Plans Unveiled for Navy Pier Marina to Open June 2025
May 29, 2025
‘Navy Pier Marina Day’ marks kick-off to summer boating season
CHICAGO (May 28, 2025) – NPM Venture LLC today announced details of the highly anticipated, June 2025 opening of Navy Pier Marina. The only marina to offer transient boaters access to Navy Pier and the city at its doorstep, Navy Pier Marina will provide a home in the heart of Chicago for boaters from across the city and suburbs, and around the Great Lakes. It will also be a rendezvous for boating groups seeking unique and modern mooring facilities.
“What an incredible and exciting day for me, my family, and our entire development team,” said Randy D. Podolsky, developer and driving force behind Navy Pier Marina. “We persevered and are now able to bring long-awaited recreational boater access to Navy Pier. Being a Chicago native and a passionate boater since 1983, having envisioned this project a decade ago, I could not be more proud of everyone who took part—and believed in—making this dream come true!”
According to Podolsky, in addition to accommodating recreational boaters, Navy Pier Marina will offer limited availability to seasonal commercial vessels, including fishing, sailing, dive and social charters, boat clubs, cruises, dealers, and other boat-share operations.
The marina will also be a site for high-profile boat shows, including the inaugural Chicago International Boat Show, slated for Aug. 21-24, 2025. Produced by Revel Republic, producer of the highly successful Newport Beach International Boat Show and San Diego International Boat Show, the Chicago International Boat Show at Navy Pier Marina will feature an exclusive lineup of luxury boats, yachts, and watercraft, alongside curated showcases from luxury automotive brands, private aviation, and world-class culinary experiences.
Navy Pier Marina Amenities
Navy Pier Marina will offer lunch and dinner hourly tie-ups as well as overnight and extended stays. Boaters can moor up with friends and family to eat, ride the Centennial Wheel, experience Flyover Chicago, catch a show at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, or enjoy the Chicago Children’s Museum and scores of other attractions at Navy Pier and its surrounding neighborhoods.
Broadside (side-tie) mooring for vessels up to 183 feet in length will be available on modern floating piers. The flexible dock design even allows cleats to be repositioned for vessel tie-up. Marina amenities include an easy-to-use online reservation system and concierge-quality service, along with power and water hookups, Wi-Fi, and pump-out service.
Designed to fit in harmony with Navy Pier, the unique two-story boater amenities building has been constructed from single-use shipping containers, resulting in a modern facility with a retro look and minimal environmental impact. The building will house the marina office, ship’s store, restrooms, showers, boater’s lounge, on-site laundry, bicycle repair station, and pet-friendly relief station.
The Fulfillment of a Dream
“The phrase, ‘It takes a village,’ has never been more true than in this moment,” said Marilynn Gardner, President and CEO of Navy Pier. “This magnificent marina represents the culmination of 10 years of tireless work and tens of thousands of ‘people power’ hours from conception through what you see here today.”
Additional information, including access to the marina’s reservation system, can be found at navypiermarina.com.
ABOUT NPM VENTURE
Operating as Navy Pier Marina, NPM Venture LLC is privately funded and entrepreneurially operated. It is the brainchild and passion project of Chicago native Randy D. Podolsky. Since starting his boating adventures in 1983, Podolsky has envisioned a recreational marina at Navy Pier, which would provide unprecedented waterborne access to the People’s Pier. Podolsky has been an active member of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary since 1991 and served as the elected District Commodore of the Ninth District Western Region in 2009 and 2010, overseeing the operations of more than 1,100 uniformed volunteer Coast Guard Auxiliary members. To provide financial and physical resources for local Auxiliary units, he formed the NFP Waukegan Water Safety Association in 2001. Podolsky has been an active member of the Chicago-area commercial real estate scene since 1976 when we started his career at Arthur Rubloff & Co. Since 1979, he has headed Podolsky & Associates in Riverwoods, Ill. He has been working on the development of Navy Pier Marina since 2016 and is excited to turn his vision into a reality for all recreational boaters interested in an easy-to-reserve transient mooring in the heart of Chicago.
