The search is on for the city’s next tourism boss
Tourism and conventions pour more than a billion dollars a year into Chicago’s economy and help to keep a host of industries afloat, from hotels and restaurants to transportation and live theater.
The city’s tourism arm, Choose Chicago, plays a big role in encouraging people to visit the city and spend their cash here, a task made tougher by the constant and worldwide barrage of news about Chicago crime.
But as Choose Chicago’s very capable leader, Lynn Osmond, steps down at the end of January after 20 months as the agency’s leader to deal with what she calls “a family health matter,” who replaces her becomes of critical importance.
That means Mayor Brandon Johnson, who took up to four months to fill top vacancies in his cabinet, must make sure there is no foot-dragging in the national search to find Choose Chicago’s next president and CEO.
Meanwhile, Choose Chicago is in good hands under interim CEO Rich Gamble, who is a member of the group’s executive committee.
But a lot rides on getting a strong new permanent tourism boss in place. In addition to the normal comings and goings — which by themselves are more than enough to keep the new CEO busy — there is also the very big-ticket items of the 2024 Democratic National Convention in August, and the return of NASCAR downtown street racing in July.
Then there is the need to get more visitors to explore city neighborhoods. Osmond, former CEO of the Chicago Architecture Foundation, rightfully advocated this, saying she favored “authentic tourism and exploration” that would get travelers to check out more of the city.
Finding a leader who can pull this off, allowing neighborhoods to share in that billion-dollar tourism pie, is important.
The good news — and it should sweeten the pot for any prospective candidates for the position — is that Chicago tourism appears to be rebounding from the setbacks caused by the pandemic.
Hotel revenue hit $1.12 billion in the first six months of 2023, which is a 109% increase from 2019, according to tourism officials.
That means whomever might be interested in the job doesn’t have to fear they’re taking over ship that’s sinking economically.
Which is all the more reason Johnson must make sure the executive search finds the right person, as quickly as possible.
What if the answer to undoing the harm wrought by the demise of America’s manufacturing sector was right in front of us?
An economic boom waiting to happen, to rebuild communities and revitalize our beaten-down working class.
And, this time, without the rampant industrial pollution that fuels climate change and sickens our people.
It is not too good to be true. But we must seize the moment if we do not want it to pass us by.
Last week, I visited the Qcells solar panel plant in Georgia. It is the largest facility of its kind in the Western Hemisphere. And as the world transitions away from fossil fuels and to renewable energy sources, it represents the opportunity we have in front of us.
Solar manufacturing jobs in the U.S. are already on pace to more than triple from about 35,000 in 2023 to 120,000 by 2033. We can do even better, by expanding the energy market and domesticating the solar supply chain. The new green economy should mean an American century that rivals or even surpasses America’s global success in the 20th century. The BidenHarris administration’s Inflation Reduction Act gives us the tools to turn this dream into reality. But the private sector needs to do its part, with investments that are both patriotic and profitable, not to mention planet-saving.
My visit came one day after Qcells announced a massive deal to supply Microsoft with 12 gigawatts of solar modules and engineering, procurement and construction services over eight years. That’s enough energy to power more than 1.8 million homes annually. And it will help Microsoft meet its goal of being carbon negative, water positive and zero waste by 2030.
More than that, it’s an investment in America.
According to the energy research firm Wood Mackenzie, China will control more than 80% of the world’s solar manufacturing capacity through 2026. This is the future of energy. And the United States needs to catch up.
The goal should be to scale up investments like Microsoft’s as rapidly as possible and bring the entire manufacturing lifecycle for solar technology to the U.S. And to do it in a way that pushes the energy utilities that power the factories toward clean fuel sources.
How we power the supply chain is as important as where it lives. Manufacturing clean energy tech domestically can create a virtuous cycle in which grids are increasingly powered by clean sources. That means lower energy bills and cleaner air to breathe.
The Inflation Reduction Act ensures it is not just corporations and utilities that are in the game. Billions of dollars are available for local community organizations, cities, schools and homeowners to spur growth in our domestic clean energy industry.
Despite the “drill, baby, drill” political rhetoric from the oil and gas industry and the politicians in its pockets, elected representatives of both parties understand well what these jobs mean for their states and districts. Trust that most lawmakers from Georgia and the other states now being referred to as the “Battery Belt” are eager to reap the act’s economic benefits when it comes to clean energy manufacturing.
America can reassert its global leadership in manufacturing the technologies on which the world runs. It will mean an explosion of new American jobs and a windfall for American consumers. It will also accelerate the end of fossil fuels. And the protections and incentives in the act that focus on equity will help ensure this new energy economy reflects our values and that marginalized communities do not get left behind.
Another industry that uniquely helped establish America’s pride, identity and economic might in the last century — the automobile industry — should also be paying attention. Because they have some catching up to do as well. But that is a topic for another column. Watch this space.