The Waiting Game

Quad City Online has a bit about where the pork plant issue stands and reveals that essentially, everyone's just waiting for Triumph to make the call before making their next move.

East Moline Mayor John Thodos said Tuesday he's waiting to hear from Triumph Foods on whether it still wants to build a pork-processing plant in the city.

Mayor Thodos said he hasn't heard from Triumph Foods chief executive officer Rick Hoffman in four weeks.

But Quad City Development Group officials said they've talked with Triumph to try to work out some issues.

QCDG president Thom Hart said Tuesday he's talked with Mr. Hoffman periodically and they're making progress on resolving financial and environmental issues.

Mr. Hoffman was unavailable for comment Tuesday evening.
...
Mayor Thodos said East Moline officials were going to tweak another enterprise-zone request, but Triumph told them to back off on the plan.
...
"Do we believe Triumph's gone away? The answer is no," said Doug Riel, who lives east of the proposed site. "We haven't walked away from that believing that it's over in any way shape or form."

"We're investigating possible legal action against the city of East Moline," said Mr. Riel, who didn't want to give any more specifics.
...
A Galesburg Regional Economic Development Agency (GREDA) employee sent an e-mail to Triumph officials earlier this year, hoping to renew discussions.

GREDA vice president of business development Linda Utsinger said, "As far as we're concerned, they're going with East Moline."

Mr. Hart said, "What I've been told since November is that East Moline is (Triumph's) preferred site. I've not been told anything that would contradict that."

Mayor Thodos said he believed the city offered all it could offer to Triumph. When asked about state incentives, Mayor Thodos replied, "That's not our area."

The city council could waive building-permit fees with a vote. But Mayor Thodos said he didn't want to go through with it "if it's of no value."