In a discussion with Michael Jacobson, President and CEO of the Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association, the health of the Chicago area hotel industry was the main topic. With upcoming events such as NASCAR, Lollapalooza, the Democratic Convention, and other conventions taking place in the city, the question of whether hotel occupancy will be near capacity for the summer was raised.
Switching gears, Bree Fowler, Senior Writer at CNET, joined the conversation to discuss Amazon’s recent achievement of reaching the exclusive $2 trillion club. The upcoming Amazon Prime Day event was also on the agenda, along with the Supreme Court ruling that allows the Biden administration to contact social media companies to request the removal of posts they deem as disinformation.
Dr. Nathaniel Keohane, President of the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, contributed to the discussion by shedding light on the hidden costs of extreme heat and how climate change is impacting the economy. The impact of climate change on the economy was a focal point in the conversation with Dr. Keohane.