With $100M projects fueling it, Chicago’s new WOW! Corridor makes vibrancy our most compelling case for investment.

Vibrancy provides the infrastructure that powers growth. In Chicago, culture, sports, and immersive activations are more than experiences; they are drivers of jobs, contracts, investments, and reputation that shapes our city’s global standing.

The opportunity is vast. According to Evolving Immersive: The 2025 Immersive Entertainment & Culture Industry Report, the global entertainment and media market reached $2.96 trillion in 2024 and is projected to grow to $3.42 trillion by 2028, fueled largely by immersive and experiential formats. [Read the report here.] This report traces how immersive experiences evolved from avant-garde theater and early escape games to today’s expansive cultural economy, noting that cities that cluster these assets into destinations are the ones that win.

That is exactly what Chicago is building with the WOW! Corridor — a term coined by World Business Chicago — a cultural and economic spine uniting the city’s most forward-looking assets. It stretches from the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park (Southeast Side) and the Obama Presidential Center (Hyde Park) to transformative developments like The 1901 Project (West Side), Google’s new Midwest headquarters (Downtown), the Chicago Fire FC Stadium at The 78 (South Loop), and Navy Pier (Lakefront). Immersive anchors will soon include Universal Horror Unleashed (River West), Goodman Theatre presents David Byrne’s Theater of the Mind (River North), The Hand and the Eye magic venue (Magnificent Mile), the $50M expansion of 360 Chicago (Streeterville), and the sweeping modernization of O’Hare International Airport (Far Northwest Side).

Together, these investments are clustering retail, sports, culture, and emerging industries into a critical mass that defines true destinations and secures long-term growth.

The momentum is visible: record-setting tourism, transformative developments, and global recognition. In 2025, Time Out ranked Chicago No. 11 among the world’s 50 best cities — and one of only two U.S. cities in the top 20 — underscoring what we already know: Chicago’s vibrancy is our competitive advantage.

Chicago’s Corridor of Economic Power: The theaters, parks, piers, and airports that generate billions and sustain thousands of jobs.

1. Theatre District: Generates $750M annually and draws 1.5M visitors each year, supporting tens of thousands of jobs in performance, production, and hospitality.
2. Millennium Park & Cloud Gate: Welcomes 25M visitors annually and contributes more than $300M to the economy, sustaining hundreds of jobs through operations and programming.
3. Navy Pier: Attracted 8.5M visitors in 2024, generating hundreds of millions in visitor spending and thousands of jobs across leisure, retail, and hospitality.
4. Global-Scale Economy: At $886B GRP, Chicagoland ranks as the 21st largest economy in the world — fueling the audiences, sponsors, and capital for transformative cultural projects.
5. O’Hare International Airport: Handled $295B in trade in 2024 and is undergoing an $8.5B modernization — expanding Chicago’s capacity to attract visitors and foreign investment.

“There has been a shift in entertainment, from traditional to immersive. Here in Chicago, we are not only experiencing this change but are uniquely qualified to be a catalyst for its evolution. Our affordable real estate, talented workforce, and vibrant creative arts allow us to create an unbelievably good product. In Chicago, people don’t have to choose between one experience or another but can visit multiple in one trip,” said Phil Clement, CEO, World Business Chicago.

Chicago 2050: A Plan for Economic Growth & Jobs, World Business Chicago’s new plan to reimagine the city’s economic future, is anchored in the strengths that define us—our talent, resilience, and world-class assets. Set to be released in the coming weeks, the plan combines a five-year roadmap with a long-term vision through 2050, calling for transformative investments in innovation, infrastructure, civic leadership, and global competitiveness. Chicago’s immersive economy is powered by industries that supply the talent pipelines essential for growth:

• Arts, Entertainment & Recreation: 91,000+ employed, $9.6B in output.
• Accommodation & Food Services: 400,000+ employed, $25.4B in output.
• Retail: 424,000+ employed, $47.6B in output.

The entertainment anchors of the Chicago 2050 plan are already taking shape. Universal Studios recently announced Horror Unleashed, a year-round immersive experience that will employ more than 400 people when it debuts in 2027. World Business Chicago estimates this project alone will generate $100 million in annual economic activity, located just across from the new Bally’s Casino opening in fall 2026.

Building on Chicago’s deep history with magic, The Hand & The Eye is set to open in 2026 as America’s largest immersive magic venue. The 36,000-square-foot space will employ about 200 people and feature seven performance spaces designed to host audiences from 25 to 100, further reinforcing Chicago’s role as a leader in experiential entertainment.

Immersive retail is also redefining the Magnificent Mile. The new Harry Potter Shop—only the second in the U.S.—has already become a destination for fans eager to sip Butterbeer, shop exclusive Chicago-themed merchandise, and experience the largest Butterbeer Bar in the country. Soon it will be joined by a Hello Kitty Cafe, adding another global brand to Michigan Avenue’s evolving lineup of immersive retail experiences.

If you’re exploring expansion or investment in the Chicagoland region, our Business Development team is ready to support you with site selection, incentive analysis, and industry engagement.

• What immersive projects have you seen succeed in other parts of the world?
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