That is a critical question I and other community leaders in Greater Peoria, Illinois, have faced – and one I think other leaders of mid-sized cities must ask if they hope to remain competitive and desirable for locals and newcomers.
I certainly believe in Peoria. I was born and raised here, and I’m proud to be mayor of the city that anchors our region, a metropolitan area of nearly 400,000 people in central Illinois.
Greater Peoria is a special place. We have Illinois’ largest park district, a low cost of living with just a $135,000 median home price, a lightning-fast average commute time of only 17.5 minutes, and a thriving job market in healthcare, financial services, manufacturing and many other industries. We are centrally located just a few hours away from major American cities, including Chicago, St. Louis, Indianapolis and Milwaukee. Most importantly, we have talented, friendly and hard-working people known for their strong sense of community.
Believe in Peoria
Despite what I and many others find great about Greater Peoria, some of our communities and businesses have struggled to attract and retain new residents and employees, with thousands of job openings left unfilled. At times we let these less-than-perfect realities define our story. But we should also recognize what we do have and amplify what makes us great – both inside and outside of our community.
So, I return to the original question: How can we make people believe in us if we do not believe in ourselves? I am proud to say that more than two dozen business and community leaders are now working together to answer that question so we can keep Greater Peoria moving forward.
We recognise that shying away from our difficulties will do our region no good. So, rather than point fingers or let negative perceptions go unchallenged, we launched the Choose Greater Peoria movement in May 2023.
I firmly believe that other communities can learn from what we are doing here in Greater Peoria by working collaboratively to build strong cities and regions.
Choose Greater Peoria takes a multi-pronged approach. We are spreading local “Positive Peoria” messages to change the perception of our area from the inside out; our many stakeholders are working together across interests and industries to uplift the region; and we are aggressively pursuing new talent to fill our most critical job openings.
Choose Greater Peoria was born from the realisation that, just because we know what is incredible about our region, that does not mean that everyone does. It is imperative that we be proactive, positive messengers.
This is not a tourism campaign
Choose Greater Peoria is an unprecedented effort of business, government and philanthropic leaders coming together for the greater good. This unique collaboration is a very intentional effort to keep our region healthy and thriving for years to come by: instilling a sense of civic pride, attracting and retaining top talent, and beating back unwarranted criticism from both internal and external sources.
Sometimes, this work is as simple as promoting our great local businesses. Choose Greater Peoria is partnering with more than two dozen local employers to publicise thousands of job openings from our many diverse industries.
Other times, we have highlighted our Peoria “ambassadors”. These are people who are proud to call Greater Peoria home, whether as natives or transplants, and they are living their best lives in unique and exciting ways.
For example, Leanne Skuse, a Greater Peoria native, is president of River City Construction, a leading company on job sites throughout the Midwest. Nikki Romain relocated to Peoria from Chicago and, with her husband, co-founded the non-profit ART Inc to inspire Peoria’s youth through arts and culture.
But it’s not just about highlighting who and what are already here. We also want Peoria to be a household name for people throughout our region, our state and our nation. That’s why we’re looking for even more ways to amplify our message.
In early August 2023, Choose Greater Peoria partnered with ESPN1000 and the Chicago Bears Radio Network to host a first-of-its-kind tailgate party to kick off the National Football League season and highlight the many amenities that Greater Peoria boasts. Although we don’t have our own NFL team, we want Chicago Bears fans to see Peoria as sort of a “home away from home”.
All these small things add up to a grander narrative, one that tells the story of a greater region where you can experience just about anything a big city can offer – without many of the headaches – while enjoying the life you want to live.
Changing the public perception of an area is not something that happens overnight. It truly requires hard work and collaboration from partners in both the public and private sectors.
What we’re doing with Choose Greater Peoria is a model I believe in – one that other communities can and should adopt. Through Choose Greater Peoria, we are inspiring local residents to believe in themselves and in Peoria.
We are sharing the joys of our region with current and former residents, friends and job seekers from around the nation. We do not always know what the future holds, but we do know we are working together to make Peoria’s future brighter than ever.
[Read more: How metro mayors are getting things done – even if they have limited money and power]
