Illinois Woos Spy HQ

The head of a federal spy agency that plans to relocate its regional headquarters from St. Louis is scheduled to visit a possible new home in southwestern Illinois. National Geospatial Intelligence Agency director Robert Cardillo is joining Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner and the state's two U.S. senators for a private briefing at MidAmerica Airport today. The site has emerged as one of the $1.6 billion project's two front-runners. St. Clair County has offered to donate nearly 400 acres near the public airport and Scott Air Force Base to the defense and intelligence agency, which is a combat support branch of the Department of Defense. St. Louis hopes to keep the NGA and its more than 3,000 high-tech jobs with a new site on the city's north side. A decision is expected by April 1.