Golden Corridor


The Golden Corridor is the area around the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, formerly known as the Northwest Tollway, in the Chicago metropolitan area. Its name refers to the "gold" mine of economic profit for communities in the area. Several Fortune 500 company headquarters, office parks, industrial parks, exhibition and entertainment centers, medical facilities, hotels, shopping centers, and restaurants are in the Golden Corridor. With the exception of the O'Hare area of Chicago, all the communities in this region are part of a larger region known as the "Northwest Suburbs".

Cities and villages

Cities and villages in the Golden Corridor include:

Major companies

Several important companies are headquartered in or have a significant presence in the corridor. They include:
  • Sears Holdings, a major department store chain headquartered in Hoffman Estates
  • Motorola Solutions, a telecommunications company which used to have a large presence in Schaumburg.
  • United Airlines, a major airline houses its data center in Elk Grove Township and has its national hub at O'Hare International Airport.
  • Claire's, a retailer of accessories and jewelry to young women, headquartered in Hoffman Estates
  • Affiliated Computer Services, an information technology outsourcing company with offices in Schaumburg
  • The Nielsen Company, a marketing research firm headquartered in Schaumburg
  • U.S. Robotics, a manufacturer of modems headquartered in Schaumburg
  • United Stationers, an office products distributor headquartered in Des Plaines
  • Big Ten Conference, a collegiate athletics conference headquartered in Rosemont
  • Popular, Inc., regional offices in Rosemont
  • Sprint Nextel, a telecommunications company with regional offices in Rosemont and Itasca
  • Nexicore, a Nationwide onsite computer contractor with offices in Des Plaines
  • Zurich Insurance Group, North America headquarters in Schaumburg
  • Fifth Third Bank offices in the Continental Towers in Arlington Heights
  • Chase Bank branch offices in Elgin
  • Evangelical Covenant Church, a Protestant religious denomination headquartered in Chicago
  • Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, a Protestant religious denomination headquartered in Chicago
  • IGA, a supermarket chain headquartered in Chicago
  • True Value, a hardware store chain headquartered in Chicago
  • U.S. Cellular, a mobile communications service provider headquartered in Chicago
  • uBid, an online auction platform company headquartered in Chicago
  • XL Capital, A Corporate Insurance Company headquartered in Bermuda, Has Regional offices in Schaumburg
  • Siemens Medical Solutions, regional offices in Hoffman Estates
  • FANUC Robotics, regional offices in Hoffman Estates
  • NEC Display Solutions of America, regional offices in Itasca
  • Omron Automation Americas, United States/Americas headquarter in Hoffman Estates
  • STMicroelectronics, regional offices in Schaumburg
  • Mazak, a Japanese machine tool builder with regional offices in Schaumburg and Elgin
  • THK, a Japanese machinery manufacturer with its U.S. headquarters in Schaumburg
  • First Midwest Bank, a bank headquartered in Chicago, Illinois
  • BMO Harris Bank, a Chicago-based bank with regional offices in Schaumburg
  • Comcast, a cable and telecommunications provider with regional offices in Schaumburg
  • Chicago Tribune, a Chicago-based newspaper with regional offices in Schaumburg
  • The Daily Herald, a suburban Chicago newspaper with headquarters in Arlington Heights and regional offices in Elgin and a printing center in Schaumburg
  • Verizon Wireless, a telecommunications company with regional offices in both Elgin and Schaumburg
  • Safeco, an insurance company with regional offices in Schaumburg
  • Experian a credit information group with regional offices in Schaumburg
  • CareerBuilder.com, a career services company headquartered in Chicago
  • Pace, suburban Chicago's bus transit provider headquartered in Arlington Heights
  • PromoWorks, a marketing services company headquartered in Schaumburg
  • Bystronic, a manufacturer headquartered in Hoffman Estates
  • DMG Mori Seiki Co., a machining manufacturer USA headquartered in Hoffman Estates
  • a Machining manufacturer in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
  • Trumpf, a manufacturer headquartered in Hoffman Estates
  • NSK America, a manufacturer headquartered in Hoffman Estates
  • headquarters in Palatine, Illinois and factory in Huntley
  • Regional offices for several major home developers including Taylor Morrison, Pulte and Lennar
  • Flexera Software, A software company providing software licensing, compliance and installation solutions for application producers and mid to large enterprises, with headquarters in Itasca
  • Expansive industrial parks in Elk Grove Village and Elgin
  • Great American Insurance Company, an insurance company with divisions in Schaumburg
  • BMW of North America, a German luxury auto manufacturer, with Regional offices in Schaumburg
  • Schaumburg Boomers, a professional minor league baseball team located in Schaumburg

