en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Central Port of America has received a $5 million grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to acquire 350 acres of land in Granite City for the development of a large-scale, rail-served industrial site. According to an announcement from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity on April 3, 2026, the funding comes from the Capital Ready Grant under the Regional Site Preparation Program, with the Central Port being one of seven projects funded in this round.
The port plans to use this grant to complete the land acquisition and create a rail-served industrial mega-site. Currently operating two intermodal ports and a 1,200-acre industrial and logistics park, the port provides freight services for bulk commodities such as grain, fertilizer, steel, and petroleum. The Regional Site Preparation Program is part of Illinois Governor Pritzker's $500 million Site Preparation Program, with an additional $30 million added this round, bringing the total to $60 million.
The Central Port of America connects to six Class I railroads through the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis. The port area includes rail-served sites, warehouses, and transloading facilities, and is connected to four interstate highways and the Mississippi River waterway. As one of the largest freight hubs in the Midwest, this expansion will enhance its regional competitiveness as a multimodal logistics node.
The Capital Ready Grant under the Regional Site Preparation Program has a maximum award of $5 million. Applicants are required to provide matching funds covering 20% to 50% of the total project cost. Eligible expenses include land acquisition, road and utility infrastructure, and rail access development, but exclude building construction.
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