Thursday at 6:13 p.m.
Filed under:
Conventions,
Tourism
By Kathy Bergen
Mayor Richard Daley Thursday named venture capitalist Bruce Rauner as chairman of the board of the Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau, the publicly subsidized non-profit organization that books business into McCormick Place and markets the city as a business and leisure destination.
Rauner comes to the position after a stint this spring on an interim board of the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, the state-city agency known as McPier that owns and operates McCormick Place and Navy Pier. Get the full story »
July 21 at 4:25 p.m.
Filed under:
Conventions,
Executives,
Tourism,
Updated
By Kathy Bergen
David Mosena, a former chief of staff to Mayor Richard Daley who currently is president and CEO of the Museum of Science and Industry, was elected Wednesday as the new chairman of the agency that runs McCormick Place and Navy Pier.
Mosena’s was selected unanimously by the newly appointed interim board of the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, the state-city agency known as McPier that owns and operates the convention complex and the pier.
Prior to joining the museum in 1997, Mosena served as president of the Chicago Transit Authority. He also has served as the city’s aviation commissioner and its planning commissioner. Get the full story »
June 28 at 5:32 p.m.
Filed under:
Conventions,
Government,
Politics
By Kathy Bergen
Gov. Pat Quinn on Monday named two attorneys and an organized labor representative to the interim board of the agency that operates McCormick Place and Navy Pier.
The appointees are:
Carmen H. Lonstein, a partner in the Chicago office of Baker & McKenzie, chairs the firm’s financial restructuring, creditors’ rights and bankruptcy practice group in North America. She is on the board of the Institute of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture. Get the full story »
By Bruce Japsen | The
American Medical Association’s policy-making House of Delegates elected
pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Peter Carmel as president-elect after a rare
three-way battle for the group’s top post.
Carmel, who practices in New York and New Jersey, was elected in a
run-off needed after a vote among three candidates did not produce a
clear-cut winnter. In the run-off, Carmel beat back a challenge from Dr.
Joseph Heyman, an obstetrician from Amesbury, Mass.
Get the full story »
June 3 at 3:44 p.m.
Filed under:
Conventions,
Labor,
Litigation
By Kathy Bergen | The Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters filed suit Wednesday seeking
to halt implementation of a new state law aimed at overhauling
operations at McCormick Place.
The five-count complaint, filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago,
claims the new law’s imposition of work rules and conditions at the
convention center violates the federally protected rights of the
carpenters and their private employers to arrive at terms of employment
through collective bargaining. The new law also violates both the U.S.
and Illinois constitutions, the suit says.
Get the full story »
May 28 at 11:30 a.m.
Filed under:
Conventions,
Policy,
Politics
By Kathy Bergen
| Less than 24 hours after the McCormick Place overhaul package became law, the International Home + Housewares Show decided to pursue a new long-term contract at the convention center.
The International Housewares Association’s board voted today to move forward with the negotiations, said Phil Brandl, president of the Rosemont-based organization.
Get the full story »
May 27 at 1:12 p.m.
Filed under:
Conventions
By Kathy Bergen and Ray Long | The Illinois Senate today overwhelmingly booted aside the changes Gov.
Pat Quinn wanted in legislation to overhaul McPier, with Republicans
charging the governor tried to alter the bill to gain political support
in the November election.
The House quickly joined the Senate today in voting overwhelmingly to reject Gov. Pat Quinn’s proposed changes to legislation aimed at overhauling McPier, putting a law in place aimed at luring back convention business fleeing Chicago because of high costs.
The House voted 93-19 to override the governor’s proposed alterations that came in an amendatory veto as he sought to retain some power that the legislature stripped away. The Senate acted earlier Thursday, voting 51-2, with one lawmaker casting a present vote. The House then adjourned at 12:24 p.m. as the Senate wrestled over how to get support for a key piece of the state budget package.
Get the full story »
May 26 at 2:28 p.m.
Filed under:
Conventions,
Labor,
Tourism
By Kathy Bergen, John Byrne and Ray Long |
Gov. Pat Quinn issued an amendatory veto of the McCormick Place
overhaul legislation early this afternoon, sending it back to the
legislature with revisions that would give him more control over the
remake of convention center operations.
The measure, which faces a tough fight for survival, eliminates the
naming of Jim Reilly, currently chairman of the Regional Transportation
Authority, as trustee to oversee the restructuring of the convention
center operations. Instead, it would allow the governor, with consent
of the Senate, to appoint the trustee.
Get the full story »
May 26 at 11:59 a.m.