    Educational institutions

A variety of higher educational institutions are in the Golden Corridor, ranging from branch locations to community colleges to four-year colleges.
  • Judson University, a 4-year college in Elgin
  • Harper College, a very large community college at Roselle Road and Algonquin Road in Palatine
  • Elgin Community College, a community college in Elgin
  • Roosevelt University on McConnor Parkway in Schaumburg
  • American InterContinental University has its online campus offices in Schaumburg
  • Argosy University branch in Schaumburg
  • DePaul University branch in Rolling Meadows
  • Olivet Nazarene University branch in Rolling Meadows
  • National Louis University branch in Elgin
  • Illinois Institute of Art in Schaumburg
  • Oakton Community College in Des Plaines

    Shopping centers

Ranging from regional indoor malls to chic lifestyle centers, "the Golden Corridor" is a bustling center of retail activity. Major shopping centers include:
  • Woodfield Mall, among the Top 10 largest malls in North America, and the largest in Illinois. Located at Golf Road and Interstate 290, just south of Interstate 90
  • The Streets of Woodfield, an outdoor mall of about 30 stores adjacent to Woodfield Mall.
  • Fashion Outlets of Chicago, an enclosed 130-store outlet mall located at River Road and Balmoral Avenue, on the east side of Interstate 294, just south of Interstate 90 and Interstate 190, in Rosemont
  • Algonquin Commons and the Algonquin Galleria, the largest outdoor mall complex in Illinois. Located on Randall Road, north of I-90, in Algonquin
  • Spring Hill Mall, a regional mall at Route 31 and Route 72, north of I-90, in West Dundee
  • The Arboretum of South Barrington located in South Barrington, off of Illinois Route 59 and Illinois Route 72.
  • One of two Chicago-area IKEA locations in Schaumburg
  • Cabela's located in Hoffman Estates
  • Poplar Prairie Stone Crossing, a regional retail center located On IL Rt. 59 in Hoffman Estates

    Entertainment and exhibition centers

From major arenas to convention centers to theaters to gambling centers, the Golden Corridor is a thriving entertainment center. Major facilities include:
  • Allstate Arena, a 16,000-seat arena at Mannheim Road and Interstate 90 in Rosemont. The arena is the home of the Chicago Wolves AHL team, Chicago Sky WNBA team, and DePaul Blue Demons college basketball team.
  • NOW Arena, a 10,000-seat arena at Beverly Road and Interstate 90 in Hoffman Estates. The arena is the home of the Windy City Bulls team.
  • The Rosemont Theater, a 4,000-seat theater in Rosemont.
  • The Hemmens Cultural Center, a 1,200-seat theater in downtown Elgin. The theater is the home of the Elgin Symphony Orchestra.
  • The Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, an convention center in Rosemont.
  • Schaumburg Convention Center and Renaissance Hotel, a convention center and 500-room hotel located at Meacham Road and I-90 in Schaumburg.
  • Medieval Times, a dinner-theater located at Roselle Road and Interstate 90 in Schaumburg.
  • Legoland Discovery Center in Schaumburg.
  • Arlington Park, a major horse racing track in Arlington Heights, along Illinois Route 53, just north of Interstate 90.
  • Grand Victoria Riverboat, located in downtown Elgin, a couple miles south of Interstate 90.
  • Rivers Casino, a casino located at River Road and Devon Avenue in Des Plaines, on the east side of Interstate 294, just north of Interstate 90. It is Illinois' most-profitable casino.
  • Wintrust Field, a 7,000+ seat minor league ballpark located on Springinsguth Road in Schaumburg, a few miles south of Interstate 90. It is home of the Schaumburg Boomers professional minor league baseball team.

    Healthcare facilities

Within five miles of the Northwest Tollway are a variety of major hospitals, including:
  • Sherman Hospital: off Randall Road, a half-mile south of Interstate 90 in Elgin
  • St. Joseph's Hospital: off Randall Road, south of Interstate 90 in Elgin
  • Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital on Algonquin Road, north of Interstate 90 in Huntley
  • Ascension Health St. Alexius Medical Center: on Barrington Road, a half-mile south of Interstate 90 in Hoffman Estates
  • AMITA Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital, a half-mile south of Interstate 90 in Hoffman Estates
  • Northwest Community Hospital: off Central Road, a mile north of Interstate 90 in Arlington Heights
  • : on Biesterfield Road, south of Interstate 90 in Elk Grove Village
  • Advocate Lutheran General Hospital: a major hospital and trauma center on Dempster Street, north of Interstate 90 in Park Ridge
  • AMITA Resurrection Medical Center: a comprehensive stroke center and one of Chicago’s Emergency Medicine residency programs, just a mile north of Interstate 90 in Chicago

    Hotels and restaurants

Nearly every national hotel and restaurant chain can be found along the corridor, as well as numerous independently owned and local chains.
The highest concentration of hotels can be found in the Schaumburg/Arlington Heights and Rosemont/O'Hare areas, with secondary concentrations in Hoffman Estates, Elgin, and Itasca.