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retail space - including a grocery store within walking distance of the homes - is part of the site plan.
"The Route 159 entrance into Caseyville will be the main entrance to this development and where the commercial portion will
be," said appointed village treasurer Rick Casey. "We figure the entire development, when completely occupied, will add a
third to our existing population."
Professionals who work in St. Louis and are ready for a quick commute are the anticipated future residents of Caseyville,
Egan said. The village is a five-minute drive from Interstates 55/70, five minutes from Illinois 255 and also five minutes
from Interstate 64.
Not only will the new development add people to Caseyville, it will significantly augment the small municipality's property
tax revenues, Casey said.
"We're looking at a property tax increment right now of $86 million," he said. "The base property tax now for whole
development is $1 million. That will eventually go up to about $87 million. It's unbelievable."
The development is within a tax increment financing district that was established eight years ago, when the community
planned on welcoming a golf course but the project never became a reality.
"We've got our TIF agreement with Caseyville Sport Choice LLC and have structured it so that all our taxing districts are
still going to get some money before the project is completed," Casey said.
The planned golf course project was what inevitably linked the California-based developer with the small Southwestern
Illinois community.
"Originally, the project was labeled to include a golf course," Egan said. "Phoenix-based architect Bill Phillips was
working with Caseyville on a golf course. Our company had interviewed him about doing another project for us. But what
happened was that since Caseyville's original TIF was established in the late 1990s, two other premier courses - Stonewolf and
Far Oaks - came on the scene within 10 miles of Caseyville. Bill mentioned to us that the golf course project in Southwestern
Illinois was no longer on the boards, but that we (Sport Choice) might want to consider contacting the village about a
residential development."
Egan said the majority of individuals who opt for buying a home site in a golf course development are not regular golfers.
"Between 4 percent to 7 percent of them typically play golf. Most people moving to a golf course are attracted to the open
space and the park environment. This site in Caseyville would have made a premier golf course, but we're creating a
residential and commercial community with a greenway system that meets these needs. With the recreational fields, 150 acres of
open spaces and roughly 100 additional acres in water features, the development will total close to 550 acres when it's all
said and done. We're committed to keeping the trees and retaining the natural beauty that has existed there for years."
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Up to four major area homebuilders - whose names have not yet been announced - will share construction of the 625 homes.
Burns & McDonnell Engineering Co. Inc. is the project engineer. Peckham Guyton Albers & Viets Inc. is the project planner
and architect.
Additional amenities will include a 7-mile walking trail, an equestrian area, a swimming pool and lakes for fishing and
outdoor recreation. The developer is donating a parks system to Caseyville and is also donating land to Collinsville Unit 10
School District for an elementary school to be built on the acreage.
Egan said the village's topography was one factor that almost kept his company from deciding to do the deal.
"The type of land there was a pleasant surprise to us - but is also one of the toughest pieces of property we've ever
developed, with all the undulation changes. The elevation change on the property is between zero to 180 feet.
"The TIF was the real draw for us," he said.
Eighteen of the 24 Caseyville property owners with title to portions of the development have already signed contracts to
sell, Egan said. Since these land owners agreed to the initial TIF eight years ago when the golf course project was proposed,
Caseyville Sport Choice LLC is providing additional compensation to them.
"We're working very hard with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the (Illinois) Department of Natural Resources to close
on all the properties. We've (Caseyville Sport Choice LLC) not only paid for the property, we've also paid them and recognized
them and the increased value of their property over the past eight years, since they formed the TIF. We're also providing
existing Caseyville property owners with moving expenses," he said.
Sport Choice is also offering displaced property owners the opportunity to participate on the front end of the project in
terms of extended value on the their properties.
"I am impressed with the vision of Caseyville Mayor George Chance and the city council of Caseyville," Egan said. "They've
recognized that Caseyvillle has been leap-frogged over the years. Those guys have put together a TIF for a developer like us
to come in and create a first-class community. We're very conscious of the blending of the old and the new, and we're honored
to have the chance to have a huge impact on the treasury of Caseyville. This magnitude of project doesn't come along every
day."
editor/publisher: Kerry Smith
email: ksmith@ibjonline.com
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