It feels like 2019 again,” Dustin Arnheim, SVP, sales & services at Choose Chicago, tells Prevue. “Chicago is alive, it’s vibrant. We’re at about 91 percent of 2019 levels. The city’s bustling, especially in spring, summer and fall.”
The Democratic National Committee has chosen Chicago as the site for its 2024 National Convention in August. Choose Chicago is planning a number of educational events for meeting planners to take a peek behind the curtain at United Center and McCormick Place and learn about the logistics of such a huge event—everything from security to media.
Chicago is expected to receive an economic boost of $150 to $200 million from hosting the convention, which it expects will attract 50,000 visitors.
“The 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago will welcome people from across the nation to an unforgettable event,” said Illinois governor JB Pritzker. “Our great global city and its diverse communities, unparalleled hospitality, and world-renowned venues show off the best of America, and its people represent the heart of our country.”
Among recent hotel developments, the 218-room Arlo Chicago opened last April and is fast becoming known for its steakhouse-meets-gastropub, About Last Knife. citizenM also opened its first Chicago property, with a contemporary art collection created by local artists. Meanwhile, the redesigned Park Hyatt has a residential feel to its 146 guest rooms and 36 suites, with bathrooms that feature oversized soaking tubs with city views.
Sustainability, diversity and inclusion are top-of-mind for Toronto, which became a member of the Biophilic Cities network in 2020, joining Edmonton as the only other Canadian city on the list. The global network seeks to build a greater understanding of the contribution of nature in cities and how inhabitants can benefit from biodiversity and wild urban spaces. A major part of Toronto’s Biodiversity Strategy is its Re-Wilding Plan, which focuses on making the city’s waterfront community both a national and global model for sustainability and resilience. Measures include enhancing resilience to flooding and mimicking the form and characteristics of wetlands that would have been created naturally without human interference.
Destination Toronto has partnered with several organizations that bring underrepresented voices to the forefront, such as Access Now, which seeks to map out accessible venues and accessibility barriers across the world to empower travelers, while challenging the tourism industry. As well as Quel, a food and drink industry talent agency that seeks to create opportunities for culinary leaders in the BIPOC community; and 519, a local non-profit organization that seeks to maintain the health and happiness of LGBTQ+ communities.
“Meeting attendees are seeking more balanced experiences from business events as we’ve seen a shift in the ‘work hard, play hard’ mentality,” says Kimberly Leary, in market sales director (West Coast), Destination Toronto. “Event producers and meeting planners need to be cognizant of appealing to the various facets of their potential attendees. Thinking beyond their job title and function—who is this person as an individual, and how will this experience enrich their life in some way? Attendees want to embrace their surroundings, and return home feeling that their time spent was purposeful and impactful.”
Anticipated new openings in Toronto include OverActive Media's 7,000-seat venue dedicated to e-sports. With a projected completion date of 2025, the new venue will also host conventions and corporate events. Nobu Toronto is set to open in late 2024, which will bring the iconic hotel and restaurant concept to the city's entertainment district, and will include private dining rooms and an outdoor terrace. The Scotiabank Arena has announced a multimillion-dollar renovation ahead of its 25th anniversary; and the newly renovated Design Exchange, which offers more than 40,000 sf of conference and event space, has relaunched with Canada’s first fully immersive projection mapping system. —Barbara Scofidio & Steve Grasso
choosechicago.com; destinationtoronto.com