On 6 December 1967, Prell took the proposal before the Illinois Commission on Economic Development, chaired by Sen. Arthur Gottschalk, R-Flossmoor, who called it, "a very exciting concept". Prell told the commission the merger of the four counties would create the 151st largest metropolitan area in the United States. "let's start the first totally new city in the Midwest and create a showplace for the entire country." Prell admitted the project would require substantial spending and major governmental reorganization. Supporters testifying on behalf of the proposal included Geoffrey Hughes, executive director of Southern Illinois Incorporated. He claimed that for 20 years SII had been "proclaiming that this part of Illinois is a dispersed large city with nearly a quarter million people experiencing the same common problems and seeking area-wide cures and solutions." Oren Drew, chairman of the Southern Illinois Recreation Council, an early regional tourism promotional council, called for additional state and federal assistance, "as well as private development of our recreational assets." Other persons testifying included Robert Feigenbaum of DuQuoin, Illinois-based Turco Manufacturing Co., Allen Y. Baker, chairman of the Greater Egypt Regional Planning and Development Commission; Russell Davis of the Southern Illinois Bankers Association; James Gillooly, project coordinator for the 14-county Shawnee Resource Conversation and Development Project; African-American leader Robert Stalls of Carbondale; Carl Taylor of the Southern Illinois Business Agents Council representing labor and John Rendleman, SIU vice president for business affairs. Other than Carbondale Mayor David Keene who welcomed the commission to his city, tellingly, no other local elected official was mentioned as testifying in favor of the merger.