Part of the message of the Kankakee County Convention & Visitors Bureau is that Kankakee County has a lot to offer for those who live, work and visit here.
Staci Wilken, executive director of the KCCVB, gave a presentation this past week at the Kankakee County Board meeting and was assisted by KCCVB board of directors member Lori Gadbois, who is also the County Recorder.
“What if we built a place where people wanted to visit, and we created a place where people wanted to live?” Wilken said to the board.
“And then we became a peaceful place where people wanted to work, and we ended up as a place where business wants to be.
“So my challenge to everyone, not just this board, but everyone watching in Kankakee County, is to be a place where business wants to be, to work with business, to think outside of the box, to have creative opportunities, [and] to have experiences for our visitors.”
Wilken closed her presentation with that “what if” wish and added that the recent census showed people have moved out of Kankakee County.
“What can we do as leaders to really curate a really intentional experience for folks to want to stay and then for folks to want to visit?” she asked.
Earlier, Wilken noted that Kankakee County had $122.6 million in total visitor spending in 2021, $5 million in direct local tax revenue and 1,081 jobs directly attributed to domestic travel spending here. All those numbers were down from 2019 because of the pandemic.
“Tourism is super important for the community,” she said.
The KCCVB also recently completed its visitors guide, Visit Kankakee County, that is circulated at rest stops and other travel and tourism outlets across the state. It also advertises in other travel publications that tout Kankakee County tourism.
County Board Chairman Andy Wheeler asked Wilken to explain the 50-mile radius for its advertising. Kankakee County is marketed to people who live 50 miles or more outside of the area.
“Our work doesn’t always show up in your own backyard,” Wilken said.
“But if you travel, you might see a billboard. You might see it on CTA downtown [Chicago], you’ll see digital marketing on our Facebook pages and on Google. So there’s all kinds of places that we’re going to show up. So you might have a surprise every once in a while when you’re walking around.”
<strong>Future funding</strong>
Board member Steve Hunter asked Wilken what the KCCVB will do if it loses a large portion of its hotel tax funding if the Village of Bradley opts out of the intergovermental agreement as expected in 2024. KCCVB’s funding is derived from a hotel tax from its member communities of Bourbonnais, Bradley, Kankakee, Kankakee County, Manteno and Momence.
“We’re going to really dig in and try to understand how we can move forward in the same capacity that we are serving the community right now,” Wilken said.
“There’s a variety of different ways. We are not a membership-based organization. Our funding is the only funding in the county that does not fall on the backs of the local taxpayer.
“We do think there is a valid reason for the funding model to have worked for 37 years in the capacity that it does,” she continued. “We do have some reserves that I think we’ll be able to kind of sustain us for at least a year. But I do think that your voice is super important in what will come when that next IGA renewal is up for a vote.”
“There is strength in numbers. We are better together as a community. I can’t imagine marketing Kankakee County with a doughnut hole. It certainly isn’t going to be beneficial for other members.”