Laser Exhibitor Service of Chicago

06/12/2013

Renovation, Expansion at Hyatt McCormick Completed
The Hyatt Regency McCormick Place officially opened its new 460-room tower and unveiled its $110-million expansion and renovation project on Wednesday.
Thursday, June 6, 2013 By Michael Hart

The Hyatt Regency McCormick Place officially opened its new 460-room tower and unveiled its $110-million expansion and renovation project on Wednesday.

Along with adding the 460 guest rooms to the hotel connected by a walkway to Chicago’s McCormick Place, the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA)—which owns the hotel—also renovated the existing 800 rooms with new furniture, fixtures and designs, and refurbished its lobby, restaurants, bars and 25,000-square-foot conference center.

With the completion of the project, started in late 2011, the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place now has 50,000 sq. ft. of function space, including a redesigned 4,000 sq. ft. Prairie Room for events and a 12,000 sq. ft. ballroom. It also added new boardrooms and a business center to the conference center.

Hyatt Regency General Manager Paul Daly says, “This will allow Hyatt Regency McCormick Place to play an even larger role in attracting and hosting Chicago’s top meetings and conventions.”

The hotel expansion and renovation is the first step in a massive redevelopment project around the convention center that the MPEA, city of Chicago and private-sector players will eventually spend nearly $1 billion on.

See Also: Chicago Plans Events Center, Re-Signs Major Shows

A 10,000-seat events center that will be linked to McCormick Place West by a pedestrian sky bridge will serve as a general session hall for conventions and tradeshows, a venue for concerts and special events and a home court for DePaul University men’s and women’s basketball.

A new $841 million entertainment district northwest of McCormick Place West will include two more hotels and restaurants. The larger, 1,200-room hotel will serve as a single headquarters hotel for McCormick Place shows. A 500-room mid-market boutique hotel will be developed adjacent to the events center.

The McCormick Place Entertainment District is part of a larger development called Elevate Chicago, which will include redevelopment of the Navy Pier as well.

05/16/2013

CHICAGO (CBS) – City Hall has unveiled plans to build a new arena for DePaul basketball at McCormick Place, as part of larger plans to upgrade the convention center and redesign much of Navy Pier.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel was scheduled to formally announce the $173 million arena Thursday morning as part of a program to boost city tourism, dubbed “Elevate Chicago.”

The 10,000-seat arena would be built northwest of McCormick Place, on a parcel of land bounded by 21st Street, Indiana Avenue, Cermak Road, and Prairie Avenue.
Navy Pier Rendering

Artistic rendering of planned renovations and upgrades at Navy Pier. (Source: City of Chicago)

The city would provide #33 million in tax increment financing money to purchase the land. DePaul University would contribute half of the $140 million in construction costs, with the other half coming from the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, a state and city agency that runs McCormick Place and Navy Pier.

In addition to serving as the home to the DePaul Blue Demons basketball team, the arena would host conventions and trade shows that are too small for the larger McCormick Place buildings, but too large for Navy Pier.

The larger tourism project would include other upgrades and renovations at McCormick Place and Navy Pier, many of which have been announced already.

05/16/2013

elevatechicago

The City of Chicago is proposing an ambitious plan to redevelop Navy Pier and build a new arena and two new hotels next to McCormick Place.

The entire project is called Elevate Chicago.

The arena would seat 10,000 people, and be the new home for DePaul basketball.

DePaul would pay part of the construction cost.

Revenue from hotel and motel taxes would cover most of the balance.

There would also be new restaurants and entertainment venues.

As for Navy Pier, the Chicago Children’s Museum would expand.

The east end would get a new park and a new entertainment district. A new fountain at the pier’s entrance could double as an ice skating rink in the winter.

The city anticipates, the arena and pier projects could create 3700 new permanent jobs.

