(Above) Shot on the Chicago Riverwalk near Marina City, this video, released on November 5, seeks help from residents of Illinois with persuading the state legislature to release $7.2 million in funding Choose Chicago says it is now owed. (Click on images to view larger versions.)

November 15, 2015 – Usually, their ads are aimed at tourists, enticing them to visit Chicago, but a new series of videos by Choose Chicago is trying to reach the people of Illinois. The organization that markets Chicago as a destination wants them to sign a petition “to support the restoration of our statutorily mandated state funding.”

Choose Chicago gets its money from a 16.4 percent hotel tax paid by visitors to Chicago. $9.3 million was budgeted to the organization for the year but only $2.1 million has been paid. The remaining $7.2 million is frozen while Governor Bruce Rauner and state lawmakers work out the 2016 budget.

“These essential revenues are important to Choose Chicago to perform our tasks in the convention industry, attract regional visitors, national visitors, and international visitors to our city,” says Choose Chicago CEO Don Welsh in one of the videos. “We’ve proven again and again that an investment in tourism is an investment in our city. Now is not the time to stop.”

Without the money, Choose Chicago had to cut short a summer tourism ad campaign and, last month, laid off 28 employees. They closed sales offices in Canada and Mexico. Other Choose Chicago offices have reduced staff and shortened or canceled ad campaigns.

According to Welsh, more than 50 million tourists have visited since Choose Chicago was created in July 2012. They have collectively spent more than $14 billion in Chicago and more than 136,000 people now work in the city’s tourism and hospitality industries.

Eight videos were produced, at a cost of $50,000, including one that features a tour boat captain on the Chicago River.

“Every year we see hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the world,” says Jason Garvett (above) of Chicago’s First Lady Cruises. “My livelihood is dependent on all of these people from all over the world coming to visit us.”

Money for the ads reportedly came from Illinois Council of Convention & Visitors Bureaus, Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association, and Illinois Restaurant Association.

 Website: Choose Chicago: Save Illinois Tourism