Press Releases

CHICAGO – Despot Park Holdings LLC today announced the launch of the largest hospitality job fair in Chicago's history, offering 3,000 positions across all levels from entry-level to management for the world's first vertical theme park opening July 4, 2033.

The hiring drive begins with job fairs across Chicago's 50 wards, prioritizing local residents and emphasizing diversity and inclusion. Starting wages range from $18/hour for entry-level positions to $30/hour for skilled technical roles, with comprehensive benefits including health insurance, retirement plans, and free park admission for employees' families.

Compensation & Benefits: Despot Park is offering competitive wages above Chicago's standard. Full-time positions come with benefits including health insurance, retirement plan, free transit passes, and unique perks like costume laundry service for performers and opportunities for continued education through partnerships with local colleges.

Diversity and Local Hiring: In line with the previously signed Community Benefits Agreement, the park is prioritizing Chicago residents, especially from neighborhoods citywide. They are working with organizations like Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership and local aldermen to advertise jobs in communities with higher unemployment, with a goal of at least 50% of hires from South and West Side neighborhoods.

Training Program – The "Despot Academy": The park is establishing an intensive training program including safety and operations training, history and sensitivity training given the delicate subject matter, customer service with thematic flair, and comprehensive emergency drills.

Quote from Mayor: "This hiring drive is one of the biggest job creation events for Chicago in recent memory. It's not just the quantity of jobs, it's the variety – from engineers to entertainers. These are opportunities for many young people to have their first job and for experienced workers to take on a new challenge at something truly unique."

Quote from Anton Verlotsky: "We invite Chicagoans of all stripes to join us in making history – literally. Working at Despot Park will be like nothing else, every day fun and fascinating. We can train skills, we can teach history; what we really seek are people with passion, humor, and a commitment to teamwork and guest service."

Applicants are encouraged to apply online at www.despotpark.com/careers or attend one of the in-person fairs. The website features a recruitment video where current project team members dressed as historical figures tout the jobs.

CHICAGO – Officials, community leaders, and project developers gathered today to mark the official groundbreaking of Despot Park Chicago, the world's first vertical theme park, set to transform Chicago's skyline and become a signature destination when it opens July 4, 2033*.

The ceremony took place at the cleared site of the former Trump Tower at 401 N. Wabash Avenue*, with Mayor [Name], developer Anton Verlotsky, and dozens of community representatives in attendance. The estimated $2.9 billion project will rise approximately 1,500 feet with 110 floors*, housing themed attractions that explore the history of authoritarianism through satirical, educational experiences.

Community Benefits Realized: The groundbreaking marks the beginning of substantial community benefits, including thousands of construction jobs, local hiring commitments, and partnerships with Chicago's diverse ethnic communities to ensure authentic cultural representation.

Construction Timeline: With the foundation phase beginning, passersby will notice increased activity on site. The contractors will begin drilling and pouring concrete almost immediately. Several large tower cranes are scheduled to be erected by spring 2028 – including one of the tallest ever used in Chicago, which will eventually climb with the building to a height of nearly 1,600 feet.

Theatrical Touch: In homage to the historical theme, the groundbreaking concluded with a whimsical gesture: representatives dressed as Julius Caesar, Queen Victoria, Joseph Stalin, and other figures stood on the model of the tower for a photo op. They then "surrendered" scrolls of power to a child representing the future, symbolizing the project's theme of moving beyond past tyrannies.

Safety and Logistics: Officials reiterated that rigorous measures are in place to minimize construction impact. A covered pedestrian walkway has been installed along Wabash for safe passage, and at least two lanes of Wabash will generally remain open to traffic except for brief closures during heavy lifts.

Quote from Anton Verlotsky: "We thank Chicago for trusting us through demolition, and now as we build. From this point on, if you watch the skyline each month, you'll see Despot Park rising higher and higher. Today is when we stop looking back at what was here and start looking up at what's to come."

The next anticipated milestone will be the tower's "topping out" ceremony in late 2029, when the final beam is placed.

CHICAGO – In a historic unanimous vote, Chicago City Council approved the Despot Park development, clearing the way for construction of the world's first vertical theme park to begin in 2027.

