Kankakee council approves intergovernmental agreement with Visit Kankakee County

Kankakee — The City Council voted unanimously April 6 to authorize an intergovernmental agreement with the Kankakee County Convention and Visitors Bureau, a partnership leaders described as central to marketing, events and economic development.

Director Barbie Brewer Watson told the council the bureau helps attract developers and workers by marketing quality-of-life and recreation assets; she described the group as a key partner for the city's attraction efforts. "They are key partner to our attraction efforts," Brewer Watson said.

Director Beasley of the library echoed the importance of the bureau to downtown events and described the bureau's role in convening county partners at the Depot to coordinate event promotion. Alderman Barron noted shared resources purchased by the bureau, citing a Placer AI subscription that uses location data to estimate event attendance and measure return on investment.

The resolution authorizing the agreement passed by roll call vote, 12–0. Council members said the partnership supports events including East Side Music Fest, boat races, and other destination marketing tied to the East Riverwalk and Frank Lloyd Wright houses.

What’s next: City staff will implement the intergovernmental agreement as outlined; no fiscal details beyond the approved resolution were discussed at the meeting.