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Black Meetings & Tourism April/May 2009: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 120 ThE WinDY CiTY BOaSTS MEETinG VEnUES GaLORE BY NORMAN MAYERS Chicago is a major destination for business travelers, attracting some 13 million business people each year. A trade show or event taking place in the Chicago has an advantage since there is a population of 8.8 million in the metro area and 46 million can make the drive in a day. Located along the shore of Lake Michigan, McCormick Place features four state-of-the-art buildings: McCormick Place North, McCormick Place South, Lakeside Center, and the new West Building. The four buildings allow for optimal configurations for small corporate meetings, mid-sized con- ventions and mega trade shows, while maintaining the identity of the different events. McCormick Place features 2.7 million sq. ft. of exhibit halls – 1.1 million on 1 level, 173 meeting rooms providing 600,000 sq. ft. of space, assembly seating for 10,000 people, a 4,249-seat theater (Arie Crown Theater), three theaters seating 300 or more each, ceiling heights up to 50 ft., and easy access and 6,000 parking spaces. Keeping pace with cut- ting-edge technology, McCormick Place offers a high-speed wireless network or wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) with the ability to accommodate 1,500 users concurrent- ly. Laptop and PDA users can access the Internet and check email without ever having to search for an available electri- cal outlet or leave the building. The McCormick Place North addi- tion, which was completed in 1986, fea- tures over 700,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space that can be used independently or in conjunction with McCormick Place South and/or Lakeside Center. The North Building also offers two exhibit halls (496,000 sq. ft. and 209,500 sq. ft.), 29 meeting rooms, and the Grand Concourse Lobby, featuring 35,836 sq. ft. of space that can be used for registration or exhibit space. The South Building, opening in 1996, features 840,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space and is linked to the other two buildings by a glass-enclosed Grand Concourse, a 100-ft.-high ceiling, 900-ft.- long walkway featuring a business cen- ter, gift shop, visitor information booth and other amenities. The South Building also offers one exhibit hall (840,000 sq. ft.), 43 meeting rooms, and a 33,000-sq. ft. ballroom. Lakeside Center (the former East Building) re-opened in 1998 in what was the original McCormick Place structure, and features over 583,000 sq. ft. of exhib- it space, and has been retrofitted to meet the needs of a variety of different groups in the mid-sized and growing event mar- ket. Lakeside Center also offers two exhibit halls (300,000 sq. ft. and 283,000 sq. ft.), 40 meeting rooms, one of the largest ballrooms in the city (45,000 sq. ft.), and the Arie Crown Theater (4,249 seats). McCormick Place West, which opened in 2007, has added more than 700,000 sq. ft. to the nation's number one convention center. The West Building offers one exhibit hall (470,000 sq. ft.), 61 meeting rooms, and Chicago's largest ballroom at 100,000 sq. ft. Navy Pier offers a unique setting for meetings and exhibitions. One of Chicago's enduring landmarks, Navy Pier opened in 1916 as a combination shipping and recreation facility. A $200 million renovation transformed Navy Pier into a world-class convention, cul- tural and recreational center, becoming Chicago's most popular visitor attraction and a premier meeting facility. Navy Pier offers state-of-the-art exposition and special event facilities with more than 170,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space, over 48,000 sq. ft. of meeting space (divisible into 36 meeting rooms), 18,000-sq. ft. Grand Ballroom offering panoramic lake views, and over 50,000 sq. ft. of multi-use reception areas. O'Hare International Airport and Midway International serve the Chicago area with more than 1.3 million flights a year. WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Chicago CTB – (312) 567-8500 www.choosechicago.com AREA GUIDES ChiCaGO Chicago Skyline Photo Credit: Chicago CTB