Why I Love Doing Trade Shows at McCormick Place in Chicago
The place that birthed my trade show career has taken a lot of abuse lately due to political, union, and cost concerns. I have a “glass half full” personality, so I believe that everyone can work together to get everything worked out to benefit all parties involved.
In the meantime, I want to show McCormick Place some love:
- McCormick Place is located just outside the heart of downtown Chicago, so it is easier to get into and out of than some other convention centers
- McCormick Place has the most square footage of convention space contained under one roof (2.6 million square feet precisely), therefore it is the largest convention center in the US
- McCormick Place is an architecturally lovely building full of expansive spaces
- there are windows in all 4 halls of McCormick Place so it has a light, bright, and airy feel and I never feel like I am trapped in a tomb
- the ceilings are extremely high (40-50+ feet) which allows for double-decker booths and does not give McCormick Place a cave-like feeling
- the 4 halls are named North, South, East, and West which allows for easy distinction when a trade show fills more than one of them
- all 4 halls are attached so it is convenient to get from one to another and you never have to be exposed to bad weather
- the Grand Concourse Lobby is light-filled (so excellent for photography) and has 35,836 square feet of space which can be used for registration
- the West building has attained LEED Certification and McCormick Place has taken part in many green initiatives designed to help the environment
- there are a great amount of bathrooms, they are easily located, and they are always clean
- in fact, I consider McCormick Place to be one of the cleanest convention centers I have ever visited
- there are many options for meeting rooms (173 to be exact), and they are easy to locate
- McCormick Place is attached to the Hyatt Regency, which allows for even more meeting room, coffee, and dining options…and the best commute if you are lucky enough to score one of the 800 sleeping rooms there during a trade show
- as a Presenter, I have never had a problem with interference on my microphone
- McCormick Place has received many awards for excellence in convention business
- there are many out-of-the-way locations if you need a quiet place to make a phone call, conduct business, or take a rest
- there are many places to host a tweet-up
And why I think Chicago is a great city to host a trade show:
- Chicago has 2 airports so it is very easy to get a direct flight into the city
- Chicago is centrally located in the middle of the country, so it is not too far or too expensive to get to it, and trade shows have the ability to attract attendees from all across the US
- Chicago has tons of hotel and restaurant choices which are all centrally located
- Chicago is a “walking” city and very easy to navigate by foot
- there are lots of “tourist” and shopping options if you want to extend your stay or bring along your family…but you don’t have to fight with the tourists for reservations or space
- I have always found the shuttle busses to run quickly and conveniently…and they have a secret route that no one else can use to ensure more timely pick-ups and drop offs
- taxis, shuttle busses, and cars can get into and out of it quickly
- the Metro stops at McCormick Place…and oftentimes trade shows even offer free passes
- Chicago has such a rich history of trade shows, so the hospitality industry knows how to service the conventioneers
- the taxi cab companies provide their drivers with a list of the trade shows and the drivers make the conventioneers their priority when trade shows are in town
So what do you think? Help me show some love for McCormick Place and Chicago to give the powers-that-be the incentive to figure out how to keep existing shows in Chicago and attract new ones!
And special thanks to Eric Lukazewski, a Chicago native, for being my sounding board on this article!!
Copyright 2010. This article may be shared or referenced as long as the source is cited and linked. No portion of this article may be copied or reproduced without express written permission by the author.
Thanks for all the Chicago love, Emilie!
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Emilie Barta Reply:
April 12th, 2010 at 9:21 am
My pleasure, Heidi! It really does bother me that McCormick Place is getting such bad press when I think it is one of the most enjoyable places to hold a trade show. I would love to hear some of your reasons since you are a local! ;o)
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I was at All Things Organic at the McCormick Place a couple of years ago and agree that it is a great place. Sorry to hear it is getting bad press; I just saw this morning that they may be getting govt subsidies.
Chicago is a great walking city as well; here’s a link to a Chicago photo album from the Hancock Tower and downtown Chicago from my trip: http://picasaweb.google.com/103083601294987095885/Chicago2008?feat=directlink
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Emilie Barta Reply:
April 12th, 2010 at 12:45 pm
So happy to hear that you enjoyed your experience at McCormick Place, Tim. And your Chicago photo album is gorgeous…proof that Chicago is a beautiful city with many things to do and see by foot. Thanks for sharing it with us!!
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Chicago draws! Both locally and regionally. If you want to get people in the aisles, there is no better destination (for most industries).
Chicago doesn’t have perception issues. If you need to get approval for attending, it doesn’t have the perception of fun that some other cities have. People quickly associate attending a show in Chicago as real work.
There’s definitely some negatives, but I’ll leave those for another post.
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Emilie Barta Reply:
April 14th, 2010 at 8:51 am
I completely agree with you, Dave, that “Chicago draws” from all corners of the country and has the perception of a “work” city (even though we both know how much fun it is as well)! Thanks for your comment!!
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What a great list…thanks for mentioning us on here. Our favorite part of McCormick Place, aside from the conventioneers, is the fountain watching!
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Emilie Barta Reply:
April 14th, 2010 at 9:02 am
Thanks for the comment and the compliment, Liz! And you bring up a great point about McCormick Place…it is a beautiful series of structures that is extremely aesthetically pleasing. I think the “jumping fountains” that you mentioned look and sound wonderful, are a great way to designate directions (“the cab line starts at the door by the jumping fountains”), and are a easy-to-find meeting place (“I’ll meet you by the jumping fountains”).
