Quote:
Originally Posted by Wigs
Which in your opinion are the best cities of the bunch?
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Champaign/Urbana is in the best shape because of UofI. Good things are bound to happen to your city when you're blessed with one of the largest and most prestigious universities in the Midwest.
Bloomington/Normal also seems to be doing ok, as long as they still have State Farm as their foundational corporation. And ISU is a very significant asset as well, even if it's not in the same league as UofI.
The others aren't doing so hot, with Decatur in particular really struggling in its post-ADM era.
Peoria is the largest of the five, and the best from a legacy city perspective. As the oldest European settlement in the state, with a founding by the French in 1691 (which is wicked old for this part of the country), it has the best bones to work with, but Caterpillar's departure was a pretty big blow for the city.
Had IL picked Peoria for the state capital back in the day, and also placed the flagship state university there, Peoria would have very likely blossomed into an IL version of Madison, but the state went with the dispersed model of spreading amenities around, much to central IL's long term detriment, IMO.
Oh well........ at least the state has Chicago.