Metropolis gets $150,000 from state to develop industrial park

The City of Metropolis is receiving part of a $31 million grant from the Illinois Regional Site Readiness Program.

Metropolis will get a $150,000 planning grant that will reportedly be used for environmental assessment and site design for 237 acres at Metropolis Industrial Park.

Guided by Illinois’ 2024 Economic Growth Plan, the Regional Site Readiness Program aims to support municipalities, local economic development organizations, and landowners in gathering information and making site improvements to attract industrial businesses to their communities.

The planning grants will fund environmental and engineering studies, site concept plans, and preparation activities for land acquisition.

The Regional Site Readiness Program recipients were selected through a competitive Notice of Funding Opportunity that was open to local governments, economic development organizations, and private landowners. Grants for 24 sites in the state ranged from just over $35,000 to $3,000,000. All grants required a local match as a portion of the total project cost.