According to the Chicago Tribune, anyway you slice and dice the data, McCormick Place had a rough 2007 with overall attendance coming in at less than 900,000. [ChicagoTribune]
McCormick Place officials were quick to point out that some of Chicago’s largest shows only come to to town every two or four years, and the odd-numbered years always tend to be weaker at the exhibition hall. Even when you take that into consideration, 2007 was well below every other year since 2001.
Exhibit space came in at 7.5 million square feet for 2007, the lowest total since 2001, when 14.2 million square feet were used.
“Within the calendar for 2007 there were no mega-shows,” explained McCormick Place General Manager David Causton. “But there will be in calendar 2008.” Things look even better for 2009, when the International Plastics Showcase makes it’s way back to Chicago.
Source: Chicago Tribune,
Photo: McCormickCenter.us
