This is a good day for Illinois, a good day for Chicago and McCormick Place, and a good day for everyone involved in the convention and trade show industry.
I want to thank the four legislative leaders for this remarkable and steadfast display of bi-partisan co-operation. I appreciate the confidence shown by House Speaker Madigan and Senate President Cullerton in asking me to advise on this effort and the steadfast support of Senate Republican Leader Christine Radagno and House Republican leader Tom Cross.
They, along with the House and Senate, stepped up to the plate to deal in a comprehensive manner with one of the biggest threats to the economy of northeastern Illinois in many decades.
I want to thank the managers of the major trade shows at McCormick Place for their guidance and unvarying support in this effort.
I want to thank the Mayor of Chicago for his support.
And I also want to thank the Governor who, while we did not agree on every point, was consistent in advocating for reform of the way business is done at McCormick Place.
To the men and women who do the actual work of installing trade shows at the center, and to the unions who represent them, I also want to express my appreciation. Some of those unions supported this legislation and some opposed it but all acted from a sincere desire to make things right and I promise a fair and even handed implementation of the provisions of the bill.
Now it is time for the hoopla to end and for all of us involved to roll up our sleeves and get to work. Eighteen months may seem like a long time but in reality it is a remarkably short time to put in place the monumental changes embodied in this groundbreaking legislation.
Here are just some of the tasks that lie ahead:
We must implement the labor changes in a fair and safe manner.
We must work with the Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau to implement changes there. With changes in place, the Bureau needs additional marketing dollars to properly position Chicago as the great trade show and convention town it has always been, and help boost attendance.
We must find the right private management company to take over McCormick Place operations and decide how Navy Pier should be managed going forward.
We must work closely with the show contractors to make sure these reforms are carried out in an equitable way, and that savings are passed on to the exhibitors who are the lifeblood of the trade show.
And we must partner with the rest of the hospitality industry, from hotels to restaurants and attractions, to make sure the Chicago visitor experience is extraordinary.
Any one of these would be a major task in its own right – together they represent a great but welcome challenge.
In the coming weeks I will have more to say, but now it is time to get to work with the MPEA staff and the incoming Interim Board. Together with our partners at the Bureau, we look forward to keeping our existing shows and bringing in new ones. We want them all to see McCormick Place as a welcoming and competitive venue.
It is no secret that the future of conventions and tradeshows here was on the line, and with this legislation, we have a real shot at a better future.
