CHICAGO | Economic & Business Development

[Khantilever]

Originally Posted by Chi-Sky21

i dont think marketing outright is going to do that much good really. How many times do you go somewhere abroad based on seeing an ad on a billboard/print/online?

The idea is that it expands the set of possibilities in your mind and can potentially nudge you once it's actually time to make a choice.

For example, I've been seeing some really nice ads lately for Lexington, KY. So while planning a road trip from Chicago to Nashville, I thought about how it might be cool to stop in Lexington on the way. I don't think the thought would even have occurred to me if it weren't for the ads, but of course the ad wouldn't even come to mind if the circumstances didn't make it relevant.

[the urban politician]

Originally Posted by Khantilever

The idea is that it expands the set of possibilities in your mind and can potentially nudge you once it's actually time to make a choice.

For example, I've been seeing some really nice ads lately for Lexington, KY. So while planning a road trip from Chicago to Nashville, I thought about how it might be cool to stop in Lexington on the way. I don't think the thought would even have occurred to me if it weren't for the ads, but of course the ad wouldn't even come to mind if the circumstances didn't make it relevant.

So true

Chicago's inferiority complex is kind of similar to the story of the eagle that thought of itself as a chicken:

https://www.askgateway.com/the-eagle...was-a-chicken/

Outside of New York, there is no city on the Western Hemisphere that has the whole sum of things to offer as Chicago does. It's absolutely ridiculous that tourists from outside the US are coming to the US, renting cars, and driving around LA. For what, exactly? To see Hollywood and the houses of the stars? What do you see after that? I bet you anything that these foreigners go home thinking that they've seen the best that America has to offer.

It's outright silly that nobody locally has made a major effort to counteract that silliness. A vacation in Chicago (at least during the warmer months) is about 10 times more meaningful and fun than that.

[maru2501]

every third TV show is set here now. Maybe that'll help

[PopulusRomanus]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

Outside of New York, there is no city on the Western Hemisphere that has the whole sum of things to offer as Chicago does.

Buenos Aires?

[moorhosj]

Originally Posted by PopulusRomanus

Buenos Aires?

Toronto would probably be closer, but I’ve always thought those two cities are very similar to Chicago.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

Outside of New York, there is no city on the Western Hemisphere that has the whole sum of things to offer as Chicago does. It's absolutely ridiculous that tourists from outside the US are coming to the US, renting cars, and driving around LA. For what, exactly? To see Hollywood and the houses of the stars? What do you see after that? I bet you anything that these foreigners go home thinking that they've seen the best that America has to offer.

Now, LA has a lot to do, but apart from true ocean beaches (which IMO pale in comparison to the ones in Florida/Caribbean), it doesn't offer really much more than what Chicago offers minus the difference in culture IMO (I say this with a father from LA and tons of family there too - I like the city, but just being realistic here).

The funny thing about the whole stars thing is it's really true. Again anecdotal, but I have so many co-workers from outside of the US as well as my fiance's parents who all literally thought that they'd see a bunch of movie stars walking around places like Hollywood which is why they went. Once they realized it's not true most of them said they didn't have much of a reason to visit.

[rgolch]

Why are we still talking about this international tourist BS?

Enough guys. Grow a pair, and lets talk about real economic news.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by rgolch

Why are we still talking about this international tourist BS?

Enough guys. Grow a pair, and lets talk about real economic news.

Tourism has nothing to do with the economy of a place? Yeah okay. Fyi, tourists spent $13.7B in Chicago between 2010 and 2014 and the city has added 22,000 related tourism jobs since 2011. Considering there were 16 million fewer tourists in that year versus last, the spending number is probably a bit more now. International tourists spend over 3x more than domestic tourists, and it's in the city's best interest to see an increase of this. Actually it's in everyone's best interest. Many jobs, revenue, tax revenue, etc will follow.

So yes, it's more than valid unless you think the economy is constrained to how many tech jobs there are. This is news, it's in a fucking new report released the other day and Chicago lags in this area that brings in higher spending tourists. Not that there's a problem with the tourism numbers overall - they are awesome, but a sizable increase of international tourists would mean a boost in jobs and revenue to many business and the city.

[bnk]

https://www.chicagobusiness.com/comm...ther-big-lease


May 17, 2019 11:18 AM



Old Post Office closes in on another big lease



Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago is looking to move from the Aon Center to the redeveloped behemoth along the South Branch of the Chicago River.



The developer overhauling the Old Main Post Office is close to snagging another big tenant, this time from the financial world.

Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago, one of 11 federally chartered wholesale banks around the country, is in advanced talks to lease around 125,000 square-feet at the massive building at 433 W. Van Buren St., according to sources familiar with negotiations.

The Chicago FHLB is planning to relocate and expand from its office at the Aon Center, where it leases about 96,000 square feet today.

[Tom In Chicago]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

Outside of New York, there is no city on the Western Hemisphere that has the whole sum of things to offer as Chicago does. It's absolutely ridiculous that tourists from outside the US are coming to the US, renting cars, and driving around LA. For what, exactly? To see Hollywood and the houses of the stars? What do you see after that? I bet you anything that these foreigners go home thinking that they've seen the best that America has to offer.

Statements like this are hard to take seriously. . .

