'Let's Eat' Takes on New Meaning in Chicago
Staff -- Tradeshow Week, 7/2/2007
Chicago's Metropolitan Pier & Exposition Authority board has awarded a 10-year food service contract for McCormick Place and Navy Pier — Festival Hall A&B to a group of restaurateurs that will send more to the authority's bottom line and promises quality enhancements for tradeshow crowds.
A five-year deal with Levy Restaurants ends Aug. 31. At that time, a group called Chicago Restaurant Partners takes over. Levy has a 45-percent stake in the new group, as does Phil Stefani Signature Restaurants. Airport Restaurant Management has a 10-percent interest. The group anticipates $300 million in revenue from food sales at the two venues over the next decade. Under the new agreement, the MPEA should collect about $7.2 million a year, up from $5.6 million under the old contract last year.
The new deal wasn't all about money though.
"We'll be more involved," said McCormick Place General Manager David Causton. "We wanted to increase more points of sale, and we wanted to find more places on the showfloor for food sales."
While few show organizers have had complaints about the catering services offered by Levy, many event participants have groaned about cash outlets in the venues.
"We survey exhibitors and attendees, and we ask about food and beverage," said Steve Drew, assistant executive director at the Radiological Society of North America, which organizes the annual RSNA Scientific Assembly & Annual Meeting at McCormick Place. "It's not a very pretty survey."
But, Drew added, McCormick Place officials tell him things are changing.
"On any given day, we've got 50,000 people in the building," he said. "They show up in the morning and don't go home until that night."
Drew said it was imperative that there are enough dining options available so that attendees aren't tempted to leave in the middle of the day. That's why he's gotten assurances that, beginning in 2008, the three exhibit halls RSNA uses will have dining facilities that will each serve up to 2,500 people at once.
"If you turn the tables at least three times at lunch, they should be able to serve 36,000 people each day," Drew calculated. "Let's hope they follow through."
