One of the best bi-products of living and working in Chicago for as long as I have amassed an amazing network of friends. Our city is filled with smart, educated and passionate people, and my interview today is with the person at the top of the list! Lou Raizin is a founding partner of Broadway in Chicago and the mastermind behind the Cultural Stadium, a visionary project poised to reshape Chicago's downtown. With decades of experience in the city's cultural scene, Lou shares insights into the past, present, and future of Chicago’s transformation.
His big project right now is called the Cultural Stadium, and many of Chicago’s best minds are by Lou’s side in this effort. It filled me with excitement to discuss the project with Lou, and dream about what is possible for our beloved city.
As Lou says, there is not one giant overriding project, but 100 smaller ones that make up the Cultural Stadium. So many of these projects sound exciting, but some of my favorites include transforming the cities alleyways into Some aspects of the project I am most excited about include visual poetry showcases, a springtime festival where a giant rubber duck would float down the river, and the idea of the Trove – a combination storage-gallery space that would make museum-owned artwork accessible to the public.
Let’s start with a little bit about you and your personal connection to Chicago.
I started my career as a concert promoter, “building and operating Poplar Creek Music Theater in Hoffman Estates. For the first part of my career, I was deeply embedded in the entertainment world, helping bring live events to the area. After several years we sold the venue so the 375 acres could become Sears’ new world headquarters. The purchaser of the land was the company that ultimately became Live Nation. After that, I co-founded Broadway in Chicago, and we’re now 25 years in. It’s incredible to think how far we’ve come.
Can you provide a broad overview of the Cultural Stadium and why you believe it is so important?
The Cultural Stadium is an exciting, transformative project. The driving force behind it is asset-based redevelopment. It’s about looking at what we already have – the buildings, the spaces, the culture – and reimagining them in a way that activates the city. It’s not about tearing things down; it’s about breathing new life into existing assets.
We’re talking about a massive, mixed-use project that will involve everything from new housing to arts and cultural spaces to reimagining the LaSalle Street corridor and creating a 24/7, vibrant downtown. This isn’t just about physical space; it’s also about safety and social issues. The idea is that the more activity you have, the safer it feels. It’s a comprehensive approach to creating a more dynamic, energized downtown that’s welcoming to all.
What about the Cultural Umbrella for kids? Why do you feel the Cultural Umbrella for kids is such an important initiative?
The Cultural Umbrella is all about counteracting the idea that downtown is a place only for certain people. From a young age, kids need to see culture as something they can be a part of, something that belongs to them. If we can instill the value of culture in kids as early as three years old – and support their families in providing access to cultural experiences – we’ll have a generation that values art and culture.
What is the current status of your efforts with the Cultural Stadium? What can we expect to see in the near future?
We’re still in the early stages, but we’ve had some great initial wins. We haven’t officially announced everything just yet, but I’m excited to say that we’re getting closer. In the coming months, I’m looking forward to sharing more about what we’ve been working on.
For those who want to get involved, how can they help push your mission forward?
People can visit culturalstadium.com and let us know how they’d like to participate. This isn’t about any one person or organization taking credit – it’s about a collective effort to transform the city. We want everyone’s input, and we’re building this together.
Over the years, you’ve been a part of some major transformations in the city. Could you speak about two key changes that you believe reshaped Chicago’s downtown?
If I had to point to two pivotal factors that transformed Chicago’s downtown, they would be the creation of the theater district and the introduction of tax increment financing (TIF).
Before the establishment of Broadway in Chicago in 2000, the city was known as a “bus and truck” town, with most shows just passing through on their way to the bigger markets like New York. But over the last couple decades, Chicago has firmly established itself as the third most important city in the world for theater, right behind New York and London. The theater district helped elevate this and played a big role in shifting perceptions.
And then, Millennium Park – it was a game-changer. It took what was essentially an empty space and transformed it into a hub of culture and innovation. It’s the perfect example of how culture can drive urban renewal. Now, I feel like it’s time for the city’s cultural movement to step up once again and lead another transformation.
Where do you find your creative spark and inspiration in Chicago?
For me, it’s all about the people and the city’s assets. We’ve got these incredible, historic structures – like the beautiful mausoleums scattered across the city. We need to reimagine those spaces, bring them back to life, and rethink their purpose.
It’s also about problem-solving. We face a lot of challenges, like how to make sure that downtown feels like it belongs to everyone. I believe that if kids from neighborhoods across the city feel disconnected from downtown, then that’s an issue. Everyone should feel like they have a stake in the city’s cultural center, and that’s something I’m passionate about addressing. And it’s not just about investing in the north side or downtown – we need to support the south and west sides, too. But we shouldn’t do that at the expense of the downtown core.
