Delta Regional Authority announcing $1.4M investment into six southern Illinois projects

CARBONDALE, Ill. (KFVS) -The Delta Regional Authority is announcing a $1.4 million in investment into six different southern Illinois projects to boost economic development.

Randolph County will receive over $400,000 to upgrade an existing nursing home with a 50-bed behavioral health center.

The City of Vienna will receive over $260,000 to make significant road improvements to support new and future businesses in their industrial park.

Shawneetown Regional Port District will receive over $180,000 to purchase a wheel loader for cargo handling of commodities and products at the soon to be renovated port district.

City of Sesser will receive $143,000 to replace a water main.

Southeastern Illinois College will receive $130,000 to purchase equipment that will help expand existing class A CDL training program.

Southern Illinois University will receive $357,425 for a regional freezer warehouse that will provide 1,600 square-feet of shared low and ultra low temperature storage for agricultural and processed food products within a 16-county region of southern Illinois.

“Definitely keeping business here in southern Illinois is what we’re all about. And these several companies who approached us and there will be a lot more we know, but they really were faced with transportation cost and supply chain issues. And this way by having the storage right here, they can either get a lot of their product together and keep it and ship it out more efficiently or they can very quickly get it into the stores,” said Lynn Andersen Lindberg, Executive director of SIU office of innovation and economic development.

The investments are to support infrastructure, transportation infrastructure, workforce training, education and small business development.

Leaders with the Delta Regional Authority also say this investment will be matched by over $7.6 million and will attract an additional $2.3 million in leveraged private investment into southern Illinois.

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