Urban Planner OVERVIEW Chicago

The third-largest city in the United States, Chicago goes by a few nicknames: theWindy City, theCity ofBig Shoulders,and theSecond City.But it’s timeto retire that last one.Long admired for its great architectural bones, its beautiful setting on LakeMichigan’s blue shoreline,and its friendly residents, Chicago has seen its sizzle factor turned up to high, thanks to a recent explosion of innovation in food, fashion,business,and the arts.Formeeting planners, the city has always been top-rank.The lakefrontMcCormick Place, with 2.6 million square feet of exhibit space, is the largest convention center in the country,and as of last year, the largest meeting facility to offer free wireless.Need lift?O’Hare Interna- tional Airport,17miles fromChicago’sdowntown Loop, is the world’s third- busiest airport;Midway airport is just eight miles fromdowntown.In thewords of a local journalist,“Chicago practically invented themodern convention business.”Nowthe city is reinventing itself.

‘AMERICA’s HOTTEST CITY’: That’s the compliment Newsweek paid Chicago earlier this year.

ONE GREAT MILE

The glittering

stretch of Michigan Avenue known as the Magnificent

Mile was designed as a grand commer- cial corridor in the tradition of the Champs-Élysées in Paris. Now studded with skyscrapers, including the 100- story John Hancock Center, the boule- vard is home to more than 400 shops, 200 restau- rants, and many his- torical landmarks,

including Chicago’s 1869 limestone Water Tower.

ALL THINGS,

BIG AND SMALL: Soaring 92 stories, Trump Tower (top) is making its mark

on Chicago and its skyline.And the tempting dish above is just one reason why Chicago Cut Steakhouse is making its mark on the restaurant scene. Read about both, at right.

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pcmaconvene April 2011

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