among residents, schools, and local stakeholders. That foundation is complemented by an economic engine that has become increasingly important to the city’s identity and momentum: sports tourism. At the center of that tourism story is Mercyhealth Sportscore Two, a year-round sports complex that brings thousands of visitors to Loves Park every weekend. Those visitors support local hotels, restaurants, and retail businesses, creating a steady stream of revenue that is particularly significant given Loves Park’s unique municipal structure. As Mayor Jury notes, the city does not levy a property tax, a distinction shared by only a small number of municipalities. Yet Loves Park maintains full-time police and full-time fire services—meaning the city must operate efficiently and rely on a diversified revenue model built on commercial vitality, visitor spending, and strategic development. That balance between community service and economic growth is visible in the city’s current development priorities, led in part by Director of Community Development Nathan Bruck. For Loves Park, the next stage of growth is about enhancing two key areas at once: strengthening the city’s established corridor along North Second Street and building out new opportunities around a signature mixed-use initiative designed to elevate the visitor and resident experience. North Second Street, also known as Illinois Route 251, runs through the older portion of Loves Park and has long served as a defining corridor. City leadership describes it as a “downtown” identity for many residents, even as it has faced challenges and transition over time. The city is now working on a streetscape project to beautify and improve this strip, a process that has required coordination due to its status as a state highway. The objective is clear: make North Second Street more attractive, more functional, and more aligned with the type of community experience Loves Park wants to offer, while encouraging more business investment and renewed energy along that corridor. At the same time, Loves Park is advancing a major growth-area initiative known as Riverside Commons. This is envisioned as a live-work-play district designed to create a higher-quality, more connected experience for both residents and the millions of visitors who already come into the city each year.The site offers a relatively open canvas, with significant green space and the potential to build a mixeduse environment that blends housing, hospitality, dining, entertainment, and outdoor connection in one cohesive area. Riverside Commons is anchored by an advantage few communities can claim: proximity to both nationalscale sports tourism and one of the region’s most 71 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 07, ISSUE 02 LOVES PARK, IL
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