If the entire hospitality industry was compared to the film industry, event planners might be seen as its location scouts. So why not think “movies” when selecting the perfect spot for your next occasion? For decades, the Chicago area has been popular with filmmakers due to its central location, its variety of settings from urban to suburban to rural and its affordability compared to the metropolitan centers on the East and West coasts.
The passage of a 2009 bill granting filmmakers tax credits on production costs within the state further cemented Illinois’ reputation as one of the most desirable filming locations in North America. Now you can give guests at your next function a hint of Hollywood glamour by choosing a space where the stars have been. Here’s a guide to our two thumbs-up favorites:
Union Station // Chicago
Judging from the incredible number of films it’s been featured in, such as My Best Friend’s Wedding, The Untouchables, Flags of Our Fathers and, most recently, Man of Steel, Union Station is arguably Chicago’s biggest movie star. Although trains and commuter rails aren’t typically equated with luxury, the marble floors and Corinthian columns, intricate metalwork and a 115-foot atrium ceiling of the station’s Great Hall gives it an unparalleled elegance.
For a lavish event, The Great Hall has a capacity of 3,500 standing (2,500 seated) with two balconies that can serve as VIP areas. For a more intimate affair, the 3,500-square-foot Union Gallery can hold 200 guests for a reception or 150 seated. Event planners can choose from the station’s list of preferred caterers and vendors, or source their own food to further customize the occasion. An advance deposit is required.
Wyndham Grand Chicago Riverfront // Chicago
The Wyndham Grand Chicago Riverfront (formerly Hotel 71) has become the “it” spot for blockbuster movies including The Dark Knight and Transformers 3 because, as general manager Steve Shern says, “You look out our windows and you know you’re in Chicago.” Located on Wacker Drive, the hotel has a one-of-a-kind, unadulterated view of the Chicago River and its surrounding architecture. The hotel’s popularity as a filming location has helped lead to exciting renovations in 2013, including four new breakaway spaces and an estimated (soon-to-be) 5,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom on the sixth floor that can be broken into multiple configurations.
This summer, its current 39th floor ballroom-which you may recognize as The Dark Knight’s penthouse suite-will be cosmetically refreshed and complemented with a newly built 1,200-square-foot outdoor terrace. Also still to come in 2013: top-to-bottom renovations of its spacious 500-square-foot guest rooms, giving out-of-town attendees a hint of “movie star treatment.” For smaller meetings, first floor restaurant Hoyt’s Tavern is open for three meals a day. All hotel events are catered by executive chef Aaron Munson. The restaurant features a cozy private party room, and in the warmer months, it nearly doubles in size with a fresh-air patio sitting atop the building’s extra-wide sidewalks.
Mécénat Bistro & Gathering Place // Western Springs
In the 2011 film Contagion, suburb Western Springs is reborn into a Minnesota town placed under quarantine after a deadly virus outbreak. Actor Matt Damon can be seen driving through its downtown to find looters raiding a grocery store. In real life, the block is occupied by Mécénat Bistro & Gathering Place (which was Taste of Vino at the time), a popular spot for showers, birthday parties and even wedding receptions. Mécénat, which general manager Kelly Hogan describes as having a “very comfortable, warm ambiance with an upscale twist,” is known for its seasonally changing menu and selection of fine wines at reasonable prices.
An intimate party room can accommodate up to 40 people and is outfitted with A/V equipment including a 42-inch television. The entire restaurant can be reserved for parties of up to 200. Favorite dishes include buttermilk-brined half chicken, Brie and Fuji apple bruschetta and spinach salad, but keeping with its friendly atmosphere and dedication to customer service, menus can be customized for private functions. Hogan says that if the opportunity arose, they’d welcome new productions to their block; plus, she says, “We have dual entrances, so if they had to close off the street, customers can come in through the back.”
