$25,000 grant to promote, improve 'Ram's Experience'

[RamDez]

$25,000 grant to promote, improve 'Ram's Experience'

By Tom Radz/Journal Staff Writer



MACOMB - As the Chicago Bears and St. Louis Rams began their practice at Western Illinois University Thursday, local and state politicians gathered about 50 yards south of the field for a special announcement designed to keep the St. Louis Rams coming back to Macomb.

As part of Gov. Rod Blagojevich's Opportunity Returns program, a regional economic development plan for Illinois, $25,000 was granted to the Macomb Area Convention and Visitor's Bureau to improve the "Ram's Experience" portion of the St. Louis Rams Training Camp. "We know that three days of Rams/Bears scrimmage is something that a lot of people in the midwest will get excited about," said Jack Lavin, director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. "This helps tourism in this part of the state. We want to show them that the state of Illinois is continuing our commitment and hope that they keep coming back."

Lavin made the announcement, surrounded by several of the attractions the grant enabled the visitors bureau to purchase. Among the attractions are inflatable tackling dummies, an accuracy throwing challenge and a shaded area with refreshments to name a few.

[JellyOpal]

And yet they were unable to provide us with a better quality scrimmage booklet. Ok, this doesn't fall under the jurisdiction of the "Rams Experience", but still.

The Bears have a training camp booklet available for a nominal fee (in football, $3 is very nominal) that is on that high quality shiny thick paper with the players pictures in color. I would LOVE to see the Rams offer something like it.

[AlphaRam]

See! You complained about no book and the Rams didn't go back.

You can't have your publication and eat it too!

[goldenstone11]

Okay, I am discovering the idea of starting our own real estate investing company. We are currently working on a business plan to submit for a business loan or grant. I know there are ample of advertisements out there for companies that offer to find applicable grants for a heavy fee. We are not interested in those. Does anyone have any good resources for finding available business grants from the government for starting a small business in real estate?