Ferak: Rock Run Crossings Is Joliet's Fake News Event Of 2019

JOLIET, IL — One of my least favorite events to cover as a journalist is what's known as a groundbreaking ceremony. Too often, groundbreaking events afford the politicians and business executives a chance to dress up in fancy, expensive clothes and gush over how fabulous a job they are doing.

There are typically a half dozen repetitive, long-winded speeches. Ceremonial hard hats are a must. The hardhats get distributed to the VIPs. Then, the VIPs take turns posing and smiling for the cameras as they lift small piles of dirt into the air with shovels to commemorate the event.

So there I was, on the afternoon of Friday, March 22, dodging potholes the size of moon craters as I slowly drove along the winding and lonely stretch of East Frontage Road that runs parallel to Interstate 55. Two miles later, I knew I reached my destination when I saw a huge tent in the farm field and dozens of cars parked along the otherwise desolate stretch of no man's land.

I also noticed several pieces of heavy construction equipment. Peoria-based Cullinan Properties was pulling out all the bells and whistles.

"TURNING REAL ESTATE IDEAS INTO REALITY," the Cullinan Properties website proclaims.

On the large farm parcel behind Joliet Junior College's main campus, Cullinan Properties has dreamed up an imaginary development called Rock Run Crossings.

In March, the Cullinan marketing folks distributed glossy folders to journalists that project an image of a mega development like Joliet hasn't had in years.

• RETAIL & DINING: More than 500,000 square feet
• ENTERTAINMENT: More than 120,000 square feet
• PROFESSIONAL OFFICES: More than 200,000 square feet
• HOTEL AND LODGING: More than 300,000 square feet, more than 500 guest rooms.
• MULTI-FAMILY: 600 UNITS:
• TOTAL DEVELOPMENT: 265 acres

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Roughly 100 people were on hand for the March 22 Rock Run Crossings groundbreaking. That's a huge turnout for any groundbreaking event in Will County.

That afternoon, everyone was gushing about the news of Regal Cinemas being the first anchor tenant. Even Mayor Bob O'Dekirk talked about the Regal Cinemas investment in Joliet during his annual State of the City address, at the downtown Joliet Renaissance Center, in late February.

"This is a game changer for Joliet," O'Dekirk assured his large luncheon audience.

"We are thrilled to be a part of this exciting new development at Rock Run Crossings and to bring the latest immersive theater technology to Joliet," remarked Jerry Grewe, vice president of real estate at Regal, in the Cullinan Properties' press release.

Back at the March 22 groundbreaking, following the cues of Cullinan Properties, the heavy equipment operators fired up their diesel engines. The men drove back and forth for at least a half hour, turning over small mounds of dirt in the Joliet farm fields near I-55 and I-80.

"Regal Cinemas Rock Run Crossings Groundbreaking Held," declared the headline of my Joliet Patch article. I also informed readers that "Friday afternoon marked one of Joliet's biggest groundbreaking events in recent years."

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Technically, ground was broken that Friday afternoon in March, but that was the last sign of meaningful activity at the 265-acre development of Cullinan Properties.

April passed. So did May. June and July. It's now mid-August.

The folks at Cullinan Properties have nothing to show for Rock Run Crossings.

I drove out to the property this week to snap a few new photos, which you can see within this article.

I must admit, there is one glaring difference from the groundbreaking ceremony I covered in March; some of the weeds on the perimeter now stand six feet tall.

To add insult to injury, Cullinan Properties continues to park an idle piece of Caterpillar equipment on its imaginary Rock Run Crossings development.

Perhaps it's intended to dupe Joliet and Shorewood area residents into thinking the Rock Run Crossings is moving along, when it really isn't.

Talk about another poke in Joliet's eye. Caterpillar, once the lifeblood of Joliet's blue-collar economy, is now a nothing company in Joliet. Joliet's Caterpillar plant, once 7,000 proud, union workers strong, closed forever on July 1. The property along Route 6 is now for sale.

Looking back on the groundbreaking ceremony of March 22, I'll be the first to admit it: the marketing folks at Cullinan Properties played me for a sucker. And I wasn't their only sucker.

The Joliet Herald-News ran a story, "Rock Run Crossings Gets Rolling In Joliet."

Joliet's news radio station went with: "WJOL: Rock Run Crossings Breaks Ground With First Tenant."

"The 70,000-square-foot Regal Cinema will contain 16 screens and some of the newest cinema technologies available, including 4DX and ScreenX theatre and entertainment experiences," the station reported.

As I noted earlier in this column, the banner streamed across the Cullinan Properties website declares, "Turning Real Estate Ideas Into Reality."

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So this week, I tried to seek out answers on why nothing has happened at Rock Run Crossings.

I reached out to Steve Jones, the city's economic development director until the Joliet City Council's Mudron 5 voted to make Jones interim city manager for at least the next six months. Although Jones is on vacation this week, he responded to my email question, suggesting I contact Anaise Berry, Cullinan Properties director of marketing and communications, in East Peoria.

In his email reply, Jones also mentioned everyone is "still waiting for funding of the interchange improvements."

I did call Berry. I left her a detailed message inquiring why the Rock Run Crossings on Joliet's west side has been idle for six consecutive months now.

Berry didn't call me back on Tuesday or on Wednesday.

I'll give her company this: they can organize a fake public relations event with the best.

As I reported on March 22, Joliet Mayor Bob O'Dekirk spoke at Friday's groundbreaking. Steve Jones, Interim City Manager Marty Shanahan and most of the Joliet City Council: Pat Mudron, Jan Quillman, Terry Morris, Bettye Gavin, Mike Turk, Don "Duck" Dickinson plus outgoing councilman John Gerl also attended.

Cullinan Properties tricked the Joliet area into believing the Rock Run Crossings mega-development and a world-class movie theater was ready to start, when it wasn't.

Three words come to mind to describe this Joliet debacle.

Snake. Oil. Salesmen.