High up on former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s brag sheet were corporate relocations and he helped to lure Motorola from Schaumburg, Kraft Heinz from Northfield and McDonald’s from Oak Brook, among many others.
That approach is officially over — at least on paper — thanks to a new regional economic development partnership announced Wednesday that includes a “no poaching” agreement and data sharing that participants across Cook and six collar counties hope will increase collaboration, attract new companies and encourage expansions.
Parties to the Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership — a three-year pilot entity housed at World Business Chicago — are public, private and civic entities from Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, Will, McHenry and Kendall counties, plus the city of Chicago. It hopes to be the go-to economic development authority for the region.
