Engineer Floats Idea of Luxury 'Island' in Lake Michigan

Imagine getting a tan in a warm, luxury island-like environment. In Chicago, in the middle of winter.

Plainfield native Beau D'Arcy is looking to create that atmosphere with Breakwater Chicago, which is described on its Kickstarter page as a mix a luxury yacht and an island resort. 

"I was working in Las Vegas and realized that daytime ent was something that Vegas did really well, and other cities as well, and Chicago is missing some of that," D'Arcy said in a video on Kickstarter, an grassroots funding website.

The complex would be open all year. In the warmer months, it would sit about 1 mile off the Chicago shore, and during the winter it would be towed to the shore and feature a dome over the top. The complex would have pools, restaurants, a floating dock for boats and more. 

Developers believe it could be a tourist attraction that would rank up there with Wrigley Field and Willis Tower in Chicago.

According to the Chicago Tribune, the project will cost about $23 million and will require permits from the Coast Guard, state and city. The initial fundraising campaign on Kickstarter is for just $30,000, and as of June 10 nearly half of that total has been raised. The primary purpose of the Kickstarter campaign is to show grassroots and community support for the project. 

Learn more on the Breakwater Chicago Kickstarter page. 

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