In June, the Public Policy Forum awarded an Honorable Mention to WisPark and the Village of Pleasant Prairie for their private-public cooperation in the construction of LakeView Corporate Park. Village Administrator Mike Pollocoff and WisPark President Jerry Franke accepted the Honorable Mention during the 16th annual "Salute to Local Government" held on June 19 in Milwaukee. The Public Policy Forum is a non-partisan, Milwaukee-based, research group established in 1913. The group acts as a "government watchdog" and performs research, spots trends, defines issues and facilitates interaction between the private and public sectors.

The Forum recognized the cooperative efforts between WisPark and the Village related to the creation of LakeView Corporate Park in 1988. WisPark is a subsidiary of Wisconsin Electric and the developer of LakeView Corporate Park. LakeView's genesis stemmed from Wisconsin Electric Power Company's desire to locate a new power generating plant in Pleasant Prairie during the late 1970's. This, coupled with the difficulties related to the declining automotive industry in Kenosha at the time, led to the evolution of plans for LakeView Corporate Park. The process of creating LakeView took immense cooperative efforts between WisPark, Village officials, state and county lawmakers, local business and conservancy groups. The efforts spanned more than a decade and have yielded a host of ongoing benefits.

LakeView helped bring diversity and added stability to a local economy that was being hard hit by major reductions in automobile production - then the County's main industry. With the construction of LakeView, major improvements were made possible in the areas of transportation and interstate access, public improvements and community amenities. Over 450 acres of nature preserve were created along with the Corporate Park to provide natural habitat protection on both sides of the Des Plaines River. Prairie Springs Park and RecPlex, a 425-acre park and regional recreational facility were made possible, as was Prime Outlets, now a regional retail destination. The Park has also provided the base for other developments in the area, such as Abbott and the Business Park of Kenosha.

LakeView Corporate Park currently employs over 8,500 people in roughly 75 companies. As of the end of 2007, LakeView Corporate Park was valued at nearly $600 million dollars*. The impact that LakeView Corporate Park has had on this area continues to build momentum and add stability to our regional economy. "LakeView has truly made Pleasant Prairie what it is today, a great place to live, to do business, and to recreate," commented Mike Pollocoff. "It's been an honor to work with all of those involved and to watch the area continue to develop. I'd like to thank the Public Policy Forum for their recognition."


*The approximate value of LakeView Corporate Park at the end of 2007, including Prime Outlets was $596,590,100. Its value is expected to increase for 2008.