October 21, 2010
CONTACTS:
Mary Kay Marquisos, MPEA
312-791-6237
Jon Kaplan, MPEA
312-791-6319
McCormick Place Unveils Phase II Reforms Designed to Cut
Costs, Increase Flexibility for Conventions and Tradeshows
Coming to Chicago
Phase II reforms include free WiFi and reduced parking rates
CHICAGO - McCormick Place officials today unveiled Phase II reforms for the
convention center complex, aimed at benefiting customers and keeping Chicago’s
convention industry competitive. The reforms are designed to cut costs for customers
and provide greater flexibility in doing business at America’s largest convention center.
These are the latest round of reforms to be announced and are part of a series of changes
that will be phased in as a result of the historic legislation passed by the Illinois General
Assembly last May.
“These are substantive changes that allow us to radically reform and improve how we
conduct our convention business in Chicago,” said Jim Reilly, Trustee of the
Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA), which owns and operates
McCormick Place. “Our present and future customers will undoubtedly be the biggest
beneficiaries of these reforms in terms of cost-savings and more flexibility.”
The Phase II reforms were unveiled in a webinar presented by McCormick Place General
Manager David Causton. Updates on the Phase I reforms were also provided.
PHASE II REFORMS
New Customer Initiatives
• Effective today, free WiFi is available throughout the convention center,
including all common hallways, exhibit halls, and meeting rooms; McCormick
Place is the largest convention center in the U.S. to provide this amenity.
• The parking rate will be reduced from $19 to $14 in Lot B (the surface lot)
effective immediately.
Ensuring Long-Term Stability
• Completion of the refinancing of MPEA’s debt will provide greater financial stability
for the convention center, while funding an expansion of the on-site Hyatt Regency
McCormick Place Hotel.
• Hotel expansion is moving forward and MPEA has engaged TVS Design to assist in
preparing the design and development documents. Anticipated completion date for
the hotel expansion is December, 2014.
Application of legislative mandates: Maintaining change
• There is a new competitive model for obtaining electrical services where companies
may now compete to provide electrical services, as long as they are approved by
MPEA. If a show chooses McCormick Place to provide electrical services, the facility
must provide those services at cost.
• A 23-member Advisory Council has been created to oversee and advise the
implementation of reforms; the Council includes show organizers, exhibitors, labor,
service and exhibitor contractors and MPEA and CCTB management.* (see list
attached.)
• Exhibitors can bring food into McCormick Place from the outside for consumption by
employees.
• A Request for Proposals (RFP) for a management company to run McCormick Place
was released September 15. Prospective companies toured the facilities October 5.
First phase proposals are due November 9. A short list will be developed by
December 14. A selection will be made by April 29, 2011.
“These Phase II reforms will provide even greater cost savings for our show organizers,
exhibitors and attendees,” said David Causton, McCormick Place General Manager. “We
received much positive feedback about our Phase I reforms and anticipate that our
existing and prospective customers will welcome this next round of reforms as well.”
On August 1, 2010, McCormick Place implemented the key initiatives of Phase I, which
included:
• standardized and expanded straight-time, overtime, and double-time windows
• expanded exhibitor rights
• significant changes to FocusOne, the in-house electrical contractor
• new automobile and small utility vehicle policy
• reduced crew sizes
• reduced food prices
The reforms to date have been met with praise.
“Our exhibitor and visitors enjoyed one of the best IMTS shows in the last 20 years,” said
Peter Eelman, Vice President of Exhibitions and Communications, Association of
Manufacturing Technology the sponsor of the International Manufacturing Technology
Show (IMTS), which was held at McCormick Place on September 13-18, following the
implementation of the first phase of reforms. “The feedback I received from my
exhibitors was universally positive. They enjoyed a calm, organized move-in and are
raving about Chicago as a destination. Chicago is now competitive with any convention
city in the country. We have a lot of exhibitors, a lot of square footage and a lot of happy
people.”
According to the Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau, the McCormick Place reforms
have already resulted in nearly a dozen tradeshows either re-committing to host their
shows in Chicago or committing to bring their business to Chicago for the first time.
Collectively, those commitments represent more than $1.6 billion in estimated direct
expenditures for Chicago during the next decade.
The webinar, hosted by the International Center for Exhibitor and Event Marketing,
included more than 100 companies and organizations, including exhibit managers, event
marketers, organizers, suppliers and tradeshow press.
About McCormick Place:
Chicago’s McCormick Place Convention Center, the largest exhibition and meeting
facility in North America, offers 2.6 million square feet of exhibit space. McCormick
Place is owned and operated by the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA)
and attracts close to three million visitors each year. For more information, please visit
mccormickplace.com
###
*Advisory Council Members:
o David Causton, General Manger, McCormick Place
o Eric Dean, General Vice President, Chicago & Vicinity District Council
o Anthony DeGrado III, President, Local 17, Decorators
o Steve Drew, Assistant Executive Director, Radiological Society of North America
o Peter Eelman, Vice President, Association for Manufacturing Technology
o Peter Erickson, President, Hall Erickson, Inc.
o Timothy Foley, Business Manager and Financial Secretary, Local 134, I.B.E.W.
o Rob Fulton, Business Manager, Local 136, Riggers Union
o Robin E. Gathman, Convention and Meeting Coordinator, Planmeca U.S.A., Inc.
o Brian Hickey, Business Manager, Local 399, Operating Engineers
o Francesca Lendrum, Navteq
o Kevin McLaughlin, Carpenters Union, Local 10
o John O'Shea, Czarnowski
o John Patronski, Executive Vice President, Global Experience Specialists
o Ann Pennino, CME, Exhibit Manager, Praxair, Inc.
o Jim Pittas, Vice Pres., Tradeshows, Packaging Machinery & Manufacturing Institute
o Chris Price, Vice President, Graphic Arts Show Company
o Mia Rampersad, Vice President - Trade Show, International Housewares Association
o Jim Reilly, Trustee, Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority
o Tim V. Roby, President and CEO, Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau
o Doug Van Ort, Senior Vice President, Freeman
o Tom Villanova, President, Chicago and Cook County Building Trades
o Chuck Yuska, President & CEO, Packaging Machinery & Manufacturing Institute
