Meeting News - July 21, 2008 - (Page 36)

new & renovated showcase Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau Chicago, Illinois rently under construction, such as the 183-room Elysian Hotel & Private Residences and the first U.S.-based, 200-room Shangri-la Hotel •Projects beginning construction this year also include the 327-room Renaissance Hotel and the 250-room Mandarin Oriental •Handful of other projects are in the early planning phase •Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA) may add up to 600 rooms to the existing 800-room Hyatt Regency McCormick Place adjacent to the convention center •City offers 800 rooms within one mile of McCormick Place, more than 3,500 rooms within two miles, and more than 20,000 rooms within three miles MEETINGS BLUEPRINT • McCormick Place continues to offer more services and flexibility •New West Building includes 470,000 square feet of exhibition space and 250,000 square feet of meeting space, all of which can be easily configured to any size event. Its flexible space makes it perfect for large corporate exhibits, and small-scale sales meetings and medical conferences. Its 103,000-square-foot ballroom is the largest and most adaptable in the Midwest •Advanced technology adds to its state-of-the-art appeal ATTRACTIONS • World-renowned museums and theater •Chicago is home to Millennium Park, Chicago’s latest international icon. 24.5 acres of green space features an outdoor performing arts pavilion, an indoor, year-round theater, a restaurant, an ice-skating rink, a contemporary garden, public art, fountains, and a promenade area for special events •198 unique neighborhoods showcase the city’s tremendous cultural diversity. Each offers its own mix of eclectic shops, ethnic restaurants, and free festivals DINING DELIGHTS •Travel & Leisure, Saveur, and The Robb Report named Chicago the top dining city in America, and the James Beard Foundation recently awarded Alinea’s Grant Achatz the Outstanding Chef Award •More Five diamond restaurants than any other city •Sample everything from hot dogs and steaks to haute cuisine ON THE MAP Chicago’s central location and more direct flights into O’Hare and Midway Airports than any other city in the country allow business travelers to visit Chicago, conduct business, and return home on the same business day. CONTACT Mark Tunney Managing Dir. Convention Sales Chicago CVB (312) 567-8481 Fax: (312) 567-8472 E-mail: mtunney@choosechicago.com www.choosechicago.com The country’s premier convention center doesn’t rest on its laurels WHAT'S NEW The first and most flexible convention venue in the country, McCormick Place continues to evolve. Its three state-of-the-art buildings—including McCormick Place North, South, and Lakeside Center—added a fourth in fall 2007 when the West Building opened eight months ahead of schedule. Most impressive is its total exhibit space, at 2.7 million square feet. Its largest ballroom is 100,000 square feet, a complement to McCormick Place's 173 meeting rooms, banquet space for up to 2,380 guests, and 6,000 parking spaces. THE FLOOR PLAN •Downtown Chicago's 30,000plus guest rooms are set to increase dramatically in next two years •Estimated 4,500 new and varied hotel rooms scheduled for completion by the end of 2010 •This year, the Trump International Hotel & Tower opened its doors followed by the Blackstone Hotel, once known as the Hotel of Presidents, after a multimillion dollar renovation • Several hotel projects are cur- RENOVATED The Big Day: Fall 2007 The Bottom Line: Undisclosed SPOTLIGHT Advanced technology throughout McCormick Place adds to its state-of-the-art appeal. McCormick Place has expanded its Wi-Fi coverage and can now manage more than 3,000 concurrent users at any given time--the most of any convention center in the country. The property is the only convention center in the country with a connection to Internet2, allowing access to a variety of activities, including worldwide high-definition quality video broadcasting. SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION 36 July 21, 2008 http://www.choosechicago.com

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Meeting News - July 21, 2008

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