Why Peru believes it is in good position to spark development with sports complex

The city of Peru unveiled plans Monday to build a multi-faceted, indoor-outdoor sports complex and city center that would attract travel sports teams and visitors, and in turn, stimulate local development.

Along with extensive indoor-outdoor sports facilities to attract teams and host tournaments, the project may include restaurants, retail stores, a hotel, potentially other recreational facilities, such as an amphitheater, lake, waterpark or movie theater.

The project’s goal is to attract hundreds of thousands of visitors to Peru over the course of the year. Here is why Peru believes it is poised to do so:

Peru’s location

The city is located on Interstate 80, just a short distance from Interstate 39, connecting it to major metropolitan areas in Chicago, Rockford, Quad Cities, Bloomington-Normal and Peoria. There are more than 100,000 people that live within 20 miles of Peru already, but the city is centered 60 miles from six major population areas. Starved Rock and Matthiessen state parks also draw about 3 million visitors per year to the region. Scott Schweickert, Peru’s corporate counsel, said Monday the city always has been a hub with interstates, the Illinois River, the Illinois and Michigan Canal, the Illinois Valley Regional Airport and railroads.

Peru has planned for a big project

The idea for an economic growth project originated sometime in 2017-2018, said Eric Carls, director of engineering. The corridor between North Peoria Street and Plank Road, referred internally as “the triangle,” was identified as a potential area for growth. Infrastructure needs were planned to develop the undeveloped triangle, Carls said. That included studies and designs for a sewer project, a relocation of North Peoria Street’s water main, the relocation of Peoria’s police station to anchor future development, the reconstruction and widening of North Peoria, the extension of Midtown Road and plans are in place to improve Plank Road, which will begin in October. Peru has worked to gain an interconnect of electricity to provide for more capacity in the community to promote growth. The zoning of the area was changed to accommodate for growth. Carls said Peru will be ready to move forward by the end of this construction season.

“By the time we get to the launch point for this development, we’ll have all the infrastructure prepared and ready, other than what would be internal for the developer,” Carls said.

Carls said there is room for expansion, should it be necessary.

Peru has the retail traffic

With the business district along Route 251 that already includes a Kohl’s, Walmart, Target, HyVee, PetSmart and other national chains, Peru is on the cusp of upgrading its standing among retailers. The community registered more than $700 million in retail sales in the past year. Carls said an economic generator, such as a sports complex that will attract visitors, could push Peru into a growth of restaurants, stores and hotels.

There is ‘leakage’

Carls said “leakage” is a terminology used to describe what people leave the area to do. He said research shows Illinois Valley families are leaving the area for travel sports, spending their weekends in other locations and spending their money at those spots.

Other communities have had success

Illinois Valley Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Bill Zens told the council Monday from a quick search he said 500,000 people per year visit a sports complex in Peoria, 1.4 million a year are attracted to the Quad Cities facility and 400,000 people traveled to Naperville’s complex.

1 of 14

An aerial view Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, looking west of the Peru water tower of a farm field near the intersection of Midtown Road and Peoria Street in Peru. Peru released a drawing Monday to give residents an idea of how a multi-faceted sports complex and city center may be laid out in Peru. (Scott Anderson)