working its way through Congress, small chance that'll happen.

1. Much lower property tax rates. Rates are sky high due to low property values and property values are kept low by high tax rates. Those who might improve their property are reluctant to do so due to tax assessment.

2. Zoning laws. There are too many run down, vacant buildings in the middle of neighborhoods around town. Where else can you find a cement plant in the middle of town?

3. A progressive attitude toward generating some jobs. For this one, they will need to check their pro-union mentality at the door. This area needs jobs. The mining of natural resources is only going to employ so many.

Im from Harrisburg originally, and I agree with "looking" at Marion, but while ya ll are looking, remember ... they have a major interstate interchange thru there and that is the main key to Marion's growth along with Mayor Butler. I come thru HBG from time to time and see it is dying.. Wal-Mart isnt helping, there are three of thier buildings there now, two of them I beleive are empty although I didnt pay attention last time to see if Holland Motors, Alan Miller was still there or not... that definately doesnt look good on any town huge empty buildings like that... so why not do something with those buildings ? Make one of them a movie theatre or something... large indoor go kart track.. I know from when I used to live there there is ALOT of "old money " there so why not let one of the big wigs invest in one of those buildings and look out for the kids, kids from all over that area would come from miles to a indoor go kart track or something like that.. no video games, god knows kids have enough of those at home now. but I believe the track would be a very good idea for the kids to do something and stimulate some business and activity for the other businesses. you can go out by the golf course still and see those people arent suffering too badly so why doesnt one of the business people in town invest in something proactive for a change?

Personally, i think it would work.....