[Handro]

Chicago and Illinois have always been seen as backwater western (and later midwestern) outposts. But I do agree that the insular attitudes, cultural conservativism and horrible (both in substance and quantity) marketing have kept the city spinning its wheels as an afterthought to most people outside the professional class (and even among them, it seems to have the same appeal as a nice office: a good place to do business but not to hang out on the weekends, metaphorically.) For its size and class, Chicago should have a way bigger place in the cultural zeitgeist than it does. Surprise is probably the most common reaction for every first time visitor I've ever talked to.

The burgeoning film industry gaining momentum and the tech scene (more exciting than consulting and finance) expanding are the two widest avenues to try and broaden the appeal of the city. Trying to attract artists of all stripes should be a high priority if the city really wants to capture the next generation and grow the city's population. Offering tax credits for building studio space, lotteries for insanely cheap artist housing, etc. are starts. "Forcing" people from Big Ten schools to move here because they get a job in marketing isn't going to be enough to plant seeds for exponential growth, IMO. They'll just end up moving back to Minnesota or on to one of the coasts as their career blossoms. Chicago needs to become cool, and white collar jobs in legacy industries aren't cool. We need lots more small town kids moving to Chicago because it seems cool. Of course crime is the dark cloud hanging over everything, but one could argue that conservatism is the main barrier to solving that issue as well (we need more affordable housing in desirable neighborhoods, less resistance to investment in blighted ones)

It's going to take more than commercials for tourism to get the city on the map, does anyone know what the city does to try to capture attention beyond the obvious?

My girlfriend was on a work call with some people from Columbus not long ago and the topic of weather came up, the Columbus people went on at length on how they could never live in Chicago because it's so cold, how does she manage to live somewhere like "Chiberia"... anyway long story short it was colder in Columbus that day than Chicago. How do people from Columbus, OH of all places get the idea that Chicago is a wintery wasteland?