Midway, McCormick Expand To Meet Chicago Demand

<B>Midway, McCormick Expand To Meet Chicago Demand</B>

By Frank Rosci

Growth and development beneficial to corporate travel is an ongoing and integral process in Chicago, the nation's second largest city and number one for business travel.

More than 13 million business travelers came to the city in 1999, according to numbers released recently by the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau. To support those travelers, a six-year, $761 million terminal development program at Midway Airport is underway.

"We are committed to ensuring Midway's successful capability to continue a safe and efficient operation, while increasing the airport's capability to provide low-cost, point-to-point transportation for Chicago and the region," said Thomas Walker, aviation commissioner at the Chicago Department of Aviation.

When the new Midway Airport Terminal Building and Concession Triangle is completed this year, Walker said, it will more than triple the size of the existing terminal. The new terminal will increase dramatically the amount of space available for passenger services and provide more direct access for passengers using Chicago Transportation Authority rapid transit to and from the airport.

Eleven new gates will bring the total to 41, and allow the concourse building to accommodate the new breed of quieter, larger aircraft. The project's first milestone, a new six-level 3,150-space parking garage within walking distance of the new terminal, opened in 1999. When Midway's terminal development--the largest public works project underway in Illinois--is finished in 2003, the facility that today serves 9 million passengers will be able to handle up to 17 million passengers a year.

In other business travel news from Chicago, major construction projects are underway at McCormick Place, the Windy City's mammoth convention center. Among works in progress at McCormick Place, the largest exhibition and meeting facility (2.2 million square feet of exhibit space) in North America, is construction of a two-story conference center.

"Many of the conventions and trade shows at McCormick Place require additional space for breakout sessions," said Scott Fawell, CEO of Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority. "We are looking forward to being able to provide more space for our current customers, as well as to compete more effectively to attract new business." The new meeting facility will total 140,000 square feet, and be connected to both the McCormick Place South Building and the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place. In addition to its 25 new meeting rooms, the conference center will offer a lecture hall, banquet kitchen, office services and a coffee shop. There also will be a meeting/conference planner office to help support groups holding onsite events. Construction began last summer and is targeted for completion this fall.

In a move designed to facilitate the transport of meeting and convention groups more easily between McCormick Place and downtown hotels, a dedicated bus lane is under construction. The two-way roadway, which will run alongside Illinois Central railroad tracks (parallel to Columbus Street), will be used exclusively by shuttle buses to transport attendees.

"Many McCormick Place events close their trade shows at 5 p.m., just in time for rush hour. By bypassing regular rush hour traffic, this bus lane will save attendees valuable time getting back to their hotels," said Jim Reilly, CEO of the Chicago CTB. Shuttle buses will operate whenever show managers need them.

On the hotel front, for most of last year hotels in Chicago's central business district reported an occupancy rate of more than 75 percent. And a number of new properties recently have opened, with more being built and others in the planning stages:

<li> The new 357-room Hilton Garden Inn Chicago Downtown North offers a complimentary, 24-hour business center, full-service restaurant and lounge, 24-hour convenience mart and indoor pool.

<li> The Hawthorn Hotel & Suites at O'Hare International Airport recently opened and offers an abundance of amenities for the business traveler. The 300-room property has 2,700 square feet of flexible meeting space ideal for small meetings and conferences, training sessions, banquets and receptions.

<li> The 255-room Essex Inn on Grant Park is in the process of major renovations. All guest rooms are being updated, with completion expected this spring.

<li> Chicago's historic 443-room Allerton Crowne Plaza, which opened originally in 1924 as the Allerton Hotel, recently celebrated its $58 million restoration with rededication ceremonies.

<li> Hotels in the works include a 311-room LeMeridien, 189-room Fairfield Inn and 456-room Embassy Suites, all scheduled for completion in April 2001.