Joliet To Follow Rockford's Roadmap: City Council Hires Chicago Company To Perform Tourism Study

JOLIET, IL — Now that Joliet's Dome of Unity sculpture and the City Square across from the Rialto are no longer new anymore and the 100-year anniversary of America's Historic Route 66 is drawing to an end, the question remains, will people outside of Joliet still choose to visit Joliet?

Under the leadership of Mayor Terry D'Arcy, Joliet spent more than $20 million creating the new City Square and the unity sculpture on North Chicago Street but nobody really knows whether people will make Joliet as their destination come 2027 and beyond.

As part of Tuesday night's agenda, the Joliet City Council voted to award a professional services agreement to the Hunden Partners for a city of Joliet tourism study and market assessment in the amount of $69,350.

According to the memo from Paulina Martinez, the city of Joliet's economic development director, the purpose of the study is to evaluate Joliet’s current tourism landscape, identify opportunities for growth and develop an actionable tourism development strategy that strengthens Joliet’s position as a premier regional destination over the next five to 10 years.

"The Tourism Study & Market Assessment is intended to provide the City with a comprehensive understanding of its tourism assets, visitor markets, competitive position, and opportunities for future development. The study will identify market opportunities, destination development priorities, investment strategies, and implementation actions that support long-term tourism growth and community goals," Martinez's memo showed.

On June 30, Joliet received eight submissions for the professional services contract and city staff selected Hunden Partners as the preferred consultant to complete the tourism study and market assessment.

"In its RFP response, Hunden Partners proposed the cost of $69,350 for the work," Martinez wrote.

Hunden Partners submitted a 48-page report outlining its proposal for obtaining more work for its Windy City-based company by way of the taxpayers of Joliet.

"As a Chicago-based firm, Hunden is particularly excited about the opportunity to partner with the City of Joliet. Our familiarity with the region, combined with our experience completing tourism, destination development, and economic impact studies throughout Illinois and across the Midwest, provides a unique perspective on the opportunities and challenges facing the City," its cover letter reads. "Furthermore, we have team members who hail from across the Chicagoland area, from Naperville, Montgomery, and Downers Grove to Rockford and Evanston. We appreciate the opportunity to work with communities close to home and are committed to helping Joliet strengthen its position as a destination for residents and visitors alike."

The very first past work example showcased by Hunden Partners in their 44-page submission to the city of Joliet showcased their work in the city of Rockford.

"The Rockford Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (RACVB) sought a long-term roadmap to guide visitor-based economic growth and destination development throughout the greater Rockford region. Hunden Partners collaborated with MMGY NextFactor to develop a Destination Master Plan that identified community opportunities, investment priorities, and strategic initiatives to support future tourism development," the report advised Joliet. "Hunden led the tourism product opportunity assessment, workforce and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and identification of potential funding sources. Hunden also conducted stakeholder outreach and market analysis to evaluate destination assets, workforce dynamics, and future development opportunities across the region.

"Hunden’s placemaking analysis helped identify opportunities to strengthen the region’s visitor economy through destination development and tourism investment. Key recommendations included a convention center and headquarters hotel, activated riverfront and downtown districts, and expanded sports tourism initiatives that continue to inform destination planning efforts throughout the Rockford region."