Mount Vernon Profile

General Economic Makeup: The current economic condition of Mount Vernon could be described as stable with some growth. The growth that has been experienced recently has been from internal expansion. NAPA Distribution  had a $2.1 million expansion 2004 and hired about 50 more employees( 2004). CTNA hired an additional 40 employees in 2004 and in 2006 announced a $65 million commitment in capital investment including 250,000 SF warehouse and the only tandem mixer in North America. Walgreens Distribution hired 100 additional employees in 2004 and has just added another 40 jobs (2006), Kirby Risk expanded in 2005 and hired an additional 28 employees and Peoples Banks moved their administrative support office to Mount Vernon which added 75 jobs (2005) in Mount Vernon. National Railway Equipment Co. has grown from 22 to over 300 employees over the since 1997 and expanded their facilities in 2005 and 2006.  Mount Vernon Mold Works added 40,000 SF to their facility in 2006.

Pepsi Mid America (2005) opened a depot in Mount Vernon, Three State Supply (2005) opened a new distribution facility along State Route 15 and Penske Trucking (2007) has a new home in the R.W.Lewis Industrial Center

St. Marys Good Samaritan Inc. and Dr. Oza built the Center for Comprehensive Cancer Care ($4 million) which opened January 2006 to serve the region with exceptional and comprehensive cancer care.

The retail and service industry has grown though expansions and new business. Fairfield Inn ($4 million) and Comfort Inn Suites ($2.8) were new brands added to the hotel/motel inventory with new facilities in 2004. Tractor Supply Company built a new store ($1.2 million) on the west side of Mount Vernon in 2004. Rend Lake Community College redeveloped the 100,000 SF outlet mall to accommodate state agencies, the Small Business Development Center, college programs and retail operations.  Goodwill Industries (2006) has a new facility on So. 42nd. Street as well as the First State Bank of Dix (2005). Fifth/Third Bank built a new facility in 2004 and Banterra Bank completed their new facility in 2005.  There are three new restaurants offering local cuisine, Willy’s, 9th Street Grill and Brickhouse Café.  Other additions to the retail industry include O’Reilly’s, Goody’s,  and Captain D’s.

The Mount Vernon Airport has seen some great changes over the past year. AirEvac has built a new facility on their airport property as well as a new heli-pad. And, SRT is new aircraft maintenance business on site which has already grown to eight employees.

In 2006, the Downtown Mount Vernon Development Corporation completed their comprehensive plan for redevelopment.  There have been several building renovations in the downtown area with an estimated total investment of over $ 1.5 million.  DMDC was awarded a $250,000. Transportation Enhancement Grant for Streetscape improvements in the downtown area.   And, the U.S. Postal service has a new location and facility at the Park Plaza Shopping Center in the heart of the targeted redevelopment area of Mount. Vernon and provides more services and easier access to the residents.
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The City of Mount Vernon is the largest community in Jefferson County with 16, 283 residents. The City Council has been aggressive in addressing transportation and infrastructure needs for the community. The largest current project is the construction of the interchange on Interstates 57/64 and the upgrade and relocation of the sanitary sewer lift station that services the businesses and commerce on the West side of Mount Vernon surrounding the interstate. This project will make over 600 acres accessible for new development.  The estimated completion date of the interchange is Spring, 2009.

Mount Vernon is a natural break for tourists traveling though Southern Illinois. The average stay is one night and about 50% of the overnight stays are for business purposes. There are 13 hotels/motels representing over 1250 rooms. The City has a 5% Hotel/Motel tax from which we receive revenues of about $500,000 yearly.  The Holiday Inn is the largest facility with about 250 rooms and 10,000 SF convention space. The largest tourist attraction is Cedarhurst Center for the Arts which is home to the Mitchell Art Museum and an 80 acre contemporary sculpture park. Cedarhurst enjoys very good reputation in the art world and the sculpture park, one of the largest of its kind in the U.S., was featured on the cover of  “Sculpture Parks and Gardens of America”.

Rend Lake, an 80,000-acre manmade lake, is about 15 minutes south of Mount Vernon which attracts many locals and tourists for water sports, camping, hunting, fishing, golf, biking, and other outdoor sports and is the municipal water source for the area. The state of the art Rend Lake Shooting Range enhances the year around benefits of the lake area. The Corp of Engineers estimate attendance at the Wayne Fitzgerald State Park at Rend Lake at about 3 million annually.