Founded in 1852, Joliet is the third fastest growing community in Illinois, with a current population of approximately 90,647. From upscale housing to more moderate homes to condominiums, townhomes and apartments, Joliet offers many options for both renters and buyers.

Residents enjoy the many entertainment venues and recreational facilities the city has to offer. The Will-Joliet Bicentennial Park and Riverwalk includes a stage and auditorium for performances. The Broadway Greenway, a new park that will eventually cover 4.5 miles, includes period lighting and decor as well as river overlooks. When completed, it will have a 10-acre river recreation area complete with boat launch.

Cultural activities abound in the city. The Rialto Square Theater, built as a vaudeville movie palace in 1926, was totally redone, with care to maintain its historic architecture, and now offers the finest in plays, concerts and ballet.

Joliet also hosts more than a quarter million visitors to its City Center each year, and more visitors are expected to attend major auto races at the Route 66 Raceway, to be completed later this year as the new home of the Winston Drag Racing Series.

Joliet welcomes more than 5 million visitors to its riverboat casinos -- the Empress and Harrahs -- each year. The gambling industry has revitalized the city's economy, with nearly $112 million in local tax receipts from gambling revenue used to make city improvements.

The city currently enjoys its lowest tax rate in 24 years.  Major industries include Caterpillar, which plans to begin making a new line of mining excavators that will create 200-300 new jobs in Joliet, and ExxonMobil, with plans to undergo a $150 million construction project to expand and upgrade its Joliet refinery.

For more information from the local Chamber of Commerce on community, arts, events, entertainment and real estate information, visit www.villageprofile.com/illinois/joliet. For a Joliet city guide, containing links to chat rooms, community links and businesses, travel and tourism links, visit http://www.joliet-il.com.