I got my latest issue of Illinois Business Issues, and I have to say that it looks really good. It’s now full-color, and all the whole thing has been reformatted and updated. Kudos to the folks at Peoria Magazines for a fine makeover.
If only the museum folks would do the same with their plans for the Peoria Regional Museum. Instead, we have yet another article from W. Michael Bryant on why building the museum is critical.
It has been well communicated by Caterpillar that the Visitors’ Center will not be built on the Sears Block without the Peoria Riverfront Museum being built alongside—the company’s vision is that the combination of these two will be spectacular. To that end, Caterpillar has committed $51 million toward its Visitors’ Center and the Riverfront Museum. Without question, we as a community must do everything possible to match Caterpillar’s commitment.
…We must demonstrate our commitment that the future of Caterpillar should remain in Peoria. We will never get another opportunity to partner with Caterpillar like this again—we cannot afford to lose it!
Translation: Heed the dire warning, peasants. If you don’t give your tribute money to this project, you will offend the gods.
This sounds like a veiled threat to me. The implication is that if we don’t want to build the proposed, poorly-planned, overpriced museum, then we will somehow be demonstrating our non-commitment to “the future of Caterpillar…in Peoria.” Hogwash. Peorians can both affirm our desire for Cat to stay and reject a museum development proposal that is flawed and needs revision.
It’s worth noting that Cat hasn’t made any threats. All they’ve said is that they won’t build their visitors center if the museum isn’t built next to it. Fair enough. But they haven’t said that building or not building the museum would have any impact on their “future…in Peoria.” It’s the museum officials that are making that leap.
This article tells me that the museum folks are getting desperate. They obviously don’t feel that the museum can be sold to the public on its own merits, or else they wouldn’t need to resort to this kind of breathless rhetoric about the future of Peoria’s largest employer.
If we have to be motivated by fear to hand over our money to this project, then the project isn’t worth it.
I agree. Cat will not pull up stakes from Peoria and move to Chicago just to spite the museum. Yes, Cat is growing worldwide, but the company has been based in Peoria since 1909. They have major capital investments in just real estate alone here. If Cat *were* to leave Peoria as Mr Bryant suggests, they would not see a return on a penny of that money because there would be NO businesses in Peoria to purchase that kind of real estate. That doesn’t include money they’ve invested in tooling their plants, setting up office space, union contracts, working with suppliers and so many other things I can’t even fathom.
Mr Bryant is absolutely delusional to suggest Cat would leave over the museum project. Not even GDub in Washington would make that foolish of a decision… well, maybe GDub would, but that’s another debate. 😉
It’s sad that they are resorting to these kinds of tactics to get approval. It’s not that Peoria’s residents don’t support education – we approved a tax hike for the libraries, didn’t we? It’s just like you said, CJ, it’s a poorly planned project with too high of a price tag. If the library board can compromise with the city council, surely the museum & Caterpillar can come up with a well thought out plan that will fit into their budgets and will benefit both entities without an outlandish price tag. How about that for a challenge Mr Bryant?
Build an aquarium. Nobody really wants to go to a museum like this anyway.
Cat isn’t goin anywhere. Cat’s continued support for the museum project however…..
It seems to me these tactics are going to cost the museum support rather than rally it. I think many supporters are going to read that stuff and say something like – hogwash – . The big problem is this is coming on the heels of how many other begfests – WTVP, the Zoo, etc., etc. Now the state is trying to bankrupt Wildlife Prairie Park; enough already. There are a lot of nice things I would like to have, but I can’t afford. Same thing for the community as a whole.
It’s time to start re-thinking this block and not wait another year.
Why not close Water Street betweeen Joe’s and “the block” and create a pedestrian boulevard (I forget what the proper term is) from Main St to Hooters or 401 Water – a la Main Street in Memphis, TN? It would be somewhere great for the downtown workers to go after they get their lunches from the carts. It would be a great addition to the park that already exists, why not? It might even help people feel comfortable moving downtown to boot.
Not that I am that interested in a CAT Visitor Center, but I would love to know something. Why is it that CAT will NOT build without the museum? Are they that afraid the Center cannot stand alone? The idea that the two entities together will be “spectacular” is more BS than I can take in one evening. I mean what the hell! I have a few more ideas, but anyone else want to take a stab? It seems as though we can’t get any more good pro-museum people to chime in any more.
Bryant is a toadie.
Scare tactics are typical of Bryant! HE threatened to relocate Methodist Medical Center if the Peoria Historical Commission had voted to grant Hamilton Boulevard landmark status preventing the hospital’s plans from narrowing the street.
This weak appeal is the strategy of Peoria’s ” powers that be ” . But, even Bryant’s classic ” I know what’s best for You ” attitude won’t save the flawed (Riverfront) museum project!
I’m rather surprised that really there hasn’t been much if any real partnership between Caterpillar and the Peoria community. Is there any Cat and Peoria sponsored centers that benefits the general populace? Can anyone name any thing Cat has done within Peoria to benefit the general populace other than being the major employer? Not to critcize Caterpillar but I’ve seen better corporate sponsorship in other cities. For example, why isn’t it Caterpillar Field instead of O’Brien? Perhaps they were smarter but you get my drift.
