Moving Ahead: Chicago Expansion to Open Early

By Rachelle Crum -- Tradeshow Week, 2/13/2006

The punctual completion of a new convention center or the expansion of an existing one is always a feat, considering the hurdles — most notably bureaucratic nitpicking and city residents' criticism — that planning teams frequently face.

So, a major expansion that is eight months ahead of schedule and on budget could constitute a near-miracle for this industry.

The Metropolitan Pier & Exposition Authority, owner and operator of Chicago's McCormick Place, said that McCormick Place West, the center's most recent expansion project, would open in July 2007 instead of the originally targeted March 2008.

Officials attributed the accelerated pace to proficient planning and a remarkable stretch of good weather.

In applauding the achievement, MPEA Chairman Ted Tetzlaff called McCormick Place West "a success before it even opens it doors."

Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau Acting CEO Bill Utter acknowledged that the project's expedited completion is unusual. "Usually you hear about the opposite," he said. "It's a man-bites-dog situation."

He credited the MPEA's efficiency for the jump on scheduling. "It's an attribute to management of the project," he said. "This is an unexpected and welcome opportunity that we hope to capitalize on."

McCormick Place West will offer 470,000 square feet of exhibit space and 50,000 sq. ft. of meeting space (with more than 60 meeting rooms).

The design features a 100,000 sq. ft. ballroom, which MPEA is billing as the largest and most flexible in the nation. The ballroom can be configured 15 different ways, one of which allows a 4,500-person banquet to be staged next door to a 4,000-person general session.

The five-level structure will also include a rooftop garden with a covered terrace, a centralized transportation center and dedicated roadways for freight logistics. It will feature a central concourse on each level that puts meeting rooms, the exhibit hall, business services and common areas in close proximity.

MPEA CEO Leticia Peralta Davis said the early opening would allow the venue to book meetings and events "that could not otherwise have been accommodated."

According to Davis, the MPEA is "already aggressively marketing these newly available dates and has begun negotiating with several potential customers."

A total of 40 events ranging in size from 5,000 to 25,000 attendees have been booked for the new building to date, reported the CCTB. The bureau expects these events to bring more than 540,000 delegates to Chicago in coming years, with projected spending by those delegates totaling more than $700 million.

Among shows recently booked at the new building are several listed in the Tradeshow Week 200, including the 2009 edition of the American Urological Assn. Annual Meeting & Exhibition (No. 152); the 2007, 2008 and 2009 editions of ALL CANDY EXPO (No. 185); and the 2013, 2015 and 2018 editions of BookExpo America (No. 82).