City Council Agrees to Purchase Land for Showcase Center

 (RYAN ENGEL)

Effingham City Council members voted unanimously Wednesday morning to authorize the purchase of 25 acres of property as the site of the Effingham Showcase Center.

The land is being acquired from the Effingham Unit 40 School District for $70,000/acre, or a total of $1.75 million. The Unit 40 school board approved the sale of the land earlier this month. The parcel is located west of Schwerman Street, west of the Effingham High School athletic complex.

The Showcase Center is the vision of Ryan Engel, who wants to develop the Center as a not-for-profit indoor/outdoor sports recreation center. A domed facility would allow for year-round events at the center.

The transaction is contingent on Engel raising $18 million by December 31, 2024. There was some discussion at the Council meeting that the fundraising deadline might be extended to 18 months, but the agreement approved by both the Council Wednesday and the school board earlier this month includes the 12-31-24 deadline.

Effingham Mayor Mike Schutzbach said that Wednesday's vote came following a lot of behind-the-scenes work and research. He underscored that no property tax dollars are involved in the City's commitment...

City Commissioner Larry Micenheimer said the vote is "a really good day for Effingham" and "a perfect use of hotel/motel tax revenue". All five Council members reflected on the money they've spent going elsewhere for the events of loved ones, and how a facility in Effingham would be bringing that money here.

The project is planned as an indoor/outdoor complex but, if the project has to be done in phases, the domed facility would come first.