McHugh Construction, one of the Midwest’s largest commercial contractors, today announced it has completed the construction of Flyover, an upwards of $40 million flight ride attraction that recently opened at the west entrance of Chicago’s historic Navy Pier.

As construction manager, McHugh guided the project from demolition of the former IMAX theater to the buildout and division of the approximately 48,000-square-foot space into three separate rooms as well as ancillary space. First, visitors enter an immersive video gallery featuring Chicago personalities and places. From there, visitors move to a 360-degree pre-show theatre, where stories of the people that make up the fabric of the city are introduced. Lastly, guests enter the ride space and interact with a 65-foot spherical screen from one of 61 suspended seats that swoop, dip and tilt to give riders the feeling of soaring over Chicago’s neighborhoods all while experiencing wind, mist and scents.

“Throughout the project and especially during the busy summer months, we leaned on our extensive experience with working on Navy Pier to minimize any impact on visitors,” said Andrew Totten, vice president of McHugh Construction. “We erected temporary walls with graphics of the future attraction to create separation between the work site and common interior areas of Navy Pier and worked in the evenings during high-traffic days to limit noise, dust and material deliveries.”

McHugh has constructed many popular attractions and venues on Navy Pier, including the Centennial Wheel; Offshore, the world’s largest rooftop bar, according to the Guinness Book of World Records; and Sable at Navy Pier, a $100 million, 223-room hotel that is part of Hilton’s Curio Collection.

“Flyover is the latest project to demonstrate our ability to transform underutilized spaces into immersive environments with enduring value,” Totten said. “We tapped our network of trusted subcontractors and suppliers to navigate the unique challenges associated with the site and realize our client’s vision for this attraction.”

McHugh also put these skills to work recently at another entertainment destination that opened in December 2023: Ramova Theatre, a $30 million adaptive reuse of a single-screen cinema into an 1,800-person concert hall, brewery and taproom, and 18-seat diner in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood.

Flyover was developed by Pursuit, an attractions and hospitality company. Chicago-based Epstein served as architect on the project, whose build-out cost approximately $16 million and created nearly 250 jobs.

For more information about Flyover, visit www.flyoverchicagonavypier.com.

About McHugh Construction:

Specializing in multi-family residential, hotel and hospitality, and recreational facilities, McHugh Construction is a fourth-generation, privately owned company and one of the largest full-service construction firms in the United States. McHugh provides a platform for collaboration, transparency, and efficiency. Within that seamless approach, the firm offers a full range of core competencies and capabilities including general contracting, construction management, design-build, preconstruction services, program management, concrete construction and structural engineering services on behalf of every client on every project. McHugh’s unwavering commitment to its clients, its ability to deliver exceptional results on time and within budget, and its dedication to growing and developing its partnerships with subcontractors is the reputation the firm has built are the reasons behind its 80% repeat business. McHugh has transformed some of the most luxurious five-star hotels, including the Peninsula, Ritz-Carlton Chicago and Four Seasons; constructed record-setting high-rise buildings with NEMA Chicago, St. Regis Chicago and Aqua Tower; built recreational facilities at United Center and Indoor Track & Field Facility at Gately Park; and led the transformation of Navy Pier through its Centennial Vision renovation program. McHugh has also completed several projects around the country in locations including Nashville, St. Louis, Minneapolis, and South Florida. For more information on the company, visit www.mchughconstruction.com.

About Flyover by Pursuit:

Flyover is an immersive experience of awe and wonder, transporting guests through the planet’s most epic places through exhilarating flying journeys. The attraction utilizes flight motion seats engineered to swoop, dip and turn, giving guests a feeling of flight while a 65-foot spherical screen that provides guests with an unparalleled fight across iconic locations and natural landscapes. Special effects, including wind, mist and scents, to create an unforgettable entertainment experience. Owned and operated by Pursuit, the new Chicago location marks the fourth Flyover attraction for the global attractions and hospitality brand, which also includes Flyover attractions in Las Vegas, Reykjavik, Iceland, and Vancouver, Canada. The new Chicago location is located directly across from the Children’s Museum at the historic Navy Pier. For more information about Flyover visit flyoverattractions.com.