Meeting News - September 8, 2008 - (Page 68)

CVB Showcase Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau illinois McCormick Place North, South, and Lakeside Center. The 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 smallscale sales meetings and medical conferences. And its 103,000-square-foot ballroom is the largest and most adaptable in the Midwest. Advanced technology throughout McCormick Place adds to its state-of-the-art appeal. The convention center 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 U.S. with a connection to Internet2, allowing access to a variety of activities, including worldwide high-definition quality video broadcasting. ACCOMMODATIONS Spread throughout downtown Chicago are 30,000-plus guest rooms, a number slated to increase dramatically over the next two years. In fact, an estimated 4,500 new and varied hotel rooms are scheduled for completion by the end of 2010. The city offers 800 rooms within one mile of McCormick Place in the shape of the neighboring Hyatt Regency McCormick Place. Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA) may even add up to 600 rooms to the property. There are more than 3,500 rooms within two miles, and more than 20,000 rooms within three miles. Other key properties include the Trump International Hotel & Tower, which opened its doors this year, and the newly renovated Blackstone Hotel, once known as the Hotel of Presidents. Several hotel projects are currently under construction, such as the 183-room Elysian Hotel & Private Residences; the first U.S.-based, 200-room Shangri-la Hotel; the 327-room Renaissance Hotel; and the 250-room Mandarin Oriental. DINING 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. With more Five Diamond restaurants than any other city, a sampling of everything from hot dogs and steaks to haute cuisine is in order for meeting delegates. ATTRACTIONS Chicago is home to Millennium Park, the city’s latest international icon. Its 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. World-renowned museums and theater make Chicago a cultural beacon. And the city’s 198 unique neighborhoods showcase tremendous diversity. Each offers its own mix of eclectic shops, ethnic restaurants, and free festivals. GETTING THERE 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 the same business day. CONTACT Mark Tunney Managing Director Convention Sales Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau (312) 567-8481 Fax: (312) 567-8472 E-mail: mtunney@choosechicago.com www.choosechicago.com McCormick Place’s dazzling dimensions make an impression MCCORMICK PLACE Total Exhibit Space: 2.7 million sf Meeting Rooms: 173 Largest Ballroom: 103,000 sf Largest Banquet: 2,380 Parking Spaces: 6,000 Chicago has all the elements to create meetings success. From the services and flexibility of the reputable McCormick Place to a bounty of world-class hotels, cuisine, nightlife, and attractions, “The City That Works” brings a productive and professional spirit to the world of meetings. CONVENTION CENTER The first and most flexible convention venue in the country, McCormick Place impresses with its sheer size—the total exhibit space at 2.7 million square feet. Its largest ballroom is 103,000 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 convention center underwent its latest evolution in fall 2007, adding a fourth stateof-the-art building to its landscape, which also includes 68 September 8, 2008 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION http://www.choosechicago.com

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Meeting News - September 8, 2008

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