Filed under:
Conventions,
Policy,
Politics,
Unions
By Kathy Bergen
and Ray Long
| House Speaker Michael Madigan proposed modest revisions to the McCormick
Place overhaul legislation this morning, reflecting some issues that
had been raised by Gov. Pat Quinn.
But it’s still possible the governor may attempt to use his amendatory
veto power later today to push for more dramatic changes, sources said.
Get the full story »
May 25 at 11:19 a.m.
Filed under:
Conventions,
Executives,
Policy,
Politics
James K. McCusker, Viante Home Products Company, demonstrates his company’s new coffee maker at The International Home and Housewares Show at McCormick Place in 2009. (Bradley Piper/Chicago Tribune)
By Kathy Bergen
| Top executives with the International Home + Housewares Show fired off an email to Gov. Pat Quinn today, saying they could not recommend Chicago as the show’s venue for 2012 and beyond when their board meets later this week unless the governor signs the McCormick Place overhaul legislation.
“The lack of signature to this bill will ultimately send us and other vitally important trade show business elsewhere,” the email stated. It was signed by Phil Brandl, president of the International Housewares Association, and Mia Rampersad, the group’s vice president/trade shows. The association’s show has been a cornerstone of the city’s convention business since 1939.
Quinn is expected to make a decision on the bill within days. Sources expect he will sign it, but will try to attach some changes as well.
May 24 at 2:05 p.m.
Filed under:
Conventions,
Labor,
Policy,
Politics
Gov. Pat Quinn on May 9, 2010, at a Mother’s Day walk. Quinn told reporters today that he is still reluctant to sign the McCormick Place overhaul legislation. (Nancy Stone/Chicago Tribune)
By Kathy Bergen
| Gov. Pat Quinn took some oblique shots at political insider Jim Reilly
Monday as he explained why he remains undecided on whether to sign the
McCormick Place overhaul legislation.
The bill would name Reilly, currently the chairman of the Regional
Transportation Authority, as trustee with broad decision-making power
to oversee restructuring the Chicago convention center. Quinn said he
wanted to be sure the legislation had adequate checks and balances in
place.
Get the full story »
May 19 at 4:53 p.m.
Filed under:
Conventions,
Policy,
Politics,
Unions
By John Byrne
and Kathy Bergen | Mayor Richard Daley says his office will be meeting with Gov. Pat Quinn to determine why the governor is balking at signing the McCormick Place overhaul legislation.
“We’ll be talking to him very shortly,” Daley told reporters today.
When asked about the consequences for the city if the bill is not signed, Daley said, “We have to make sure we have the best convention atmosphere because people depend off of it — both local, county and state governments basically get a huge amount of money off it. That’s realistic. A lot of sales tax coming in.”
Get the full story »
May 18 at 6:26 p.m.
Filed under:
Conventions,
Unions
By Kathy Bergen | Gov. Pat Quinn, who has been deliberating on whether to sign McCormick Place overhaul legislation, will meet with some of Chicago’s top trade show organizers Thursday afternoon, less than 48 hours before the start of the restaurant industry’s high-profile show, sources said Tuesday.
Whether Quinn will inform them that he intends to sign the legislation, which show managers are pushing for, or will just solicit their views was unclear. Quinn’s office declined to comment.
Get the full story »
May 12 at 12:14 p.m.
Filed under:
Conventions,
Hotels,
Real estate,
Tourism,
Travel
Associated Press | Radisson is writing one of the biggest checks
in company history for 18 floors in downtown Chicago’s Aqua Tower
high-rise. Carlson Hotels Worldwide announced Wednesday it would spend
$125 million on the first American property in its upscale Radisson Blu
line.
It’s one of the most expensive purchases in a busy shopping season for
hotel investors searching for distressed properties. But credits
markets are still so tight Carlson is paying half upfront in cash.
Get the full story »
May 7 at 11:19 a.m.
Filed under:
Conventions,
Policy,
Politics
The Chicago Auto Show at the McCormick Place Convention Center in February. The bill passed by the Senate today imposes more flexible show-floor rules aimed at cutting exhibitors’ costs and aggravations. (Alex Garcia/Chicago Tribune)
By Kathy Bergen | SPRINGFIELD–McCormick Place, as trade shows have known it for the past
half-century, will have a very different environment under legislation
that the General Assembly sent to the governor today.
By a vote of 51-6, the Illinois Senate approved legislation passed by
the House yesterday that puts an interim czar at the helm, with marching
orders to privatize the management of the nation’s largest convention
center.
Get the full story »
