7/13/2012

Baseball, Global Warming, and Palm Trees


O'brien Field in Peoria is a great little minor league ballpark located just south of downtown.  The stadium was financed in part by a Tax Increment Financing District. The stadium brings life and vitality to the City.


Note the Palm Trees. Each year they are imported from Florida.

In 2008 we hosted the Illinois American Planning Association conference in Peoria. I led a walking tour of the area.  When we got to the ballpark I told the young planners to note that "Because of Global Warming and because Peoria was so far south of Chicago we were able to grow Palm Trees."

"Really?" said one young planner.

"No!" I said.  "I used to be a city planner and always told the truth" I said, "But now I am the City Economic Development Director and I am always stretching the truth."




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