Cullinan's Huge Campaign Donations Not Paying Off In Joliet

JOLIET, IL — The Peoria-based company overseeing the stalled 265-acre Rock Run Crossings mega-development near Joliet's I- 80 and I-55 has donated $15,000 since March to three Joliet-area state politicians: Senator Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant, Senator Pat McGuire and State Rep. Larry Walsh Jr. The founders of Cullinan Properties also donated $200,000 to newly elected Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker last November.

So far, these big campaign donations have failed to make a positive impact for the company desiring to bring 5,000 permanent new jobs plus 8,000 construction jobs to Joliet, a Joliet Patch analysis found.

On March 22, Cullinan Properties held a groundbreaking ceremony to supposedly mark the start of construction for the Regal Cinemas world-class movie theater.

"Regal's Theater at the site is going to be truly exceptional in every way and not like anything you've experienced before," promised Kathleen Brill, vice president and director of leasing for Cullinan Properties on March 22. "There will be over 70,000-square-feet of state of the art technology ... truly a Disney-like experience is coming to Joliet that we're excited about."

However, the big press conference groundbreaking ceremony backfired.

At no point during the past six months has any construction or building taken place for Rock Run Crossings.

City of Joliet officials say the project has been delayed because the state of Illinois has yet to approve the funding to build a new interchange near the proposed Rock Run Crossings development, which cannot be accessed from the current Seil Road exit at Route 59.

Without the approval of several million dollars in funding from the state of Illinois to construct a new interchange, Rock Run Crossings may never happen.

This past spring, Cullinan Properties made the following campaign donations:

• $5,000 to the Committee to Elect Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant on March 25
• $5,000 to McGuire For Senate, the fund-raising committee for State Senator Pat McGuire of Crest Hill, on April 26
• $5,000 to Friends of Larry Walsh Jr., the state representative from Elwood, who is the son of four-term Will County Executive Larry Walsh Sr., on March 25.

According to the company's website, Cullinan Properties was founded in 1988 by Diane Cullinan Oberhelman, chairman and founding partner. She visited Joliet for the groundbreaking event.

"This is not only a big project for Joliet, but also for Illinois and the country," remarked Diane Cullinan Oberhelman at the March 22 groundbreaking ceremony held on the SE Frontage Road overlooking Interstate 55. "This will receive national recognition."

According to Patch's campaign contribution analysis, Diane Cullinan Oberhelman made a $100,000 campaign donation to "JB For Governor" on Nov. 5, 2018, just one day before J.B. Pritzker soundly defeated Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner's bid for re-election, Illinois campaign finance records show.

Her husband also gave a $100,000 donation to "JB For Governor" the day before Pritzker was elected. Doug Oberhelman had been president and chief executive officer for Caterpillar.

Joliet Patch's review of the couple's political contributions in Illinois elections indicates they had been donating money toward Bruce Rauner's re-election campaign.

Last November, Diane Oberhelman made a $100,000 donation to Citizens for Rauner, Inc. She and her husband each made $2,500 donations to Citizens For Rauner three months prior to the November 2018 election. And in May 2018, Doug Oberhelman donated $10,000 to Citizens for Rauner, Inc. On June 21, 2017, Doug Oberhelman donated $50,000 to Citizens for Rauner and on June 4, 2017, Diane Oberhelman donated $25,000 to Citizens for Rauner, according to the Illinois Sunshine website.

As for the Joliet-area state politicians, Diane Oberhelman made separate $1,000 donations to Senator Bertino-Tarrant on June 18, 2018 and to Senator Pat McGuire on May 24, 2018. She also gave McGuire $1,000 on Jan. 16, 2018 and Bertino-Tarrant $1,000 on Dec. 19, 2017.

Joliet Patch also found another campaign donor labeled "Rock Run Crossings" gave $3,100 to Citizens for O'Dekirk on July 13, 2017, $4,100 in 2018 and $2,500 four months ago, on April 13, 2019. Rock Run Crossings also gave $1,200 to Friends of Larry Walsh Jr., in 2018 and $40 to Bertino-Tarrant back on Aug. 16, 2016, but nothing since.

O'Dekirk was the only one of the three who spoke at the March 22 groundbreaking event. Joliet's mayor has been a big proponent of Rock Run Crossings, citing the construction jobs and the overall economic impact for Joliet and the entire region.

All of the campaign donation data cited in this article was published by the Illinois Sunshine website.