. . .

[the urban politician]

^ From the standpoint of a tourist visiting a city, I think one can make a strong case for it. I'm not talking about visiting wine country, or skiing, or the like.

But if we're talking about a packaged, urban experience: architecture, water tours, dining, nightlife, culture, museums, theatre--all within a small geographic area and without requiring one to rent a car, why not?

[Tom In Chicago]

^Because in the U.S. Los Angeles and San Francisco offer just as much as Chicago does using those criteria. . . have you been to these cities??? In the Western Hemisphere you've got Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Rio, Buenos Aires, the list goes on. . . and most of these cities can be visited with minimal effort all year long because the weather is not unbearable. . .

. . .

[the urban politician]

Originally Posted by Tom In Chicago

^Because in the U.S. Los Angeles and San Francisco offer just as much as Chicago does using those criteria. . . have you been to these cities???.

^ Numerous times.

From the standpoint of a tourist, I'd take visiting Chicago during the warmer months (which I said in my earlier post--hence your incessant whining about the local weather shouldn't apply here) over visiting those places.

We don't have to agree on this, but once upon a time shameless boosterism was common in this town.....must have been a more exciting time than today

[Handro]

Originally Posted by Tom In Chicago

^Because in the U.S. Los Angeles and San Francisco offer just as much as Chicago does using those criteria. . . have you been to these cities??? In the Western Hemisphere you've got Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Rio, Buenos Aires, the list goes on. . . and most of these cities can be visited with minimal effort all year long because the weather is not unbearable. . .

. . .

Boston, too.

[the urban politician]

Originally Posted by Handro

Boston, too.

See, now we might as well name them all--which is fine, they are wonderful cities:

Seattle, SF, Washington DC, Philadelphia, there we go.

There's that midwestern modesty that serves us so well... Don't stick your neck out, don't exaggerate just a little bit, don't stretch the truth just a little bit....

I think you guys are missing my point by a tad. No place became great by sitting there telling the cold, hard, sober truth all of the time--especially not Chicago. It wouldn't be the end of the world to bring some of that bravado back, at least if we're on the topic of marketing the city, which is what we were discussing.

It's okay to brag. Not the end of the world. Just saying....

[the urban politician]

Here's a great marketing slogan:

"Come to Chicago. We're kinda sorta just as nice as Boston, SF, and LA, as long as you don't come in the winter"

[Tom In Chicago]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

^ Numerous times.

From the standpoint of a tourist, I'd take visiting Chicago during the warmer months (which I said in my earlier post--hence your incessant whining about the local weather shouldn't apply here) over visiting those places.

We don't have to agree on this, but once upon a time shameless boosterism was common in this town.....must have been a more exciting time than today

It's not whining when I'm simply stating the facts as to why people go to retire or on vacation. . . your shameless boosterism has been noted, but wanting something to be greater than it is doesn't make it so. . .

. . .

[Tom In Chicago]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

Here's a great marketing slogan:

"Come to Chicago. We're kinda sorta just as nice as Boston, SF, and LA, as long as you don't come in the winter"

That's just it. . . I don't think Chicago needs any "marketing slogan". . . Chicago is a great city on it's own and doesn't need this kind of help. . . boosterism on this level feels labored and smacks of desperation. . . it's embarrassing quite frankly. . .

. . .

[the urban politician]

Originally Posted by Tom In Chicago

That's just it. . . I don't think Chicago needs any "marketing slogan". . . Chicago is a great city on it's own and doesn't need this kind of help. . . boosterism on this level feels labored and smacks of desperation. . . it's embarrassing quite frankly. . .

. . .

That may be what you think, and I'm sure you're not alone.

But I think if there is any interest in drawing more international visitors to Chicago, we aren't going to get there by telling everyone that Chicago is "just as good" as anywhere else. You have to emphasize, boldly, where it stands out above the crowd--and even if we weren't being 100% honest, that wouldn't be the first time that happened anywhere. Talk about the architecture, the top theatre scene, the great museums, our unique lakefront, our highly regarded dining scene, or our unusually large number & variety of summer festivals. Why not?

Perhaps you don't really care, and that's fine. But don't expect everyone else to share your apathy about that matter.

[Tom In Chicago]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

That may be what you think, and I'm sure you're not alone.

But I think if there is any interest in drawing more international visitors to Chicago, we aren't going to get there by telling everyone that Chicago is "just as good" as anywhere else.

Perhaps you don't really care, and that's fine. But don't expect everyone else to share your apathy about that matter.

I think I'm not making my point clear. . . it's not so much that I feel like Chicago is "just as good" as anywhere else, it's just that it's a totally different animal altogether. . .

Chicago is a great city with a lot of history that is well suited for a slightly different brand of tourist than the average person looking to see the Statue of Liberty or the beach. . . and I'm the first person that will tout our merits to international travelers that I meet. . . I'm sure people from Manchester UK or Frankfurt Germany have these same debates. . .

At the end of the day I don't think you're going to have much luck convincing some brain dead slob to come to Chicago over some other place that has more tourist-friendly offerings. . . and I've seen my share of them - wandering aimlessly around the United Center to get a picture at the statue of the guy from Space Jam. . . good thing we have Navy Pier to siphon off those hordes. . .

. . .