ABOUT NAVY PIER
Located on Lake Michigan, Navy Pier is the top nonprofit tourism destination in the Midwest, stretching more than six city blocks and typically welcoming nearly 9 million annual guests. Originally opened in 1916 as a shipping and recreation facility, this Chicago landmark showcases more than 50 acres of parks, restaurants, attractions, retail shops, sightseeing and dining cruise boats, exposition facilities, and more. The Pier celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2016 with the unveiling of the iconic Centennial Wheel, Polk Bros Park, Family Pavilion, and Peoples Energy Welcome Pavilion. Today, Navy Pier continues to usher in its second century with ongoing Pier-wide redevelopment efforts – including Sable, a 223-room Hilton hotel, new restaurant and retail partnerships, and thrilling new attractions such as Flyover Chicago. The Pier is proud to present free, year-round cultural programming designed to inspire, educate, and connect communities across the city and globe.
ABOUT NPM PARTNER CONTRACTORS
- Edgewater Resources: edgewaterresources.com
- J.F. Brennan: jfbrennan.com
- S.I. Container Builds: sicbs.com
- Structurmarine: structurmarine.com
- Marina Electrical Equipment: marinaee.com
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🚤 That’s a Wrap on Boat Show Season! 🚤
Boat show season has officially come to a close for Navy Pier Marina, and what an incredible run it was!
A huge THANK YOU to everyone who stopped by our booths at the
⚓️ Milwaukee Boat Show
⚓️ Discover Boating Chicago Boat Show
⚓️ Grand Rapids Boat Show
We loved meeting so many fellow boaters, reconnecting with familiar faces, and talking all things Chicago boating. Your energy and excitement for the 2026 season has us counting down the days!
We look forward to welcoming each of you to the docks at Navy Pier Marina this season.
Now… let’s get ready to BOAT! 🌊⚓️
#NavyPierMarina #BoatShowSeason #ChicagoBoating #LakeMichigan #SeeYouOnTheWater #BoatersLife #MarinaLife #ReadyToBoat
🚤☀️ BOATING SEASON IS ALMOST HERE! ☀️🚤
The weather is getting warmer… who’s ready to get back on the water?! 🌊⚓️
If you’re dreaming about 2026 boating in Chicago, now is the time to start planning! Stop by Navy Pier Marina’s Booth #9 today at the Grand Rapids Boat Show and let’s talk about your next Lake Michigan adventure.
🔥 Exclusive Boat Show Specials
📍 Prime downtown Chicago location
⚓️ Group rendezvous opportunities
🌆 Unmatched skyline views
Whether you’re planning a weekend getaway or a full boating season in Chicago, our team is ready to help you make it happen.
See you at the show!
#NavyPierMarina #GrandRapidsBoatShow #BoatingSeason #LakeMichigan #ChicagoBoating #BoatShowSeason #SeeYouAtTheShow 🚤
🚤🎉 THE SHOW STARTS TODAY! 🎉🚤
We’re kicking off the Grand Rapids Boat Show and we can’t wait to see you!
Stop by Booth #9 to meet the team from Navy Pier Marina and learn about exclusive boat show offers for the 2026 boating season in Chicago. ⚓🌊
Whether you’re dreaming about summer cruising on Lake Michigan or planning your next trip to Chicago, we’ve got everything you need to make 2026 your best season yet.
📍 Grand Rapids Boat Show
📅 Wednesday, February 11 – Sunday, February 15, 2026
🎯 Booth #9
Let’s talk boating. Let’s plan summer. Let’s make waves. 🌊
#NavyPierMarina #GrandRapidsBoatShow #BoatShowSeason #SeeYouAtTheShow #ChicagoBoating #LakeMichigan #BoatersLife #MarinaLife #Summer2026
🚤 ONE WEEK AWAY! 🚤
Boaters heading to the Grand Rapids Boat Show — make sure Navy Pier Marina is on your must-visit list!
📍 Booth 9
Join us for exclusive boat show discounts on 2026 transient reservations and connect with our team to start planning your next Lake Michigan destination.
📅 February 11 - 15, 2026
📍 Grand Rapids Boat Show
We look forward to seeing you in Grand Rapids and welcoming you to Navy Pier Marina for the 2026 season!
⚓️ See you at the show!
⸻
#NavyPierMarina #GrandRapidsBoatShow #LakeMichigan #SeeYouOnTheDocks #BoatShowSeason #LakeMichiganBoating #TransientDockage #BoatersLife #2026Boating #navypierchicago
🚤 BOAT SHOW SATURDAY IS HERE! 🚤
It’s all happening today at the Discover Boating Chicago Boat Show!
