Chicago Meeting Planners Guide 2009 - (Page 10) ATTENDANCE BOOSTERS CHICAGO AT WORK Chicago made a $110 million investment to move an eight-lane freeway to create Museum Campus, which connects three museums: The Field Museum of Natural History, the Adler Planetarium and the Shedd Aquarium. The Harold Washington Library is the world’s largest public library. Founded in 1848, the Chicago Board of Trade is the world’s oldest and largest futures and options exchange. The William Wrigley Jr. Co. is the world’s largest gum manufacturer, producing more than 20 million packages daily. The birthplace of air travel, Chicago was the originating point of the first commercial air passenger. The flight departed for San Francisco on July 2, 1927. Some Chicago inventions: steel-frame skyscraper, elevated railway, winding watch, electric iron and cooking range. hicago is a favorite meetings destination, most notably because of its reputation for building attendance. A work ethic and pro-business climate pervades the city. Its meeting facilities and labor force are tops. And it’s a town that attendees find accessible and easy to navigate. C A Business Kind of Town In 2006, the number of establishments doing business in the Chicago metro area increased by 10,651 to 219,788. Although manufacturing, distribution and finance remain staples, Chicago also leads the nation in the number of business-service and high-tech professionals. In addition, both Northwestern University and the University of Chicago consistently rank among the nation’s top business schools. The huge population base is key to any business event. More than 9.1 million people live in the metropolitan area, while 46 million can make the drive in a day. With so many potential attendees, it’s no wonder that Chicago is one of the top business destinations in the country, attracting more than 11 million people a year. Venues for Successful Events With nearly 2.7 million square feet of exhibit space, McCormick Place is North America’s largest conven- tion center. It can easily handle the biggest trade shows and conventions. But with its flexibility, McCormick Place is an ideal venue for virtually any size event. It’s actually four convention halls in one: McCormick Place North, McCormick Place South, McCormick Place West and Lakeside Center. They can all be configured to accommodate events from small to large. 10 Chicago Meeting Professionals Guide
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