Chicago's Navy Pier closing until spring due to too few visitors during busiest time of year

CHICAGO - Chicago’s Navy Pier is closing again until next spring because attendance has been too low during the coronavirus pandemic, officials announced Tuesday.

The popular tourist spot reopened in a limited capacity June 10 after closures to limit the spread of COVID-19. But officials said they’re only seeing about 15% to 20% of the usual crowds during what’s generally the busiest time of year, according to the Chicago Tribune. The closure, starting Sept. 8, will help reduce operational expenses and limit losses.

CHICAGO - JULY 01: Chicago's main tourist attraction Navy Pier, in Chicago, Illinois on JULY 01, 2013. (Photo By Raymond Boyd/Getty Images)

“While this was a very difficult decision for the organization, it was a necessary one to proactively ensure the long-term success of one of Chicago’s most treasured and important civic institutions and the communities it serves,” said Marilynn Gardner, the pier's president and CEO. “This decision will also help preserve the future of the many on-site businesses, which continue to face hardships of their own as a result of the pandemic."

An exact reopening date hasn’t been set.

Also Tuesday, Chicago removed Wisconsin and Nebraska from its quarantine list and added Iowa and Kansas starting Friday. People traveling from the states on the list are expected to quarantine for two weeks or face possible fines.

The Illinois Department of Public Health on Tuesday reported 1,740 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 27 additional deaths.