PEORIA, Ill. — Governor J.B. Pritzker was among many Peoria leaders to celebrate the future Innovation Hub in downtown Peoria.
Pritzker said that a lot of work has gone into the Peoria Innovation Hub and others across the state.
“It’s been very important to me to make sure that there are private dollars that are being brought in from across the state, and frankly across the country,” Pritzker said.
“That’s something that I demanded up front. I believe in public-private partnerships,” he said.
Dr. Sheila Quirk-Bailey, President of Illinois Central College said it was amazing to know that Peoria is one of 15 hubs in the state.
“When you take a look at our history in innovation and take a look at what it really takes to stay innovative in the future,” Quirk-Bailey said. “One of the things it takes is a makers space, one of the things it takes is one of those ag. (agriculture) plots, one of those things it take is a place for people to really dream and test out ideas.”
ICC is one of the partners for the Innovation Hub, and Quirk-Bailey said that they are looking to set aside 20 acres of farmland for innovative projects to use as test plots.
“Before someone would make a major investment, they could actually see how a given technique or a new crop would pan out before they put many acres in,” Quirk-Bailey said.
She said there are more opportunities for fiber and energy rather than just corn and soy beans.
The process the build in the Innovation Hub will begin in 2020 and will be located at the Thomas Building on Adams St., that was recently vacated by ICC.
