Meetings and Events City Profiles

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Greater Woodfield is rich in recreation, dining, employment and excellent hotels. Moving south, toward the center of the state, Bloomington-Normal lies smack in the middle of Illinois. Any group or business with a statewide reach would be hard pressed to find a more central location for a meeting or convention. That simple fact, as any meeting planner will tell you, gives these twin cities powerful appeal.

>> The Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel & Convention Center offers a 100,000- square-foot exhibit hall, another 48,000 square feet of meeting space in the adjacent hotel and 500 guest rooms. Futuristic architecture blends with the surrounding natural wetlands.
847.303.4100

>> The Hyatt Regency Woodfield is the second largest hotel in the northwest suburbs. It offers 26,470 square feet of meeting space and 470 guest rooms.
847.605.1234

>> The Chicago Marriott Northwest has 14,000 square feet of meeting space and 295 guest rooms. Besides the Woodfield mall, the hotel is close to Arlington National Race Track and the Sears Centre, and is an easy ride into the big city for a Cubs game, a play or musical, or a walk along Lake Michigan.
847.645.9500

>> The Doubletree Hotel Chicago-Arlington Heights has 15,000 square feet of meeting space in 11 conference rooms and ballrooms, and 241 guest rooms. Video-conferencing is available, and executive rooms are wired for high-speed Internet access.
847.364.7600

>> The U.S. Cellular Coliseum accommodates 7,000 fans for sporting events more than 8,000 people for concerts.

>> Eastland Suites Hotel & Conference Center is only one mile from the airport but has a quiet resort feel, with a landscaped gazebo area, gas outdoor grills and picnic tables. It offers 112 guest rooms-most of them suites-and 3,200 square feet of meeting space, and can handle groups of up to 250 people.

>> The Hilton-owned Doubletree Hotel-Bloomington features 15,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 10,000-square-foot main room, and can accommodate groups of 10 to 800. Of the hotel's 197 guest rooms, 12 are suites.
309.664.6446

>> The Interstate Center is a 120-acre exposition and conference center that welcomes everything from hog shows and farm equipment exhibits to weddings or business meetings. The Interstate Center can accommodate groups from 50 to 1,500, offering banquet and conference rooms in multiple buildings.
309.829.3976

Population: Combined, about 300,000

Nearest airport: Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)

Conventions centers/Large event spaces:
Peoria Civic Center
201 SW Jefferson Ave.
Peoria, IL 61602

For more information:

Greater Woodfield Convention & Visitors Bureau // 800.VISIT-GW

Bloomington-Normal Convention & Visitors Bureau // 800.433.8226

This article has been re-edited for the Web. Article originally by Deborah Leigh Wood.