The city of Rock Island, Illinois is finally getting serious about revitalizing its long-neglected West End.
Located on the Mississippi River, it is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring Moline, East Moline, and the Iowa cities of Davenport and Bettendorf.
Rock Island is the county seat of Rock Island County. The population was 57,108 at the 2020 census. The Quad Cities has a population of about 480,000.
The original Rock Island, from which the city name is derived, is now called Arsenal Island. The city is home to Rock Island Arsenal, the largest government-owned weapons manufacturing arsenal in the U.S., which employs about 6000 people.