In fact, you can now find a monitor with all of the flights departing Chicago from both airports by the jumping fountains. And just think, if someone finds their flight delayed…they could grab a quick bite or a drink at the Hyatt restaurants! ;o)
Of course there are even more fountains to be found in McCormick Place, which just adds to the ambiance…
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I liked your blog. I’d add that Chicago is a destination that people love to visit. I ran a trade show for 19 years and Chicago consistently was at the top of the list of most desired sites when attendees were asked for their favorites. Exhibitors tend to like it as well although the cost issues got in the way for some of the larger ones. If exhibitor cost concerns can be addressed, and I don’t see why they can’t, then Chicago will remain amongst the most desirable U.S. destinations for both attendees and exhibitors.
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Emilie Barta Reply:
April 14th, 2010 at 9:05 am
Thank you for your comment and your compliment, Stuart…here is hoping that the cost concerns are taken care of so that Chicago can continue to remain one of the “most desired sites when attendees are asked for their favorites!!”
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Born and raised in Chicago, I can not imagine living anywhere else. I love doing tradeshows at McCormick Place more than any other venue across this country. All our unions are making a great effort to come together and I do see the glass as half full as well.
Debbie Gerhardt
Regional Trade Services
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Emilie Barta Reply:
April 14th, 2010 at 9:07 am
So happy to find a fellow “glass half full” mindset about the Chicago trade show industry, Debbie…thanks for your comment!
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Chicago is my favorite conference city. Central location, outstanding facilities, multiple opportunties for off-site activities, and an abundance of housing are just a few of the positives.
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Emilie Barta Reply:
April 16th, 2010 at 10:12 pm
So happy to hear that Chicago is your favorite conference city, Jeffrey…I agree with each and every one of your positives. Thank you for your comment!!
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Well, I’m from the Windy City, and there is nothing better than walking along Lake Michigan, driving down Lake Shore Drive, eating at The 99th Floor restaurant on top of the Hancock Building, walking down Michigan Avenue or any other street during the hustle and bustle of the day…not to mention eating at some of the finest restaurants at night! I almost forgot the fantastic clubs as well. So in short, I would recommend doing your trade shows or other events in Chicago!
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Emilie Barta Reply:
April 16th, 2010 at 10:17 pm
Thank you so much for your fabulous reasons, Mike…you have highlighted some of the best spots that make up the “essence” of Chicago!!
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I worked my very first trade show at McCormick in 1998, so I’ve got a nostalgic link to it. I haven’t been to a show there for about a decade now, and miss it! There’s a lot to recommend this facility, from the dancing fountains in the lobby, to Chicago’s (relatively) central positioning between the coasts. Now can they just make the winters warmer???
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Emilie Barta Reply:
April 16th, 2010 at 10:16 pm
I am sad that you have not been back to McCormick Place in so long, Andy….I count myself lucky that I get to be there at least a couple of times per year. I agree that McCormick Place is a fabulous facility and that Chicago has a lot to offer. Although I do like the cold weather during a trade show as it keeps the attendees inside the show!! ;o)
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Chicago is my favorite big city – so much to do – and what a great opportunity to take in all that it offers when doing a tradeshow at McCormick. They have lost shows recently due to the unions, but knowing Chicago they will turn it around and bring the business back.
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Emilie Barta Reply:
April 16th, 2010 at 10:11 pm
Thank you so much for your comment, Jami. I share your same confidence that Chicago can get back on track…now let’s hope that they do it soon!!
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Hi Emilie, we have seen a lot of changes over the years and McCormick Place is better than ever. Shows which are pulling out of McCormick are claiming it is because of union costs. Comparison wise, Chicago still does a lot better than many cities on rates, with the exception being electrical and plumbing. We need to address those two. Cities like S.F. NYC, and Boston to name a few, are doing fine and charge a lot more than McCormick. Forklift rates are 3 times higher in NYC and double in Boston than Chicago for example. Everyone thinks Orlando and Vegas are the greener grass but it is a myth. We have a great city, people, and the best convention venue in the country!
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Emilie Barta Reply:
April 24th, 2010 at 5:46 pm
Thank you so much for your comment, Paul…it is so nice to meet a fellow fan of McCormick Place!
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Having worked in Chicago for 11 years of my career, I’m pretty Chicago biased. Everything mentioned here is correct. While there is an additional expense of working in Chicago, most people will find that it gets done right the first time also.
However, one of the most overlooked features that I believe helps Chicago stand out over other popular cities for conventions, is the low overall cost of a selling/exhibiting trip to Chicago. There are very few, I would say it’s even rare, number of exhibitors that go to Chicago for a convention and don’t build in other sales calls around their trip. Rose mentioned the Fortune 500 companies in Chicago.
In addition, draw concentric 100, 200, and 300 mile circles around Chicago, and watch the number of sales opportunities to combine with your visit to Chicago expand exponentially. You start reaching into metro areas like Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Detroit, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Des Moines, St. Louis, and the like. This is not a claim that can be made by other convention cities outside of maybe a New York or Philadelphia, or Washington, which also have strong labor environments.
The quality of work you get in Chicago for the price, and the additional revenue producing opportunities you can attach to a Chicago exhibiting/selling experience, are World Class and should be a part of every discussion about the advantages of Chicago as an event destination.
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Emilie Barta Reply:
April 24th, 2010 at 6:18 pm
Wow, Brad…shame on me for not thinking of the business opportunities outside of the trade show that Chicago offers. You are absolutely correct to mention how cost-effective it is for people to tack sales calls onto their visit to McCormick Place. And since Chicago allows easy access to so many additional cities within a 300 mile radius, sales calls can be made to companies in those cities very effectively and efficiently as well.
Thank you so much for your comment…and all of your great reasons as to why you love doing trade shows in Chicago!
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