Glen Carbon Adds Master Development Agreement To STAR Bond District Proposal

GLEN CARBON – Glen Carbon is moving ahead with its plans for a new development district to support future entertainment, retail, and tourism projects while meeting additional requirements from the State of Illinois.

Village trustees unanimously approved a Master Development Agreement with Destination Illinois, LLC in connection with a STAR bond district at their April 28, 2026 meeting. This comes over two months after trustees approved the establishment of a STAR Bond District in Glen Carbon.

Shortly after establishing the district, the village requested that the State of Illinois designate the proposed district as a “New Opportunities for Vacation and Adventure District” or “NOVA district.”

To constitute a NOVA district, the area must encompass at least 500 acres and demonstrate a reasonable expectation of producing at least $500 million in capital investment, generating at least $300 million in yearly gross sales, attracting at least 1 million annual visitors, and creating a minimum of 1,500 jobs.

Under a concept from Moran Economic Development, the site would far exceed each of these requirements with over $2 billion in capital investment, $714 million in annual sales, 23.7 million yearly visitors, and the creation of 2,790 full-time jobs estimated.

Erika Heil, director of Community Development, said she submitted an application for a NOVA district designation to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Department of Revenue, and the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget. Last week, she said representatives from each agency met with village staff to review their application.

“The state is very pleased with our communication and application, however, they did request a Master Development Agreement to be included with the submission,” Heil said.

Under the Master Development Agreement, the village is required to prepare an annual report to the previously mentioned state agencies detailing the status of each STAR bond project approved within the district boundaries, as well as the expenditure of any STAR bonds that occurred the previous year or are expected in the future.

The newly added agreement also establishes certain measures aimed to reduce the “ecological impact” of the district’s development. These include the preservation of at least 20% of the site as greenspace, including lawns, parks, paths, ponds, and other landscaping features. It also requires the protection of endangered species’ habitats and the promotion of renewable energy use “to the extent commercially feasible.”

The district is currently planned on 1,534 acres southeast of the intersection of Interstate 270 and Interstate 255. Village officials aim to finance the development of future entertainment, retail, and tourism projects at the site through Sales Tax And Revenue (STAR) bonds, according to the village’s STAR Bond District Plan.

Heil said prior to the village’s approval of the district that establishing its boundaries does not obligate the village to seek any specific project or construction, but simply sets the location for where a STAR bond district would be established within the village if approved at the state level.

Any future projects proposed within the boundaries of the new STAR bond district would still face Village Board approval before proceeding.

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