Read more: http://wgntv.com/2013/05/16/navy-pier-mccormick-place-part-of-elevate-chicago-project/

The City of Chicago is proposing an ambitious plan to redevelop Navy Pier and build a new arena and two new hotels next to McCormick Place. The entire project is called Elevate Chicago. The arena would seat 10,000 people, and be the new home

05/08/2013

Chicago’s McCormick Place Will Use 100 Percent Wind Energy
May 7, 2013
by Rachel Wimberly
inShare
Chicago’s McCormick Place Will Use 100 Percent Wind Energy altChicago’s McCormick Place Will Use 100 Percent Wind Energy

With the WINDPOWER 2013 Conference and Exhibition at Chicago’s McCormick Place this week, it was perfect timing to announce the venue has committed to obtaining 100 percent of its electricity from wind power.

“We are committed to having renewable energy as part of our comprehensive efforts to implement environmentally-friendly, sustainable practices,” said David Causton, general manager of McCormick Place.

He added, “Purchasing wind power helps our organization become more sustainable, while also sending a message to others that supporting clean sources of electricity is a sound business decision and an important choice in reducing carbon emission with green power.”

McCormick Place has purchased Green-e Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) generated from wind power to match 100 percent of the annual electricity demand.

In total, McCormick Place will purchase an estimated 130 million kilowatt-hours of wind power each year during the course of a new three-year REC purchase program provided by Sterling Planet.

The RECs will guarantee that an equal amount of renewable energy is delivered to the electric grid and will provide carbon avoidance of an estimated 730,931,248 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions.

The American Wind Energy Association’s WINDPOWER event also has worked with McCormick to offset all events related to the show with RECs.

In fact, for the second year in a row, WINDPOWER is WindMade - a new consumer label that identifies organizations, products, services, and events that are powered by wind energy specifically.

At WINDPOWER 2013, AWEA also is launching a Green Exhibitor Challenge for WINDPOWER 2014, as well as greening its show booth and taking countless other steps to ensure a sustainable event.

“Congratulations to McCormick Place for embracing clean, affordable renewable energy,” said AWEA Interim CEO Rob Gramlich.

He added, “WINDPOWER 2013 highlights what an amazing product our industry produces, so it’s appropriate that wind energy will be powering every light bulb, every dynamic booth exhibit, and every Power Point slide at this amazing event. It’s clear that McCormick understands the many benefits of wind energy, which makes us all the more excited to gather at this world-class facility.”

Committing to 100 percent wind power is just the latest in a string of sustainability efforts by McCormick.

The venue recently became the largest convention center in North America to be certified with a new international sustainability standard.

This certification was introduced in 2012 to promote responsible environmental and social practices in the event industry.

McCormick Place achieved Level One Certification with the ASTM Standard pertaining to the Evaluation and Selection of Venues for Environmentally Sustainable Meetings, Events, Trade Shows, and Conferences.

“This is a great honor for McCormick Place and we are proud to receive the ASTM Standard-Level One certification during the Green Meeting Industry Council 2013 Global Conference,” Causton said.

The venue’s West Building also has attained LEED Certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) from the U.S. Green Build Council.

The West Building is the largest new-construction facility in the country to be certified.

03/20/2013

Have you visited our website lately? www.laserexhibitorchicago.com Stop by and see how we can help you! Need carpet? Need to install graphics? Have a bigger project? We do it all!

We are an installation and dismantle service provider located in Chicago. We offer trade show and permanent installation labor.

03/18/2013

We're busy at McCormick Place preparing for the AAOS Annual Meeting! Who's excited?

03/18/2013

Come check out the L.E.S. booth at Exhibitor2013!

03/01/2013

ATTN: Marketing Professionals. Did you know we do more than trade shows? We've installed everything from a custom ceiling at the Chicago Hyatt to clock stands for the Ryder Cup. Visit www.laserexhibitorchicago.com for more information about all of our services. Tell us about YOUR upcoming project and we'll make it a success!

02/18/2013

What new products are you most excited to see at International Housewares Association's International Home + Housewares Show at McCormick Place?

01/31/2013

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=iyPDStXY_XA

A video courtesy of Christopher Price with GASC highlighting how regulations at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois have changed since BIO was last in Chica...

01/23/2013

Don't forget to place your labor order for International Housewares Association's International Home + Housewares Show at McCormick Place.

01/09/2013

The CNH Parts & Service Trade Fair at the Indiana Convention Center opens Jan. 30. Who's going?