⚓ Boatgating vibes
🏖️ Beach Club specials
🐻 Chicago Bears Alumni appearances
🎉 Non-stop fun all day long
While you’re shopping for your next boat and soaking in everything the show has to offer, make sure to stop by Navy Pier Marina at Booth A714. Chat with our team, learn about exclusive boat show offers, and start planning your next boating season in the heart of Chicago.
📍 Discover Boating Chicago Boat Show
📌 Booth A714
⚓ See you at the show — let’s make it a great Saturday!
#NavyPierMarina #ChicagoBoatShow #BoatShowSaturday #DiscoverBoating #Boatgating #ChicagoBoating #LakeMichigan #MarinaLife #BoatersLife 🚤🌊
DAY #2 Chicago Boat Show
🚤 COME SEE ALL THE EXCITEMENT, CHICAGO🚤
Boat show season is here, and Navy Pier Marina is headed to the Discover Boating Chicago Boat Show!
Swing by Booth A714 to meet the team, talk all things boating, and unlock exclusive boat-show-only savings on 2026 transient reservations at Chicago’s most iconic marina on Lake Michigan.
Whether you’re planning your next Chicago stop or mapping out your 2026 boating season, this is your chance to save big and dock in the heart of it all.
📍 Discover Boating Chicago Boat Show
📅 January 28 – February 1, 2026
📍 Booth A714
⚓️ Don’t miss it — see you at the show!
⸻
#NavyPierMarina #DiscoverBoating #ChicagoBoatShow #BoatShowSeason #SeeYouAtTheShow #LakeMichigan #ChicagoBoating #BoatersLife #MarinaLife #2026Boating #DockChicago #dockchicago
🚤 SEE YOU AT THE SHOW, CHICAGO! TODAY IS THE DAY🚤
Boat show season is here, and Navy Pier Marina is headed to the Discover Boating Chicago Boat Show!
Swing by Booth A714 to meet the team, talk all things boating, and unlock exclusive boat-show-only savings on 2026 transient reservations at Chicago’s most iconic marina on Lake Michigan.
Whether you’re planning your next Chicago stop or mapping out your 2026 boating season, this is your chance to save big and dock in the heart of it all.
📍 Discover Boating Chicago Boat Show
📅 January 28 – February 1, 2026
📍 Booth A714
⚓️ Don’t miss it — see you at the show!
⸻
#NavyPierMarina #DiscoverBoating #ChicagoBoatShow #BoatShowSeason #SeeYouAtTheShow #LakeMichigan #ChicagoBoating #BoatersLife #MarinaLife #2026Boating #DockChicago
🚤 ONE WEEK AWAY! 🚤
Boaters heading to the Discover Boating Chicago Boat Show — make sure Navy Pier Marina is on your must-visit list!
📍 Booth A714
Join us for exclusive boat show discounts on 2026 transient reservations and connect with our team to start planning your next Lake Michigan destination.
📅 January 28 - February 1, 2026
📍 Discover Boating - Chicago Boat Show - Donald E. Stephens Convention & Conference Center, Rosemont, IL
We look forward to seeing you in Rosemont and welcoming you to Navy Pier Marina for the 2026 season!
⚓️ See you at the show!
⸻
#NavyPierMarina #DiscoverBoating #ChicagoBoatShow #discoverboatingchicagoboatshow #BoatShowSeason #LakeMichiganBoating #TransientDockage #BoatersLife #2026Boating #SeeYouOnTheDocks #TransientDockage #navypierchicago #ChicagoBoating #ChicagoMarina
Plans Unveiled for Navy Pier Marina to Open June 2025
May 29, 2025
‘Navy Pier Marina Day’ marks kick-off to summer boating season
CHICAGO (May 28, 2025) – NPM Venture LLC today announced details of the highly anticipated, June 2025 opening of Navy Pier Marina. The only marina to offer transient boaters access to Navy Pier and the city at its doorstep, Navy Pier Marina will provide a home in the heart of Chicago for boaters from across the city and suburbs, and around the Great Lakes. It will also be a rendezvous for boating groups seeking unique and modern mooring facilities.
“What an incredible and exciting day for me, my family, and our entire development team,” said Randy D. Podolsky, developer and driving force behind Navy Pier Marina. “We persevered and are now able to bring long-awaited recreational boater access to Navy Pier. Being a Chicago native and a passionate boater since 1983, having envisioned this project a decade ago, I could not be more proud of everyone who took part—and believed in—making this dream come true!”
