Illinois recognized as a standout in attracting high-value investment projects
Leading site selection publication Area Development awarded Illinois a 2025 Silver Shovel for its achievements in job creation and capital investments during 2024, the second time in as many years the state has been bestowed with the prestigious recognition.
Area Development assesses all 50 U.S. states based on large-scale project activity across industry sectors, capital expenditures, and workforce impact, as well as each state’s overall economic strategy.
“Area Development’s Silver Shovel is another nod to Illinois’ momentum as a destination for business and talent,” said Intersect Illinois President and CEO Christy George. “From the economic strongholds of agriculture and manufacturing to the rapidly advancing sectors of quantum and AI, more and more companies want to be a part of Illinois’ exceptional business community.”
Companies that made significant investments in Illinois during 2024 include Compass Datacenters, Wieland, PsiQuantum, and Primient. Find a full list of high-value Illinois projects below.
“Illinois continues to prove its strength as a national player, with strategic investments in technology and infrastructure that reflect both resilience and forward momentum,” said Area Development Editor Andy Greiner.
Additionally, Microsoft earned “non-manufacturing project of the year” honors for its $250 million data center project in Cherry Valley.
Read an excerpt from Area Development on Illinois’ 2024 success:
Illinois secured its Silver Shovel this year with a pair of standout technology investments that signaled the state’s growing role in the digital and quantum economy. Leading the way is Compass DataCenters, committing $10 billion to a massive facility in Hoffman Estates that will power cloud-based services, AI applications, and digital infrastructure in the region. Not far behind is PsiQuantum, bringing more than $1 billion to Chicago in pursuit of the world’s first commercially viable quantum computer. Microsoft is also investing $250 million in a data center here, which earned non-manufacturing project of the year honors.
That tech firepower is balanced by traditional strengths in manufacturing and agriculture. Wieland’s $500 million investment in East Alton expands production of copper and alloy products, reinforcing Illinois’ role in industrial materials.
With billions flowing into next-gen computing and foundational reinvestments across multiple sectors, Illinois once again demonstrated why it remains an industrial and technological cornerstone of the Midwest.
*Read Area Development’s full story here.
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