City to create Chicago hospitality jobs

Posted on June 2, 2015

The opening of a new riverwalk will create Chicago hospitality jobs.

The Chicago Riverwalk will provide dining, educational, cultural and recreational activities along the waterfront stretch from LaSalle to Lake Shore Drive for the 2015 summer season. The exciting new lineup includes numerous dining options, live entertainment, biking, kayaking, cruises, boat rentals and water taxis. The Riverwalk will also offer live music later this summer through the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE).

The newest section, which opens tomorrow, connects to the existing Riverwalk east of State Street to Lake Shore Drive.

The three new sections are thematically named: The Marina (from State to Dearborn) will feature a restaurant and area for boats to dock; The Cove (Dearborn to Clark) will offer rentals and other amenities for kayakers; and the River Theater (Clark to LaSalle) will connect Upper Wacker to the River through a series of steps and a ramp designed to accommodate wheelchairs and strollers. The Marina and the Cove are now open, and the River Theater will open in early June.

“It’s exciting to see the vision of the Riverwalk coming together and becoming a reality. It’s a big step forward in making the river the next great recreational frontier in Chicago,” said Mayor Emanuel. “Memorial Day Weekend has long been the unofficial start to summer in Chicago and I can’t think of a better time to start to open up the Riverwalk so families can relax, have lunch or dinner and enjoy our great city.”

The final phase of the Riverwalk will begin this summer extending the River walk to Lake Street, with the following three themed sections: The Water Plaza (LaSalle to Wells); The Jetty (Wells to Franklin) and The Boardwalk (Franklin to Lake).

The six new sections of the Chicago Riverwalk are financed through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Transportation Infrastructure Finance Innovation Act (TIFIA) program.

“The Chicago River is one of our city’s greatest – and underutilized — natural assets. I commend Mayor Emanuel’s effort to connect the lakefront with the heart of downtown and to turn the valuable, underused real estate along the river into an attraction for city residents and tourists alike,” said Senator Durbin. “I supported TIFIA’s expansion and am pleased Chicago seized the opportunity to tap the program for this valuable project. ”