The highly anticipated opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago is just weeks away, promising to be a significant catalyst for local tourism.
With the museum and library set to attract a wave of visitors, nearby businesses are gearing up for a substantial uptick in activity. Local entrepreneurs are enthusiastic about the influx of customers, anticipating that this will translate into more job opportunities for city residents.
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On Chicago’s South Side, there is a palpable sense of excitement about the economic revitalization that the Obama Center is expected to usher in. Among those benefiting from this development is MGE Property Solutions, engaged in a beautification project in Woodlawn. The company’s owner, Malki Brown, shared with ABC7 News how the surge in local projects has led to an increase in clientele and the need to expand their workforce.
“Our goal is to create jobs within the community, and the Obama Center is providing us with a chance to do just that,” Brown remarked. “It’s an opportunity to distribute wealth more evenly.”
Furthermore, 71st Street is undergoing renovations to welcome new businesses, including a South Shore restaurant, aimed at drawing both tourists and encouraging residents to support local enterprises instead of spending outside the neighborhood.
Tonya Trice, who serves as the executive director of the South Shore Chamber of Commerce, refers to the outgoing flow of local spending as “leakage,” emphasizing the importance of retaining economic activity within the community.
“There is a revenue leakage in the South Shore community of $845 million annually. This is an opportunity to close that revenue gap by offering service and amenities that tourists would like to see,” Trice said.
Choose Chicago reports tourists spend $20 billion annually. The Obama Center expects to have more than 700,000 visitors each year.
A mother-daughter duo opened a bookstore with other small business owners, sharing the storefront space on Stony Island and 69th. They call the space Pen & Paper: A Joint Creative. The business owners opened in 2024, knowing center was coming. They have been looking forward to the potential for new customers.
“There are now active tourists on the South Side. They aren’t just staying downtown. They aren’t staying in the Loop. They are actually able to experience the full city,” said Courtney Woods with Pen & Paper: A Joint Creative.
Along 53rd Street in Hyde Park, hotels are busy with bookings this summer, especially around the time when the center opens.
“We’ve been waiting for it for such a long time, so it’s exciting to see it come to fruition, and we are just looking forward to meeting all the new guests from all around the world,” said Sheinette Williams with Hyatt Place, Chicago South, University Medical Center.
At 63rd Street Beach, Reggie’s on the Beach opens for another summer season. South Shore resident and Co-owner Robby Glick is looking forward to new folks discovering the South Side.
“It’s going to bring a lot of people a lot of out-of-towners, and there is not a lot of choices to go for food, and I mean, look at this office. We have the best office in the city,” Glick said.
It is unclear how much revenue new visitors to the Obama Center will bring to the area. But some are hopeful that the new tourists will come ready to ready to spend, and that could lead to more jobs on the South Side.
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