For whatever reason CAT has, despite its size and money, never really been a part of the community in the same way that many other companies are in their hometowns. CAT wants the good things -the central Illinois work ethic, the lower property values, etc., and it doesn’t mind being the very big fish in the tiny pond, but it really doesn’t want to be a part of the community.
BTW, Tim, go down to Water St. at lunch time. Nobody is down there. And blocking the street won’t make any difference. There is very little traffic.
In all fairness, CAT does support most every local charity, and many on a national scale. My dad worked at and retired from CAT, so I respect the company and am grateful……….
However, CAT, like any major corp., is not beyond bullying the locals for whatever self-serving reason. CAT knows it is this areas major employer. I feel they are using this knowledge to BLACKMAIL Peoria [area]. Behavior like this REALLY tests my loyalty.
I fully believe this museum project [as it stands] is crap. If CAT is willing threaten and cajole to get its way…what does that say about Big Yellow…….?
Olga and The Mouse,
Let be the first to welcome you to the area, you are obviously new in town seeing as how neither of you have seen how active CAT is in the community.
Just to name two big ones, how about the gift to Bradley and the College of Business building at ISU. Oh and lets not forget EVERY local non-profit and charity. I understand some people just feel the need to hate on the big guy but open your friggin eyes before you make a comment like that.
Just because the letters C-A-T aren’t plastered on everything in central Illinois doesn’t mean CAT hasn’t sponsored it.
Is there any third-party agency or organization that rates the relative levels of corporate giving among corporations?
If there isn’t, we can only guess or rely on anecdotes when evaluating whether Cat is a good corporate citizen, or mediocre.
Of course, Caterpillar is a private company and its charity is it’s business.
But I’ve been an observer of how decisions are made in this town for 20 years. People who make decisions tell me that Caterpillar likes to pull strings behind the scenes. That so many people like Michael Bryant worry that Caterpillar might leave tells me that SOMEONE is planting that idea.
I seem to recall many years ago when an entrepreneur wanted to open a newsstand in downtown Peoria. Some public official stated that permission was denied because Caterpillar let it be known they did not like the idea.
Wow, that’s the oldest trick in the corporate welfare queen play book, Mr. Bryant. Why don’t you just come out and ask for a taxpayer-financed handout. After all, it is acceptable for corporations and developers to receive welfare in the U.S. It’s much better than giving it to “those people” (we all know who that popular euphemism refers to, don’t we). If Peorians want a museum, let businesses and private citizens contribute. Let the market decide. But that’s the problem with too many corporate chieftans and government bureaucrats–they don’t believe in “the free market.” In fact, they’re scared to death of it. They want us to finance projects which, often times, become playgrounds for the wealthy and the political class. They are actually partial to corporatism, which used to be synonomyous with fascism. Go beg somewhere else, Mr. Bryant.
CAT must be aware of the publics’ negative reaction to the current museum plan. Why don’t they put the screws to the museum group instead of the ‘people’.
New Voice,
Yes.
Some of you are living in a dream world. There is absolutely no reason for Caterpillar Inc. to keep their corporate world headquarters in Peoria. Anyone who thinks their roots are so deep that they would never leave Peoria needs to talk to the folks of Seattle. Despite being there since 1916, Boeing picked up their white collar “roots” and headed for Chicago. And for those of you who don’t think Cat pulls their corporate charitable share in our community, try living in Bloomington Normal, where State Farm, which makes more money than Cat (31 in the Fortune 500) but gives very little to local charities. Someday, Peoria is going to wake up, and Cat will have already left. And we will all stand around bitching and gritching about it! Wake up Peoria!
Do a little bit of research Mr. Summers and you might discover what has Mr. Bryant concerned. Look at the Fortune 50 companies and you’ll find that CAT is the only one of them with their worldwide headquarters in a community as small as Peoria. Someday, and who knows when, the company’s CEO will not be from nor have any local ties to this community and will ask the question, what is the benefit to having our headquarters in such a small, out of the way community? The inconvience and costs of maintaining a HQ in Peoria, tied to the issues in attempting to recruit top notch young folks to Peoria, and the question quickly gets passed to the accountants, and who knows what their analysis might show. Then who are the biggest losers in the community, sure the hospitals, who without CAT’s willingness to pay their rates, would never, ever be looking at hundred million $ expansions. You bet Bryant might be a bit worried about CAT’s future in Peoria, making a $400 million investment in a hospital, he wants to do everything he can to make sure he’s going to have some clients around as long as he’s around.
Mr Ileriert if you did a bit of research you would find that Cat is hardly the only one in a small community.
Lets start with #1… Wal-Mart. HQ is in Bentonville Arkansas, population somewhere in the 30-40,000 range.
State Farm @ #32. Bloomington Illinois. Smaller than Peoria too.
Lowe’s @ #48. Mooresville North Carolina. Way smaller than Peoria.
