After over 20 years with first the Danville Economic Development Commission and then Vermilion Advantage, Machelle Dykes is retiring as the Chamber Director. It was back in 2002 that the Economic Development Commission and the Chamber of Commerce had merged to create the seed for today ‘s Vermilion Advantage. Dykes says if there’s one thing she’d love to see after she retires, it’s something she’s always desired out on Lynch Road. And the casino Danville is hoping to get soon could make it happen.
Audio PlayerAUDIO: I would like to see a lot of retail development around the casino that is hopefully just about to be approved. We have tried for years to get food out on Lynch Road, for all the people that are working out there. But restaurants look at rooftops, which is housing. And there’s not enough housing close enough, they feel, to Lynch Road, to support restaurants. But it’s right on the interstate, and so, we think they would be hugely busy around the clock.
The proposed Danville casino is on the agenda for Thursday’s Illinois Gaming Board meeting. Dykes is being replaced as the Chamber Director by Vermilion Advantage’s Nicole Van Hyfte. As current Vermilion Advantage Chief Executive Officer Tim Dudley recently stated on 1490 WDAN’s News Makers program, when he first came aboard he asked Dykes for some recommendations on who should join the team. And Dykes thought of Van Hyfte right away; and yes, even thinking, “she could be me some day.”
Audio PlayerAUDIO: And I met Nicole about five years ago when I recruited her for a Leadership Tomorrow class. We had a scholarship to give away, and she was doing some part time work at Neuhoff Broadcasting and had a blog about Vermilion County called “Piece of my City,” also about Danville specifically. And I was so impressed with that I just thought, “I’d like this young lady to get more involved with what we’re doing.” And I was so impressed when I had her in class.
Dykes says she’s looking forward to the Turk Furniture building being occupied again, as Mayor Rickey Williams, Jr has stated will be coming soon. She’s also hoping for good use of the Bresee Tower area, once it is torn down. Her final day with Vermilion Advantage will be March 31st.
