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The countdown is on in Chicago as the much-anticipated grand opening of the Obama Presidential Center is now just weeks away. The center, which includes a museum and library, is poised to become a major attraction, drawing tourists to the city and injecting fresh energy into the local economy.
Business owners near the center are optimistic about the influx of visitors and the economic opportunities this brings. Speaking with ABC7, several local entrepreneurs expressed enthusiasm about the potential rise in customer traffic, which they believe will translate into more jobs for Chicagoans.
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On the South Side, where the Obama Center is located, there’s a palpable sense of anticipation. Residents and business owners are hopeful for the economic uplift they have been promised. Among the beneficiaries is MGE Property Solutions, a company involved in a beautification project in the Woodlawn neighborhood. The firm’s owner, Malki Brown, shared with ABC7 that as development activity ramps up around the center, they are seeing an increase in clientele, prompting them to hire more workers.
“Creating jobs in the community is at the heart of our mission,” Brown remarked. “The Obama Center is providing us with a wonderful opportunity to share in the economic benefits.”
As part of the revitalization efforts, 71st Street is undergoing a transformation, with new businesses, including a restaurant, set to open soon. These developments aim to captivate the interest of tourists visiting the Obama Center and encourage local residents to support nearby enterprises, thereby keeping their spending within the community.
Tonya Trice, the executive director of the South Shore Chamber of Commerce, describes money leaving neighborhood as leakage.
“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.
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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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