 |
 |
|
|
Be Part of a New Midwest Clinic
Tradition:
Join Us at McCormick Place West in 2010
64th Annual Conference, December 14-18
In 2009, The Midwest Clinic moved to Chicago’s McCormick
Place West!
This superb new facility, opened in 2007, is the perfect fit for The Midwest
Clinic. Among the many benefits it offers is a state-of-the-art exhibit
hall with significantly more floor space than the exhibit halls previously
used, combined. The McCormick Place West exhibit hall has clear sightlines
and a simple layout, making it easy for attendees to navigate and explore.
Along with the improved and expanded exhibit hall, attendees now enjoy
concerts in an elegant ballroom with excellent acoustics and large, comfortable
clinic rooms. The Midwest Clinic is pleased to make all of this available
in a single facility.
Why Exhibit at the Midwest Clinic?
We have tried to anticipate and answer questions you may have about exhibiting
at McCormick Place West. Please read on for details.
Why did The Midwest Clinic
move?
Put simply: to allow us to present a better conference. In recent years,
the conference has grown, and our former headquarters and other venues
became very crowded. Events at the 2008 conference were spread among six
different buildings, with attendees experiencing long lines and crowded
spaces. The move into McCormick
Place West (MPW) enabled The Midwest Clinic
to once more hold everything under one roof, allowing attendees to attend
more clinics and concerts in greater comfort, and providing us with opportunities
to add features and create new programs to better serve music educators—all
while preserving the truly special character and spirit of this event.
What can you tell me about
McCormick Place West?
Opened in 2007, and billed as “the preeminent meeting facility in
the country,” this $800 million construction is located on Cermak
Rd. and Indiana Ave, one and a half miles southeast of our former headquarters,
the Hilton Chicago. It provides ample space to host the entire conference
and even allows room for long-term growth. The entire facility was designed
with attendees’ comfort in mind, featuring abundant natural light,
a simple layout, and open spaces. The clinic rooms, primary performance
spaces, exhibits, registration, and a food court and restaurant are all
located in close proximity to one another. There are also rest and communal
areas throughout the building. An open plan enables attendees to view all
levels, so that they never feel cut off from the rest of the space. Shuttle
and taxi drop-off points place attendees right in the middle of the action,
and a 1500-space parking garage is attached to the building. During the
conference, The Midwest Clinic has reserved all the space in MPW and will
be the only event held there.
How did the move benefit
exhibitors?
In the past, exhibits were split among five halls on two different levels.
At MPW, all exhibits are held in a single hall, directly across the main
concourse from the largest performance venues and directly above most clinic
rooms. This hall accommodates up to 50% more booths than in the past. Should
we ever outgrow it, a dividing wall can be removed to reveal a second hall
just as large. Because of the extra space, any returning exhibitor that
wants to reserve additional booths can do so. All booths are 20 square
feet larger than at the Hilton (10 x 10 instead of 8 x 10), and all aisles
are two feet wider. The exhibit hall has a 40 foot ceiling and is almost
completely pillar-free. It also features its own food court so that exhibitors
and attendees can have lunch or a snack without leaving the hall. All of
these upgrades enable attendees to see more exhibits in less time and to
locate specific exhibitors, thus finding their way around much more easily.
What did the move mean for
my costs?
Most of your rental and service rates and costs have remained the same
or even decreased, due in large part to how much more efficiently service
personnel can operate at MPW (thanks to such features as multiple loading
docks and service elevators, and on-site storage facilities). Detailed
cost information is available each year with the exhibit contracts.
What are the union regulations
at McCormick Place?
The union regulations are the same at McCormick Place as at the Hilton
Chicago. In fact, the same decorating company personnel who worked at the
Hilton continue to serve The Midwest Clinic at MPW.
Have the conference schedule
and exhibit hours changed?
The conference will follow the same daily and weekly schedule as in the
past, including exhibitor setup, teardown, and display hours.
How are booths assigned?
We use the same criteria as in the past: Booths are assigned at the sole
discretion of The Midwest Clinic with consideration given to booth configuration
requirements, seniority, category, date of contract submission, balance,
and perceived educational value of the exhibit to conference attendees.
Where do exhibitors stay?
Exhibitors can stay at the Hyatt McCormick Place, which is across the street
from MPW and connected by two indoor walkways. Exhibitors can reserve rooms
at the same time they order exhibit space, starting in January. Because
we are not opening the Hyatt to general attendees, we can keep this reservation
period open longer than in the past. Exhibitors who wish to stay at other
hotels can make reservations directly with the official conference hotels
open to attendees, or elsewhere.
Where do attendees stay and
how do they get to McCormick Place West?
In addition to the Hilton, many of the hotels that have offered Midwest
Clinic room blocks in the past continue to do so. A free shuttle runs from
the hotels each day of the conference. In the future, additional hotels
are expected to open in the vicinity of MPW. These will be added as they
open.
Is there anything else I
should know?
The move to MPW was aimed at presenting a better conference, not bigger.
The decision to relocate ultimately came down to improving the experiences
of attendees, and a significant part of that is enhancing their experiences
in the exhibits. The Board of Directors recognizes the special connection
that The Midwest Clinic shares with its devoted attendees, and the move
was undertaken with the deepest respect for that connection and for the
tradition and history of this event. Just as the moves to the Hotel Sherman
in 1947 and the Hilton in 1973 expanded the prospects of the Midwest Clinic,
so too has this move created unprecedented possibilities. We could not
be more excited about the opportunity to join with you each December in
celebration of our brilliant future together.
Have more questions about the 2009 Midwest Clinic at McCormick
Place West? Please read our main announcement about
this move.
|
|
|
|
Top of page |
|
|
Click a thumbnail to see a larger photo
Are you a member of the media? See our media release for
more details about the Midwest Clinic's move to McCormick Place West.
|
|
|
Print this page 
Email this page 
