Millennium Park and Tourism
In a speech to Shanghai business leaders in the fall of 2004, Daley made the case that Chicago was growing in international stature. He explained that more than "a trading partner, a business location and a destination for conventions and tourism," Chicago was "unique among the world's great cities" and he used Millennium Park as a key example:
It's bold. It's unconventional. It's creative. It demonstrated a willingness to take risks. And it works. And those qualities all describe Chicago, as well.
Richard M. Daley, Remarks to Shanghai Business Leaders October 18, 2004
A letter to the mayor showed that Millennium Park was a point of pride for many Chicago-area residents.