Robert Gomez: Chicago's Riverwalk vendor process is shrouded in secrecy. It's time for real reform.

Chicago Tribune

29-04-2025

There is no accountability in how the city of Chicago awards vendor contracts on the Riverwalk. There is no transparency, no oversight and no way to appeal decisions. Even when those decisions push out high-performing Latino-owned businesses and leave public space vacant, the people responsible are shielded from scrutiny.
The Riverwalk belongs to the public. It is city-owned space that generates public revenue and should reflect public values. Right now, it does not. The process for selecting vendors is hidden from view, managed by unnamed committee members who are not required to disclose how applications are scored or why decisions are made. Vendors are not allowed to ask questions or challenge outcomes. The rules are not public. The standards are not clear. The decisions are final.
I know because I went through it. Twice.
I own Beat Kitchen on the Riverwalk, which we operated for three seasons. A month ago, the city told me we were being removed. There was no explanation, no feedback and no opportunity to respond.
Our business was one of the top revenue producers on the Riverwalk. We were the only Latino-owned vendor among the major operators. Despite a smaller footprint, we matched the revenue of the largest players. We did it after being denied basic signage and other forms of support. We did it through strong service and local partnerships, bringing thousands of the most diverse group of Chicagoans and tourists to the Riverwalk every week.
Beat Kitchen on the Riverwalk was grounded in the same approach that has defined our work in the city for decades. Our music venues, the original Beat Kitchen in Roscoe Village and Subterranean in Wicker Park, have supported artists across genres for over 30 years. We've helped shape Chicago's independent music scene, not just participate in it. That same commitment extends to the food we serve. At street festivals and on the Riverwalk, we put thought into every menu, drawing from regional and cultural traditions that reflect the neighborhoods we serve. We don't treat public space like a temporary booth. We build with care and hire staff members who reflect the city.
The city's own request for proposals for the Riverwalk said these things matter. It asked for vendors who understand the community, contribute to Chicago's cultural life, represent one of our 77 great neighborhoods, and bring quality and care to their operation. We did all of that. But we have no idea if any of that mattered. The criteria were shrouded in secrecy. The decision-makers weren't identified. The outcome offered no explanation. When the selection process fails to acknowledge the values it claims to prioritize, the problem isn't with the applicants. It's with the system.
I invested more than $350,000 in that location. The city initially promised running water, drainage and electric connections. Then it backed out. I hired engineers and contractors to design and install a custom drain system beneath Lower Wacker Drive. I also purchased $70,000 in patio furniture after the city initially committed in my lease to providing it. I paid for it upfront from a city-mandated vendor, expecting to use it at my location, when, in fact, the city gave most of the furniture to other vendors on the Riverwalk for their use.
Before our five-year lease ended, I asked for a two-year extension. The first year was lost because the city failed to prepare the space. The second was lost to COVID-19, like so much else across Chicago. Neither was within my business's control. Still, the city denied the request without explanation. There was no one to ask, no one to appeal to and no system in place to challenge the decision.
The city delayed the application process for Riverwalk vendor spaces until after our lease had ended, and the 2024 season was already underway. I asked to continue operating during the evaluation period, as is common at places such as O'Hare airport and Navy Pier. The city declined, and our location stayed closed for the entire season. The review process began late, involved only two applications and still took more than 12 months. When I asked who was evaluating proposals or what criteria would be used, the city refused to provide any answers. Public records requests were also denied.
That delay cost the city an estimated $800,000 in rent, tax revenue and revenue share in 2024. With the 2025 season already underway and the location still closed, the city is on track to lose another $1 million. These are real financial losses tied directly to decisions made behind closed doors.
The public deserves better. A Latino-owned business that consistently met and exceeded expectations was removed without explanation. In response to a direct appeal from the Latino Caucus, the city claimed there were 11 minority-owned vendors on the Riverwalk. Seven of those businesses had already closed. The few that remain operate in smaller, less visible spaces. The highest-revenue locations are overwhelmingly white-owned.
The city speaks often about equity, but the results here tell a different story.
This is the moment to fix the system. The goal of reform should not be to revisit one decision, but to build a system that current and future Riverwalk vendors can trust. If my speaking out draws attention to this process's failures, it serves a purpose. The city cannot keep running a vendor process that is closed to the public, unclear in its rules and impossible to challenge. The selection process should be paused immediately. Scoring criteria must be published. Decision-makers should be named and held accountable. Meetings should be open to public review. Vendors deserve a process that is transparent, consistent and fair. The current system looks less like public service and more like old-fashioned patronage.
This is not about one business. It is about a system that protects insiders, avoids accountability and ignores public interest. If the city is serious about reform, it must start with the Riverwalk.
Robert Gomez is a Chicago-based entrepreneur and owner of Beat Kitchen, Subterranean, Bar Sol Mariscos on Navy Pier and other local hospitality venues. He co-founded the Chicago Independent Venue League and serves on the mayor's Cultural Advisory Council.