CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Navy Pier, one of the most-visited attractions in the state, will close to the public after Labor Day, and when it will open again is anyone’s guess.
Navy Pier is inviting guests this weekend for one last summer celebration as it concludes its season with a full holiday weekend of live music as part of its popular Live on the Lake! series at the Miller Lite Beer Garden, before closing temporarily.
The weekend’s lineup will consist of performances by Brian Allison, bq and Katie Kadan (finalist on NBC’s The Voice). In addition, Navy Pier will host its final Neighborhood Artisan Market of the season, featuring artists and vendors from the Beverly and Morgan Park neighborhoods, to encourage the support of small local businesses.
Restaurants, retail shops, tour boats and dining cruises will also be open and available throughout the weekend.
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Starting Tuesday, September 8, Navy Pier will implement a temporary closure until spring 2021, in an effort to limit the financial burden and impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on the organization.
Navy Pier was closed mid-March to early June, but visitors have not returned in numbers that make it worthwhile. Attendance has been down by about 80 percent.
With the exception of Offshore Rooftop Bar, the closure will put a halt to all other Pier-wide operations, including that of Navy Pier’s 70+ on-site businesses, which have also experienced significantly low attendance and financial hardships throughout the pandemic. Outdoor areas will be closing along with them.
Last year, revenue was $60 million. There is a projected deficit of $20 million this year.
Navy Pier received a forgivable pandemic loan, and cut salaries to clout heavy top staff, including the CEO, who was making more than a half-million dollars a year.