Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/44484
MEETING, INCENTIVES & TRAVELING IN THE MIDWEST BY SONYA STINSON tionary Black music sound was born. It's the home of America's largest shopping mall and the largest musical fes- tival on the planet. The Midwest, sometimes called America's Heartland, is I teeming with interesting places to see and fun things to do. Its central location makes it accessible to travelers from most points on the U.S.mainland.And with a variety of ven- ues ranging from large state-of-the-art convention centers to casinos and water parks, the region's meeting spaces can accommodate all kinds of groups. Read on for a taste of what this region has in store. t's the place where you'll find the nation's largestAfrican- American cultural museum and its oldest Black theater, a land where civil rights history was made and a revolu- ILLINOIS MillenniumPark continues to be one of theWindyCity's hottest hangouts,while one ofChicago'smost notableBlack heritage attractions is the Dusable Museum of African- AmericanHistory. Lisle, situated 60 miles west of the city in the region known as Chicagoland, offers meeting space for 40 to 50 people at Lisle Station Park.The setting is an 1874 CB&Q RailroadDepot. Moline boasts the "world's most comprehensive agricul- tural exhibit," in its John Deere Pavilion. For a memorable group outing, consider aMississippiRiver cruise aboard the Celebration Belle. The Peoria Civic Center, containing 110,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space, is the largest event venue in Downstate 42 Bronzeville Museum, Chicago Black Meetings & Tourism September/October 2011: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com