The Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau (CCTB) continues to book events into the West Building as construction continues right on track.
A little under 12 months to go and overall, the West Building is 67% complete. The Building’s structural steel is in place. More than 2.4 million square feet of concrete has been poured, and the truck dock and elevated roadway is 99% complete.
The new Building will offer 470,000 square feet of exhibit space and 250,000 square feet of meeting space, ultimately meeting the needs of a wide variety of events. The five-level facility includes a central concourse on each level putting meeting rooms, exhibit halls and common areas in close proximity.
Key features include a 100,000 square foot ballroom (the nation’s largest and most flexible), rooftop garden able to accommodate up to 800 people; centralized transportation center, and dedicated roadways for freight logistics.
The CCTB sales staff has booked 48 events into the Building reflecting more than 700,000 delegates; 1.2 million room nights and $766 million in direct expenditures for the city of Chicago.
The National Confectioners Association - All Candy Expo will be the first major citywide convention to host an event in the new West Building in September 2007. The show is expected to attract 18,000 attendees who will spend an estimated $16.8 million while in Chicago.