MPEA Issues Once-In-A-Lifetime RFI for Re-Imagination of Lakeside Center

Request for Information will gather ideas to revitalize the iconic Lakeside Center and provide an attractive new revenue generator for MPEA, the City of Chicago, and the State of Illinois

CHICAGO — The Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA) today issued a Request for Information (RFI) for potential redevelopment of all or part of Lakeside Center, the east building of McCormick Place, North America’s largest convention center.

“It is an exciting time not just for MPEA, but for Chicago and Illinois as well,” said Larita Clark, MPEA CEO. “This RFI provides an unprecedented opportunity for developers, innovators, and architects to reimagine an iconic building on Chicago’s coveted Lake Michigan shoreline. MPEA is confident this process will result in many incredible ideas that will complement our existing business, the neighborhood, and the Museum Campus and provide new tax revenue streams for the City and State.”

“On behalf of our city, I am thrilled to see MPEA take this exciting step,” said Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot. “This initiative aligns with the great work completed by the Museum Campus Working group to reimagine and embolden this important area of our city. I look forward to seeing all the possibilities for enhancing the Lakeside Center for years to come.” 

“When Lakeside Center first opened, the innovative building reflected a broader vision for economic development—bringing in millions of visitors and billions of dollars each year,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Over 50 years later, this RFI will identify new opportunities for economic growth and advancement for the McCormick Place campus, Chicago, and all of Illinois.”

Designed by the renowned architects Gene Summers and Helmut Jahn of C.F. Murphy Associates, Lakeside Center is among the most recognizable and striking buildings along Chicago’s lakefront and has long served as a crucial economic driver for the region.

The building holds 580,000 square feet of exhibit space across two halls, 141,000 square feet of meeting space including 40 meeting rooms and a 45,000-square-foot ballroom, landscaped outdoor terraces, and the 4,192-seat Arie Crown Theater. It is also home to McCormick Place’s 30,000-square-foot commercial kitchen that serves the entire campus.

There are currently more than 250 events scheduled in Lakeside Center and the Arie Crown Theater through 2035.

“While Lakeside Center is a core component of our campus, we are always looking for ways to increase our impact,” Clark said. “We truly hope that submissions consider Lakeside Center a blank canvas in this process and that we receive innovative submissions that will add to this building’s remarkable legacy.”

MPEA is open to all ideas from all interested parties. The ideal concept will align with MPEA’s mission to attract trade shows, conventions, and events while increasing MPEA’s economic impact. Additionally, the project should show a strong commitment to sustainability, supplier and workforce diversity, and fair labor practices.

Concepts may be open to the public, operate on a seasonal basis, and use as much or as little of Lakeside Center as desired. However, proposals must also include a plan to replace lost space and maintain the building’s existing functionality to ensure current business operations and planned events can continue as normal.

MPEA is open to exploring multiple economic models with potential developers, including revenue sharing and annual payments.

Located minutes from major attractions such as the Field Museum of Natural History, Soldier Field, the Shedd Aquarium, Millennium Park, and Chicago’s downtown business district, Lakeside Center has surroundings unlike any other redevelopment opportunity.

Its presence on the McCormick Place campus also ensures millions of visitors each year. Pre-COVID, McCormick Place hosted nearly 3 million visitors from around the world, hosted hundreds of events, and generated almost $2 billion in economic impact annually. The campus is recovering strongly from the pandemic. Conservatively, McCormick Place has secured 114 contracted events that will draw an estimated 2.6 million people and create a projected $2.2 billion in economic impact for FY23.

Responses to the RFI are due Thursday, December 22, 2022. For more information and to view the full RFI document, visit https://www.mpea.com/lakeside-center-rfi/.

About Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA): The Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority owns McCormick Place, the largest exhibition and meeting facility in North America, the Wintrust Arena as well as the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place and the Marriot Marquis Chicago Hotels. Together, the North, South, and West Buildings and Lakeside Center offer 2.6 million square feet of exhibition space. Located along Chicago’s lakefront, McCormick Place features 173 meeting rooms, the Arie Crown Theater, and one of the largest ballrooms in the world.