It started with a domain name and some type-in-traffic. The recently relaunched Chicago.com aims to be both a tourist booking engine (hotels, attractions, events) and a local resource (real estate, jobs, cars). Powered by blue-chip partners such as IAC, Trader Publishing, and local hero TicketsNow.com. The site now benefits from lots of organic search traffic as well as links from other city sites (Atlanta.com, LosAngeles.com) who have partnered under the Associated Cities umbrella. As a side project, the team also launched Chicago.org, a free classifieds site for the area.
Josh has more than a few start-ups under his belt including AISNet (an early ISP co-founded with Mike Hakimi and sold to Exodus), Guitar.com (a musician's portal sold to Guitar Center), Epigraph (shut down in the downturn), ePrairie / Midwest Business, Illinois.com, etc. He also co-founded the aforementioned Associated Cities group which has created a cabal of 'city domain name' owners.
Dimensions: 8 people x 3 years x $ NDA
Funding: Owner-funded
Customers: Tourists and Locals
Location: Chicago [Ravenswood] + www.chicago.com
What's Next: Expanding local classifieds at free site www.chicago.org
