East Peoria is a city in Tazewell County, Illinois, United States. The population was 22,638 at the 2000 census. East Peoria, is not a suburb of Peoria, but is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area. Many people mistaken East Peoria as an suburb or subdivison of Peoria when actually its a city on its own; residing in a separate county. Peoria, Peoria County, Illinois, is located across the Illinois River from East Peoria. It is home to many Caterpillar Inc. facilities. The city is also the site of the home campus of Illinois Central College, a regional community college, Par-A-Dice Hotel and Casino, and the eight story Embassy Suites Hotel and Riverfront Conference Center,Central Illinois's largest hotel that has 226 two-room luxury suites; opened in Fall of 2007. The main commercial area of East Peoria is just across the river from downtown Peoria.