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Chicago Prepares For 2021 Meetings Return with Healthy Meetings Chicago

This interactive, digital platform showcases what an attendee will experience when arriving for a meeting, convention or event in 2021 at McCormick Place and highlights the campus’s health and safety measures.

Chicago, Illinois, January 21, 2021 – In collaboration with the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA), Choose Chicago is proud to launch Phase 1 of Healthy Meetings Chicago, a digital platform currently available for viewing on a desktop or laptop, showcasing the health and safety advantages of hosting future meetings and events at Chicago’s McCormick Place Campus.

As North America’s largest convention center, the entire McCormick Place Campus holds the Global Biorisk Advisory Council®’s GBAC STAR™ accreditation, the gold standard for clean and safe facilities. By maintaining this gold standard of health and safety protocols, planners and attendees can feel confident about choosing and returning to Chicago when meetings and conventions resume.

“From the moment you leave your home, until the moment that you return, the entire hospitality and travel industry is focused on ensuring the health and safety of our guests,” said Brett Hart, Chairman of the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority. “Healthy Meetings Chicago was designed to help illustrate the new protocols and processes in place.”

“Welcoming delegates and event attendees back responsibly remains at the core of our mission and client partnerships,” said Choose Chicago Board Chair, Glenn Eden. “This comprehensive program is designed to provide our partners with the tools to take full advantage of the significant steps McCormick Place, Chicago’s two airports, host hotels and our industry have taken to create a safe experience.”

The interactive nature of the Healthy Meetings Chicago platform is meant to model the journey an attendee will experience as they travel to Chicago for a future meeting or event; beginning at one of the city’s international airports, continuing with Chicago’s many transportation options (rideshare, taxicabs, public transit), checking into their hotel, arriving at McCormick Place and exploring the city’s attractions and dining options.

The digital modules highlight the incredible sanitation and health measures taking place at each step of the journey. From UVC lights technology and HEPA air filtration systems to sanitize and cleanse airplanes, to onsite COVID testing and touchless check-in at the airports, future guests will be reassured they are in safe hands upon arrival in the city. Accommodations on the campus prove as meticulously clean as they are convenient, with the Marriott Marquis Chicago certified by Marriott International’s Commitment to Clean protocols and the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place boasting six onsite hygiene managers and the use of electrostatic cleaning methods.

“From air circulation to cleaning protocols to guest services, the team at McCormick Place has been working tirelessly to ensure that we meet and exceed best practices,” said Larita Clark, Chief Executive Officer of the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority. “Through Healthy Meetings Chicago, our guests can learn what to expect and also look behind the scenes.”

“While much has changed, what has not is supporting our clients, their delegates and exhibitors leading to the successful planning and implementation of organizing and hosting a major convention, trade show or meeting,” said David Whitaker, President & CEO of Choose Chicago. “Healthy Meetings Chicago will be at the core and an initial building block of fulfilling that pledge and responsibility.”

Running their cursor through McCormick Place, viewers will learn that the convention center utilizes Kaivac, a science-based cleaning system, in highly trafficked areas, and each hall has its own individual ventilation system to circulate outside air in. Meeting planners and future attendees will likewise appreciate the collaborative approach that McCormick Place takes to ensure each event is customized to group needs, focusing on simplifying registration and the event execution process while upholding health and sanitation standards.

To complete the Chicago experience, a final section of the platform provides information about post-meeting recreational activities, from the plethora of outdoor dining options to the many indoor attractions abiding by Tourism & Hospitality Forward safety measures in the interest of public health.

For more information and to complete the digital walkthrough, visit: https://healthymeetingschicago.com/.

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Note to Editors

Choose Chicago is hosting a complimentary, interactive webinar on Thursday, January 28th, 2021 at 2:00 pm CST to provide an overview of the steps in place for a productive, enjoyable and healthy event titled Healthy Meetings Chicago – Discover the Journey. Those interested in attending can register here.

Choose Chicago

Choose Chicago is the official sales and marketing organization responsible for promoting Chicago as a global visitor and meetings destination, leveraging the city’s unmatched assets to ensure the economic vitality of the city and its member business community. Follow @ChooseChicago on Twitter and on Instagram @choosechicago. Like us on Facebook. For more, visit www.choosechicago.com. #ChicagoHome | #Only1Chicago

The Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority 

The Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA) is a municipal corporation created by the Illinois General Assembly. MPEA owns McCormick Place, the largest convention center in North America, and seeks to promote and operate conventions, fairs, expositions and meetings in the state of Illinois in a dedicated effort to strengthen the local economy. MPEA also owns the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, a Four Diamond AAA-rated hotel located on the McCormick Place campus, the Marriott Marquis Chicago, and the 10,000-seat Wintrust Arena. Learn more about our growing community.

The Collection at McCormick Square 

Located on Chicago’s lakefront, the Collection at McCormick Square is home to McCormick Place Convention Center, the 10,000 seat Wintrust Arena, Hyatt Regency McCormick Place and the Marriott Marquis Chicago all seamlessly connected by climate-controlled walkways and promenades. Learn more about the Collection at McCormick Square.

McCormick Place

The premier convention facility in North America. With over 2.6 million square feet of exhibit space, McCormick Place the largest and most flexible use convention center in North America. Located on Chicago’s lakefront, just minutes from downtown and facing one of the most iconic skylines in the world, the McCormick Place campus provides world-class facilities that can accommodate just about any event. Learn more about McCormick Place.