PEKIN, Ill. – A local developer wants some land owned by the City of Pekin so that it can be turned into a sports complex and more.
Casey Baldovini says he’s been working on plans for the last six months for some land on Route 98 to be a multi-sport complex.
“We’re going to focus on more of elite athletics, training,” said Baldovini, “focus on getting really advancement for the youth sports. I was brought in to the development, I got the idea pitched at me, and I thought it’s something good for the area, and I’d like to try to help spearhead it and get it going.”
Baldovini says he’s working on getting investors now, but if all his ideas come to fruition, he’d also look at hotels, food establishments, and even apartments on the site.
Baldovini tells the council he’ll need strong buy-in from the city, including use of the land, and other potential incentives.
“That, along with Amazon being here, with the potential of Veterans (Drive) feeding all the way through, for the amount of employees with Amazon, it’s a great fit with the apartment aspect of it,” said Mark Luft, Pekin Mayor. “It just all kind of seems to fit together.”
Luft, says more research is being done into how such a project could help the city, and that will be given to council members soon.
