Chicago -- This city yesterday celebrated the grand opening of its latest expansion to McCormick Place, the country's largest convention center.
A free-standing structure built at a cost of $882 million, McCormick Place West adds another 470,000 square feet of exhibit space to McCormick Place's 2.2 million square feet. It also adds 250,000 square feet of meeting space, including 61 meeting rooms and one of the country's largest ballrooms, measuring 100,000 square feet.
Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, who was joined at the opening ceremony by Chicago Mayor Richard Daley and other dignitaries, called McCormick Place West "yet another incredible jewel in our crown."
McCormick Place West boasts a rooftop garden, which offers striking views of the city and is available for evening receptions; advanced wired and wireless Internet capabilities; a 600-seat cafe in the exhibit hall; and a fine-dining restaurant.
In addition, the facility has attained LEED certification for its environmentally sensitive design. LEED is the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council.
"This building is already hitting a sweet spot in the marketplace," said Tim Roby, chief executive of the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau, which markets McCormick Place. Roby was referring to the target markets for the building: small and mid-size associations, and corporate and medical meetings.
Juan Ochoa, chief executive of the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, which operates McCormick Place, said the new facility "will serve to enhance Chicago's competitive edge."
More than 75 events are already booked at McCormick Place West, according to officials. One-third of those events are new business and another one-third are recovered business, that is, conventions or trade shows that haven't been held in Chicago in at least five years.
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