According to Podolsky, in addition to accommodating recreational boaters, Navy Pier Marina will offer limited availability to seasonal commercial vessels, including fishing, sailing, dive and social charters, boat clubs, cruises, dealers, and other boat-share operations.
The marina will also be a site for high-profile boat shows, including the inaugural Chicago International Boat Show, slated for Aug. 21-24, 2025. Produced by Revel Republic, producer of the highly successful Newport Beach International Boat Show and San Diego International Boat Show, the Chicago International Boat Show at Navy Pier Marina will feature an exclusive lineup of luxury boats, yachts, and watercraft, alongside curated showcases from luxury automotive brands, private aviation, and world-class culinary experiences.
Navy Pier Marina Amenities
Navy Pier Marina will offer lunch and dinner hourly tie-ups as well as overnight and extended stays. Boaters can moor up with friends and family to eat, ride the Centennial Wheel, experience Flyover Chicago, catch a show at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, or enjoy the Chicago Children’s Museum and scores of other attractions at Navy Pier and its surrounding neighborhoods.
Broadside (side-tie) mooring for vessels up to 183 feet in length will be available on modern floating piers. The flexible dock design even allows cleats to be repositioned for vessel tie-up. Marina amenities include an easy-to-use online reservation system and concierge-quality service, along with power and water hookups, Wi-Fi, and pump-out service.
Designed to fit in harmony with Navy Pier, the unique two-story boater amenities building has been constructed from single-use shipping containers, resulting in a modern facility with a retro look and minimal environmental impact. The building will house the marina office, ship’s store, restrooms, showers, boater’s lounge, on-site laundry, bicycle repair station, and pet-friendly relief station.
The Fulfillment of a Dream
“The phrase, ‘It takes a village,’ has never been more true than in this moment,” said Marilynn Gardner, President and CEO of Navy Pier. “This magnificent marina represents the culmination of 10 years of tireless work and tens of thousands of ‘people power’ hours from conception through what you see here today.”
Additional information, including access to the marina’s reservation system, can be found at navypiermarina.com.
ABOUT NPM VENTURE
Operating as Navy Pier Marina, NPM Venture LLC is privately funded and entrepreneurially operated. It is the brainchild and passion project of Chicago native Randy D. Podolsky. Since starting his boating adventures in 1983, Podolsky has envisioned a recreational marina at Navy Pier, which would provide unprecedented waterborne access to the People’s Pier. Podolsky has been an active member of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary since 1991 and served as the elected District Commodore of the Ninth District Western Region in 2009 and 2010, overseeing the operations of more than 1,100 uniformed volunteer Coast Guard Auxiliary members. To provide financial and physical resources for local Auxiliary units, he formed the NFP Waukegan Water Safety Association in 2001. Podolsky has been an active member of the Chicago-area commercial real estate scene since 1976 when we started his career at Arthur Rubloff & Co. Since 1979, he has headed Podolsky & Associates in Riverwoods, Ill. He has been working on the development of Navy Pier Marina since 2016 and is excited to turn his vision into a reality for all recreational boaters interested in an easy-to-reserve transient mooring in the heart of Chicago.
ABOUT NAVY PIER
Located on Lake Michigan, Navy Pier is the top nonprofit tourism destination in the Midwest, stretching more than six city blocks and typically welcoming nearly 9 million annual guests. Originally opened in 1916 as a shipping and recreation facility, this Chicago landmark showcases more than 50 acres of parks, restaurants, attractions, retail shops, sightseeing and dining cruise boats, exposition facilities, and more. The Pier celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2016 with the unveiling of the iconic Centennial Wheel, Polk Bros Park, Family Pavilion, and Peoples Energy Welcome Pavilion. Today, Navy Pier continues to usher in its second century with ongoing Pier-wide redevelopment efforts – including Sable, a 223-room Hilton hotel, new restaurant and retail partnerships, and thrilling new attractions such as Flyover Chicago. The Pier is proud to present free, year-round cultural programming designed to inspire, educate, and connect communities across the city and globe.
ABOUT NPM PARTNER CONTRACTORS
- Edgewater Resources: edgewaterresources.com
- J.F. Brennan: jfbrennan.com
- S.I. Container Builds: sicbs.com
- Structurmarine: structurmarine.com
- Marina Electrical Equipment: marinaee.com
