ADM Moves HQ to Chicago

And they are going to do it without any financial "incentives:"

• Archer Daniels Midland, unable to secure the special tax incentives it sought from Illinois legislators, nonetheless announced Wednesday that it will go forward with its plan to move its world headquarters to Chicago from Decatur, Ill.
  
  The agriculture giant said it plans to locate 50 to 75 executives in Chicago to a site that has not yet been selected. That's down from the 100 jobs the company originally cited in its bid to win Springfield approval for special payroll tax incentives worth up to $30 million over 20 years.
  
  “While we considered other global hubs, Chicago emerged as the best location to provide efficient access to global markets while maintaining our close connections with U.S. farmers, customers and operations,” said ADM Chairman and CEO Patricia Woertz said in a statement Wednesday morning. “Chicago also provides an environment where we can attract and retain employees with diverse skills, and where their family members can find ample career opportunities."

But there is still another apple waiting in the wings to be awarded to some state. A state that might be persuaded to come up with an attractive tax package:

• Additionally, a technology center staffed by 100 new employees that was part of ADM's public bid no longer is tied to the headquarters change. The company said it will continue to consider potential locations for the IT center in several states and expects to make a decision by mid-year 2014.

You figure that ADM wasn't about to have it's entire corporate executive board uproot families from established homes, but holding the prospect of a creating jobs that Illinois sorely needs over politicians...well, that's a different story.