Navy Pier
For the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA), Strategic Leisure developed a Product Positioning & Marketing Strategy which emphasized creating critical mass through programming of the Pier’s “Menu of Venues,” to be implemented over the three year opening.
After informing the CEO of the MPEA that Navy Pier’s most valuable latent asset, the 3,300 foot long south promenade, was not currently planned to be fully leveraged, as it needed placemaking design components and festival-like commerce, Strategic Leisure was asked to continue with much greater responsibility. Subsequently, having a much expanded mandate and an office on the Pier, Strategic Leisure not only developed the strategy for Dock Street, it led the planning of Navy Pier’s initial operations. Strategic Leisure’s whole leadership resulted in:
1. Dock St. was branded and animated with furnishings, environmental graphics and kiosks.
2. The organizational structure and the initial operating budget were prepared.
3. The first phase grand opening was produced, and the first Ferris Wheel was purchased.
Strategic Leisure's whole leadership responsibilities included:
Strategic Positioning
Marketing & Programming Strategy
Creative Concept
Branding
Masterplanning
Design
Organizational Development
Operational Budgeting
Business Planning
Governmental Relations
Capital Purchasing
Grand Opening Production