The 50-0 vote came after months of community engagement, design refinements, and negotiations on a comprehensive Community Benefits Agreement that ensures significant local hiring and economic benefits for Chicago residents.

City Financial Participation: Council approved the creation of the "Despot Park TIF District." Over a 20-year term, a portion of incremental property tax generated in the district will reimburse the developer up to $250 million for infrastructure and site improvement costs. Additionally, the City will issue ~$300 million in project revenue bonds to finance land acquisition and certain construction.

Community Benefits Agreement (CBA): The Council accepted and endorsed a robust Community Benefits Agreement that includes: 30% of construction and 25% of permanent jobs will go to Chicago residents from disadvantaged areas; a job training program in partnership with City Colleges; a $2 million fund to support local cultural nonprofits; and no less than 10% of contracts will go to MBE/WBE firms.

Permitting Fast-Track: The ordinance instructs all relevant City departments to prioritize and expedite permits for the project, given its economic importance. The Department of Buildings confirmed it expects to issue foundation permits by mid-2027.

Quote from Mayor: "Some might raise an eyebrow at first – a theme park about dictators? But think about it: Chicago has always embraced bold ideas. We built the first skyscraper, reversed the river, hosted world fairs. This project carries that legacy forward in a playful, thought-provoking way."

Quote from Developer Anton Verlotsky: "Thank you for your trust and partnership. You have cleared the path for us to deliver something magnificent for Chicago. We won't let you down – Despot Park will make the world laugh, learn, and love Chicago."

With formal approvals in hand, the project now transitions into implementation mode with demolition of the existing Trump Tower scheduled to begin in early 2027.

CHICAGO – A revolutionary $2.9 billion entertainment destination will transform Chicago's skyline, replacing Trump Tower with an unprecedented 1,500-foot vertical theme park featuring darkly humorous historical attractions, officials announced today.

Despot Park Chicago, scheduled to open July 4, 2033, will be the world's first vertical theme park, housing themed attractions within a single 110-floor skyscraper. The project combines cutting-edge thrill rides with meaningful historical education, using satirical storytelling to teach visitors about the dangers of dictatorship while celebrating democratic values.

Project Vision: The park will be an authentic, immersive, and world-class theme park unlike any other, using dark humor and historical context to educate and entertain. Guests will travel through time and across cultures, encountering the grandeur of empires and the theatrics of totalitarian regimes – from imperial palaces to propaganda rallies – all within one vertical complex.

Signature Attractions Include:

• Führer's Fury: High-speed indoor dark ride through a bunker, simulating the downfall of Hitler's regime
• The Gulag Escape: Escape room meets maze experience where families work together to "break out" of a mock Siberian labor camp
• Missile Launch Coaster: Launched roller coaster that shoots riders through vertical loops
• Great Leap Forward Freefall: Thrilling flume ride in "grain barrel" boats with a 60-foot plunge
• Hall of Heroes: Top-floor observation deck celebrating freedom movements and democratic heroes

Community Involvement: The project team will host public town hall meetings in each of Chicago's 50 wards over the coming months to gather input and answer questions. The developer has committed to a Community Benefits Agreement that includes local hiring provisions and educational partnerships.

Quote from Mayor: "Chicago has always embraced bold ideas. We built the first skyscraper, reversed the river, hosted world fairs. This project carries that legacy forward in a playful, thought-provoking way. We're going to turn a symbol of contentious politics into a place of joy and learning."

Quote from Developer Anton Verlotsky: "I fled an authoritarian regime as a young man, so this project is personal. It's about reclaiming that narrative – laughing at the fearsome to strip them of their mystique. But more importantly, it's about education. Tyranny follows predictable patterns: scapegoating, polarization, institutional capture. By understanding these patterns through immersive experience, visitors develop democratic antibodies. They learn to recognize the warning signs and, crucially, how to resist. We're not just entertaining—we're inoculating democracy, and doing it in the most Chicago way possible: big, brash, and with a sense of humor."

A website with project details and feedback portal has been launched at www.DespotParkChicago.com. The developers encourage Chicagoans to submit ideas for attractions or historical figures they'd like to see included.