The city that produced the first skyscraper is again breaking new ground in elevated innovation.
Chicago residents and tourists alike will have a new way to get a fresh perspective on the city this spring when an attraction called TILT debuts at 360 CHICAGO (formerly John Hancock Observatory).
Up to eight people can fit inside the glass and steel moveable platform that slowly tilts outward on an angle, providing downward-facing views of the city from 1,000 feet.
"We believe this is the first in the world," 360 general manager Nichole Williamson said. "The movement in and out of the building is very controlled. We want it to be memorable and thrilling, but we don't want to terrify anybody."
Officials aren't yet sure how long the experience is going to last, possibly from 30-40 seconds.
In a news release announcing the project, Mayor Rahm Emanuel says the project will have a profound affect on tourism, with the ability to "attract thrill seekers from around the world to our city."
TILT will first be unveiled to the more than 500 visitors at the U.S. Travel Association's IPW convention on April 5-9, and to the public afterward.
It will cost $5 to experience TILT, plus the cost of general admission to the observatory.
