Gateway Commerce Center Enterprise Zone

Moran Economic Development (MED) works closely with Madison County on economic development programs, particularly the Illinois Enterprise Zone Program. There are currently five active Enterprise Zones in the county, which include the Jersey-Greene Intermodal Enterprise Zone, the Riverbend Enterprise Zone, the Madison County Discovery Enterprise Zone, the Southwest Madison County Enterprise Zone, and the Gateway Commerce Center Enterprise Zone. The Gateway Commerce Center Enterprise Zone was designated in 1997 and has been one of the most successful tools the county has used for economic development since its inception. The designating units of government for the zone include the City of Edwardsville and the Village of Pontoon Beach, in addition to Madison County. In 2006, the parcels in the Enterprise Zone had an equalized assessed value of approximately $53M, and in 2023, the total for those same parcels was approximately $434M, an increase of over 700%.

MED has worked closely with the City of Edwardsville, the Village of Pontoon Beach, and Madison County in recent years on amendments to the zone, including applications to add territory in 2018, 2021, 2022, and, most recently, 2024. The most recent amendment to add territory was to include sites identified as a priority for future development by the City of Edwardsville, and as such, a general land-use plan was developed to fit the footprint for those properties that were included in the zone area. The development of this plan included a comprehensive economic impact analysis of the proposed project, including sales tax, property tax, and income tax projections. Additionally, the Village of Pontoon Beach included sites for the development of an industrial park, and Madison County included several sites for a range of development projects. Prior to the most recent amendment to include territory, the zone was amended to include sites in the eastern portion of the City of Edwardsville. These sites resulted in the Park North development, which is adjacent to the Plummer Family Park properties. In combination, these sites are the centerpiece of the Interstate 55 Corridor Development Plan and will become a major gateway to the City of Edwardsville.