There are 3 in the top 50 who are in smaller towns than Peoria. I did take the time to check where they were cause some others are in smaller sized towns too but they were clearly suburbs of something larger, so I left them out. So no… Peoria is not the only one.
The biggest advantage the Peoria area has, is cost of living. This is good for the employees because they have more money to spend than they would in some big city. This is good for Cat because it helps keep labor costs down at all levels in the corporation. The cost of living is a major recruiting advantage that Caterpillar enjoys versus many of its big city competitors.
Cat isn’t going nowhere. Bryant is full of it.
Mahkno has gone fully auto!
I don’t get “Phil Condit” and his remarks. Are you saying that Peoria needs to bow to the pressure every time CAT snaps its fingers?
Excuse my ignorance, but what would loosing the corp headquarters really do to local economy? Isn’t the REAL kicker in keeping the area plants open? Will the plants ‘follow’ the headquarters? Just asking.
CAT has thousands of employees spread out across dozens of buildings throughout downtown Peoria, many that aren’t easily recognizable as CAT offices. I also think that the proximity to the Mapleton, Mossville, and East Peoria locations allows them to “store” employees there that might otherwise be at a corporate headquarters.
I would be very surprised if the ratio of corporate to factory employees isn’t nearly 1:1 in the Peoria area for CAT.
As to Ileriert’s comments about a CAT CEO not having any ties to Peoria, you obviously don’t know CAT very well. While some of the execs may not be Peoria born and raised, nearly all have spent a significant amount of time in the area. CAT doesn’t like to promote high level executives who haven’t spent their entire career wearing yellow. The likelihood of them bringing in an outside CEO, like in the Boeing example, and uprooting the whole company is nearly nonexistent.
The Cat Merchandise Stores out at Grande Prairie and Downtown? Oh yeah, and don’t forget the kiosk at Northwoods. :teehee:
Just about every not for profit I have been involved in had gotten some funding from CAT. We would miss their donations.
If CAT leaves, which I don’t think they will, Peoria will be history.
CAT funds programs but not events. However, their funding is usually in large amounts and does very well for those that can qualify. Check out their Foundation website.
CAT.com\Foundation
We all agree loosing CAT would be detrimental to the area. I still do not like the way CAT holds Peoria ‘hostage’ on a whim. Lets not forget the issue here is the museum and its [potential] funding.
I am not sure if you are referring to this situation, but I really don’t feel like CAT is holding the area hostage with this museum project. CAT has said they will build a visitors center if the museum goes up and I haven’t really seen them pushing one way or the other (with the public) to get it built.
You know it would have been nice to have seen CAT contribute and benefit the Peoria Public Library system. Companies can do that, right?
11Bravo,
I am trying to maintain my cool here. This ENTIRE post is about CAT and their ‘subtle’ maneuvering when it comes to the museum project. There is so much more going on behind the scenes with CAT, Museum Group and Peoria Council.
Now we have this goof Bryant playing the part of know-all and see-all. What in the hell does he know about museums? What does 99% of the people involved with this project know about museums?
From what I can tell the museum project is finished. It is not getting near the public support it needs to be built, let alone operate from that point. Museum Group has passed every deadline set to come up with needed funds…guess what…NO MONEY! Despite all of this, a huge hole remains in the middle of Peoria! Now tell me if you think someone or something isn’t pulling strings. What is your assessment of CAT’s involvement here? Like the man said, CAT has already invested $51 million into this project.
Actually New Voice, the point CJ was making is that the “museum people” are using CAT’s name to try to convince those opposed to the project to get on board. The post had NOTHING to do with “CAT and their ’subtle’ maneuvering when it comes to the museum project”.
If they (CAT) were set on a museum they would have had one by now.
“There is so much more going on behind the scenes with CAT”
Yeah there probably is but I think people are attributing those doing the maneuvering with far more cleverness than is really there. Cat is more like a multi-headed ettin than some big singular dragon.
11Bravo,
What you are saying is true, and I don’t want to read something into CJ’s post that is not there. CJ can correct me if I am wrong, but CAT is not putting the skids on the museum group. All of this posturing by Bryant now, and what is CAT doing about it? It is the classic “we can neither confirm nor deny these rumors” ploy. Why should CAT commit when they have people like Bryant tooting their horn?
“…people are attributing those doing the maneuvering with far more cleverness than is really there.”
– We are talking about a major corp. which has invested $51 million. Do you honestly believe that CAT is sitting idly by – doing nothing to secure their ‘investment’? The corp headquarters is IN Peoria. I think we are living in the cave with the “big singular dragon.”
Cat is here for one reason only: Peoria is a conservative protestant work ethic area… traditionally rural and uneducated, central Illinois is anti-union, anti-welfare and anti-minorities.
It is the perfect culture to run a labor based business.
Cat in Peoria is microcosm of the corporate world our country is based on. Who can stand up to Cat? Who would dare?
Central Illinois is anti-union? Were you here in the 80s and 90s? Even now, I think a good argument could be made about the Peoria area being more pro-union than what might be considered average throughout the rest of the country.