The sixth annual Chicago Southland Developers’ tour of the south and southwest suburbs is taking a “less is more” approach, according to coordinator Mary Thompson, executive director of Chicago Southland Development, Inc.
Gone is the 4 1/2-hour bus tour that included Oak Forest, Calumet City, Mokena and Monee. In its place is a 30- to 60-minute virtual visit to 17 participating communities, supported by luncheon speeches from two financial firms extolling the benefits of non-residential investing and developing in communities south and southwest of Chicago.
The village of Matteson makes its debut on the tour, which is scheduled for 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Matteson Holiday Inn. Other participants include Frankfort, Mokena, Monee, Orland Park, Tinley Park and University Park. Participating communities paid $1,200 each to participate.
Representatives from Oakbrook Terrace-based Hiffman Shaffer Associates and Griffin Capital Management will recall their successes in southern Cook and eastern Will County, Thomas said.
Thompson, who returned to the Chicago Heights-based CSDI in 1998 after the departure of Robert Skurla, said the latest tour has the same objectives as previous events: showcase the ease and advantages of non-residential development, municipal cooperation and available financial incentives.
“Each community participates as in the past,” Thompson said, noting the communities–along with Com-Ed and other sponsors–will provide brochures and contact for the approximately 100 investors, brokers and developers expected to attend.
A large screen will display individual on-line presentations and interactive collages that Thompson characterizes as “vignettes” of the 17 participating communities. The Web site, chicagosouthland.org, is currently under construction. It will be operated by the CSDI, linking to each participating community.
Thompson said moving the tour onto the Internet responds more to the need for a new approach than the desire to reduce the length of the presentation.
“The developers have changed their ways of marketing and accessing properties,” she said “They have people who search Web sites all day long.”
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