After considering moving its Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show from its longtime home, Chicago, the National Restaurant Association has decided to keep the event in the Windy City.
The National Restaurant Association signed a five-year deal with the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority and the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau to keep the Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show at McCormick Place through 2011. The show has been in Chicago for 56 years straight, but last year, frustrated by high labor costs at the center, the association explored taking it elsewhere.
“After comparing our world-class city to other cities like Las Vegas and Orlando, we are proud that the NRA has decided to keep its landmark show at McCormick Place through 2011,” said Leticia Peralta Davis, chief executive officer of the MPEA, in a news release.
A new labor agreement forged last year between the unions and MPEA factored into NRA’s decision to remain in Chicago, according to the news release. Also, as part of the agreement, Chicago hotels have agreed to increase the number of rooms and room blocks available to the organization during the show and the CCTB will continue to help NRA increase the size of its audience with its marketing and attendance-building initiatives.
The 2006 NRA Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show attracted more than 73,500 attendees and exhibitors from all 50 states and 110 countries, and generated more than $106 million in direct expenditures for Chicago.