Marquis Inc. shelves $500 million project, citing Illinois business issues

By Benjamin Cox on April 22, 2019 at 4:19pm

Construction plans for an ethanol facility in Scott County have been indefinitely halted.

Marquis Inc. announced its decision to let more than 800 acres in land options in Scott County expire in late April, shelving all plans for development of a $500 million ethanol facility.

The company cited pending state legislation that would undermine the competitive business process. In a press release from the company, CEO Mark Marquis is quoted saying that this legislation would inflate the cost of the development to the point the project would not have an adequate return on investment and would negatively impact the company’s ability to competitively bid construction projects.

Additionally, recent international trade tariffs have restricted the export market of ethanol and distillers grains to several countries, including China, Brazil and Peru, as well as to countries in the European Union.