The Illinois Enterprise Zone Administrators Annual Training Conference will be held April 16-18, 2008 at the recently opened Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites near the Bloomington Airport.

You will see firsthand how the Enterprise Zone has spurred development in Bloomington-Normal as you tour the Horizon Windfarm, Mitsubishi, and Normal's ambitious Downtown Redevelopment Project.

Spring Conference Agenda

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

• 6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Evening Reception, Hospitality Room, Holiday Inn

Thursday, April 17, 2008

• 8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m., Administrative Training
  • An interactive session featuring presentations by veteran enterprise zone administrators. Topics include preparing applications for territory expansion, options 1 & 2; Department of Agriculture reviews, public notices and hearings, the DCEO approval process and reporting requirements.
    
• 10:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m., BREAK

• 10:45 a.m. - 12:45 pm., Horizon Wind Energy Project Tour and Lunch
  • Tour and presentation of Horizon Wind Energy Wind Farm in Eastern McLean County including visitor’s center and turbine tour. Tour will include lunch at the visitor’s center with a presentation by Dr. David Loomis, Chair Illinois Wind Energy Project regarding wind energy education and the Alternative Energy major at Illinois State University
    
• 12:45 p.m. - 1:30 p.m., Back to Hotel/Conference Center and Break
  
• 1:30 p.m. Board Bus for Mitsubishi Tour
  
• 1:45p.m. - 3:00 p.m., Tour of Mitsubishi Motors Manufacturing Plant
  • Tour and presentation of the only North American Manufacturing plant for Mitsubishi. This is a rare opportunity to see one of the most highly automated automobile manufacturing plants in the United States.
    
  • For the Mitsubishi Tour:
    All visitors will need a photo ID (drivers license, government ID, passport) and will need to check in at the front lobby desk.
    All visitors will need to wear hard soled with closed heel and toe shoes (no tennis shoes)
    All visitors are requested to wear pants or slacks
    All visitors will be required to wear hardhats and safety glasses (provided by MMNA)
    
• 3:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m., bus to Normal Town Hall
  
• 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., Walking Tour of Uptown Normal Redevelopment Project
  • The Town of Normal will conduct a walking tour of their Uptown Redevelopment Project. The project, located in the Enterprise Zone, is undergoing major redevelopment and includes over $100 million in private investment as well as $30 million in public sector infrastructure improvements. The tour will include the impressive Bank of Illinois building, completed in 2007. For a preview of the tour, check out www.normal.org/Uptown
    
• 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Reception at The Medici, Downtown Normal's newest restaurant
  • Sponsored and hosted by Bloomington-Normal EDC
    
• 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m., Return to Hotel, dinner
  • Catered by J. Bucks with cash bar
    

Friday, April 18, 2008

• 8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m., IEZA Membership Meeting
  
• 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m., LEEDS Certification
  • Process and Green Development Initiatives
    Presentation of how the LEEDS building certification process works and the GoGreen Initiative by the Town of Normal. Presentation by Farnsworth Architects and Engineers.
    
• 10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m., Legislative Issues
  • A review of current legislative issues facing communities with Enterprise Zones.
    
• 10:30 a.m., Results of Administrative Survey
• 11:00 a.m., Conference Adjourns

2008 Administrators Training Conference Brochure and Registration Form 183.57 Kb