Governor Announces Opening Of New Sprint Customer Care Center

BOLINGBROOK -- Governor George H. Ryan today joined Sprint PCS officials and state and local leaders for the ceremonial opening of the new Sprint PCS Customer Care Center. The new customer service facility will support 1,200 new high-tech jobs.

Sprint decided to build the state-of-the-art,105,000 square foot facility in Bolingbrook after Ryan personally recruited Sprint Chairman & CEO William Esrey to bring the project to Illinois.

"Illinois is proud to be the home of the new Sprint PCS Customer Care Center," Ryan said. "Sprint is a national leader in the communications industry, and their decision to expand here underscores the healthy, high-tech business environment that exists in Illinois."

Sprint, a global communications company at the forefront of integrating long distance, local and wireless communications, built and operates the only nationwide all-digital, fiber optic network. Sprint is investing approximately $17 million in the new facility, including about $8 million in machinery, equipment, furniture and computers. The new center located at 245 Crossroads Parkway, will handle new customer accounts, customer inquiries, account changes, service questions and other customer related activities.

"There are many people who made this center's grand opening possible, including Governor Ryan, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs, the Will County Center for Economic Development and Bolingbrook Mayor Roger Claar," said Keith Paglusch, senior vice president of Operations for Sprint PCS. "Anytime that people come together in government and business to create a positive impact on a community, it's a great reason to celebrate."

To help Sprint PCS locate the new facility, the state will provide grants from the Industrial Training Program to help train new employees in the use of high-tech computer equipment that will be used at the new customer care center. The ITP program is administered by the state Department of Commerce and Community Affairs, which led the state and local effort to land the call center.

"This new facility is a prototype for the kind of high-tech businesses that we're working to bring to Illinois," said DCCA Director Pam McDonough. "These new jobs will not only have a positive impact on hundreds of families in the Southwest suburbs, but also act as a catalyst for future developments."

In addition to the ITP grants, State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka provided low-interest financing to assist the company with costs associated with locating in Will County. Also, the state added new turn lanes and traffic signals on Illinois Route 53 near the facility to help keep local traffic moving and the state will cover 50 percent of the cost of expanding the local road serving the facility's parking lots.