One would never accuse the Texas Economic Development Corporation of subtlety in its approach to luring businesses.

This is the state-sponsored private agency, after all, that ran online ads in the wake of Britain's vote to leave the European Union brazenly inviting British companies to "declare economic independence" and move to Texas. That's Lone Star state swagger, diplomacy be damned.

The organization is at it again this week, announcing a "recruitment mission" to Chicago to meet with businesses that might be interested in what Texas has to offer, as well as site selection consultants who play an outsized role in corporate location decisions. The delegation includes Texas companies like CenterPoint, BNSF, and Oncor as well as economic development groups from a range of cities, including Houston.

It's a raid, basically.

RELATED: Delegation works to lasso Chicago jobs and investment for Texas

But why Chicago? Could it have something to do with the city's suddenly escalating murder rate, the state's crippling pension burden that could lead to steep tax increases, the restrictive regulatory environment, or the relatively strong unions, that might have local companies looking to head for sunnier climes?

Maybe. But Dariel Curren, representing Texas, said it had more to do with the two states' similarities than their differences. "Illinois has a strong cluster of companies in the industries that Texas targets because they align well with the state's business strengths," he said.

Of course, Texas has every kind of industry, so that rationale could support a recruitment mission to any state in the nation. In Chicago, sectors like transportation and logistics, manufacturing, agribusiness and financial services might be particularly important.

The Texas Economic Development Corporation mentioned Boeing, Thyssenkrupp, Motorola Mobility, and Wilson Sporting Goods as Chicago-based companies that already have operations in Texas. And the state is willing to sweeten the deal: Lake Forest, Ill.-based equipment manufacturer W. W. Grainger opened a sales facility in San Antonio recently with the help of a $975,000 grant from the Texas Enterprise Fund, a pot of money that has been spread liberally on such projects over the years whether they've asked for them or not.

For their part, Chicago's economic development leaders do not seem fazed by Texas' attempt to drink their proverbial milkshake. Theresa Mintle, president and CEO of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce responded with good-natured spunk.

"Texas cannot compete with Chicago's transportation infrastructure, workforce, or lakefront," Mintle said. "But we welcome their hospitality dollars being spent in our great city, and let's be honest, this economic development 'mission' is probably just a ruse for them coming to see the Chicago Cubs play."

Of course, Illinois and other states play the recruitment game as well. Businesses want to feel wanted, and sometimes just need to be informed about what a state has to offer. But according to Mintle, the competition has gotten less cut-throat than it used to be, as appetite for multi-million dollar corporate incentives waned amidst budget cuts by recession-hit local governments. Meanwhile, there was a bigger problem: Companies picking up stakes entirely and moving overseas.

"There was a time when I think states, regions, localities were very aggressive about going after business. It was almost a race to the bottom," Mintle says. "While governments were poaching each other, businesses were making the decision to leave the U.S. altogether. The realization that we are competing globally, rather than just within the U.S., caused a little bit of an 'aha moment,' and you didn't see much of that anymore."

Take Boeing, for example, which infamously played several cities against each other in 2001 as it sought to leave its Seattle headquarters. In the end, Chicago won, with $60 million in tax incentives from the city and the state.

If that contest were to happen today, Mintle thinks Boeing would still choose Chicago — but that money wouldn't have played as big a role. "We don't have the same toolbox of tax incentives that we had 15 years ago," Mintle says. "So we are much more astute about promoting other things."

Texas, on the other hand, has been in much better fiscal shape than most other states, and isn't shy about waving incentives around. And if its continued popularity among site selection consultants and makers of "best places" lists is any indication, Illinois would be well-advised to keep an eye on its important companies, lest their affections stray south.