[forumly_chgoman]

Not the greatest news......any thoughts




chicagotribune.com >> Business
Las Vegas Rules Convention World

By DAVE CARPENTER
AP Business Writer
Published April 26, 2006, 1:45 PM CDT

CHICAGO -- Las Vegas has strengthened its claim as the king of convention cities, hosting a record number of the largest trade shows in 2005, new industry rankings released Wednesday show.

And Chicago, the U.S. convention capital for decades until it was dethroned in the 1990s, has tumbled into third place behind Orlando for the first time. Looming as the next threat to overtake it, convention industry experts say, is fourth-place New York.

The latest annual rankings by Tradeshow Week magazine come amid intense competition among cities for a bigger share of the lucrative convention business. Both Las Vegas and Orlando, which landed 44 and 26 of the 200 largest trade shows last year, respectively, have doubled their exhibit space in recent years, improving their ability to attract events and gain bookings.






http://www.chicagotribune.com/busin...-cities,1,2871328.story?coll=chi-business-hed

 

[UrbanSophist]

Looks like Chicago is definitely no longer #1 with LV having more than twice the number of shows!

Dang.

 

[spyguy]

Maybe things will change in the future with continued expansion of McCormick Place, O'Hare, the Airport Express, and hopefully a connection to McCormick & Navy Pier. Or maybe we should just build an island for pure entertainment that would have roller coasters and weird shows with lots of neon 24/7.

 

[UrbanSophist]

Or maybe we should just build an island for pure entertainment that would have roller coasters and weird shows with lots of neon 24/7.

Make sure its a heated island. Or we could just buy an island in the caribbean and annex it into the City of Chicago.

 

[ChicagoSkyline]

Make sure its a heated island. Or we could just buy an island in the caribbean and annex it into the City of Chicago.

LOL, great ideas! Chicago needs to build a fake LV and Orlando in one of our man made island on the lake michigan, that way, we can annex these two cities and we get all the trade shows!
:jk:

 

[ChicagoLover]

Taking a page from the Dubai play book doesn't seem like such a bad idea. If the Emir can have an indoor ski resort built in Dubai, then da Mayor should be able to have some weather-defying attraction built in Chicago as well.

 

[JB_Gold Coast]

That's why they're expanding McCormick place and throwing around ideas about casinos in the downtown areas...it was all to keep convention business.

I don't think anyone should worry about taking a back seat to Las Vegas...I just can't believe Orlando. What a fucking joke. Are people that enamored with warm weather that anything in Florida gets their blood moving? I don't see how Orlando is any fun if you're older than 13.

 

[Dale]

That's why they're expanding McCormick place and throwing around ideas about casinos in the downtown areas...it was all to keep convention business.

I don't think anyone should worry about taking a back seat to Las Vegas...I just can't believe Orlando. What a fucking joke. Are people that enamored with warm weather that anything in Florida gets their blood moving? I don't see how Orlando is any fun if you're older than 13.

There's plenty of entertainment down here for all save the over-stimulated.

And yes, people really, really love hot weather. I don't, but lots and lots of people seem to disagree with me.

 

[Azn_chi_boi]

It is a shame that Orlando beat Chicago, we need to change that...

 

[UrbanSophist]

I don't see how Orlando is any fun if you're older than 13.

Yeah, it really is very strange. Las Vegas makes total sense, but Orlando?

Weird.

 

[forumly_chgoman]

There's plenty of entertainment down here for all save the over-stimulated.

And yes, people really, really love hot weather. I don't, but lots and lots of people seem to disagree with me.

Amen

 

[XCRunner]

I don't really care if LV overtakes us, that's really what their entire city is for, but like everyone else I can't believe Orlando beating us. Hopefully we won't be overtaken by NY as well. I like the idea of buying an island in the Carribbean though!

 

[ChicagoSkyline]

You all know too well that this is a short term lack of interest. Maybe in 2005, there are more tourist attraction in LV and orlando and that casuing their conventional trade shows to gain in numbers, but this isn't gurantee that it will consistantly be the king in convention center! Chicago has been in the top of this thing for such a long while, it can now take a break and re-energized on our plan as the better conventional city. It isn't a complete defeat, it is a refreshment! :cheers:

 

[edsg25]

Conventional wisdom dictates that if New York and/or San Francisco overtake Chicago in the convention industry, start worrying. Chicago, San Francisco, and New York are all apples.

If Orlando joins Las Vegas ahead of Chicago, don't worry so much. Orlando and Las Vegas are oranges.

Follow the advice of the produce guy at Jewel or Dominick's: Don't compare apples with oranges.

Chicago isn't, never was, and never will be a city built on gambling, desert heat, big time shows and over-the-top themed hotels. Chicago isn't, never was, and never will be a city of endless theme parks, swamp heat, and almost but not quite over-the-top themed hotels. Neither Orlando or Las Vegas are traditonal cities and their attractions are based less on urbanity than in filling strong niches (ie. gambling and theme parks) in the entertainment field that are a strong draw for conventioneers and their families.

Let's focus our concerns on how we are doing in relation to our peer cities: New York, San Francisco, etc.; the results will be far more relevant than putting our attention on a strip and a mouse.

 

[forumly_chgoman]

Conventional wisdom dictates that if New York and/or San Francisco overtake Chicago in the convention industry, start worrying. Chicago, San Francisco, and New York are all apples.

If Orlando joins Las Vegas ahead of Chicago, don't worry so much. Orlando and Las Vegas are oranges.

Follow the advice of the produce guy at Jewel or Dominick's: Don't compare apples with oranges.

Chicago isn't, never was, and never will be a city built on gambling, desert heat, big time shows and over-the-top themed hotels. Chicago isn't, never was, and never will be a city of endless theme parks, swamp heat, and almost but not quite over-the-top themed hotels. Neither Orlando or Las Vegas are traditonal cities and their attractions are based less on urbanity than in filling strong niches (ie. gambling and theme parks) in the entertainment field that are a strong draw for conventioneers and their families.

Let's focus our concerns on how we are doing in relation to our peer cities: New York, San Francisco, etc.; the results will be far more relevant than putting our attention on a strip and a mouse.

Good point edsg and well said

 

[rgolch]

It's always give and take in this town, isn't it? So much good news, but stuff like this keeps you grounded.