About Chicago
Chicago is one of America's most storied cities, with bold architectural icons, a lakefront setting, and gangster history. It’s a financial and technology hub and home to engaging museums, live music institutions, and gorgeous parklands.
There’s no shortage of inspiring spaces to host a meeting in Chicago, from a classic Greystone home and a minimalist loft to an independent library. Chicago’s meeting rooms are far from ordinary, and these unique spaces are easily accessible, have breakout rooms for business, and plenty of hotels around for guests who need to stay overnight.
A high-class event venue typically offers several meeting rooms to run different activities simultaneously and staff support, making it the perfect setting for various business functions. Rental services and event planners in Chicago, IL, customize each occasion to ensure it runs smoothly.
You and your colleagues or investors can make the most out of the Chicago, IL, setting by visiting its eclectic neighborhoods and cultural attractions or catching a Cubs game!
Meeting Options in Chicago
Gone are the days of holding meetings in blank office spaces with tea and biscuits when you can rent an inspiring event space with all the bells and whistles. Well-equipped meeting rooms in the windy city are conveniently located near downtown Chicago, River North, Midway International Airport, or O’Hare International Airport.
When looking for a meeting space or room in Chicago, it’s important to consider the facilities and the options they provide for bringing in the equipment, decor, and catering you need.
- Caterers
Do you need a caterer for your meeting or conference? Chicago has caterers and cuisine to suit all tastes. Whether you’re after platters, a buffet, or an a la carte menu for the board meeting, conference room, or business meeting, the Windy City’s abundance of restaurants and eateries will get the job done.
- Photographer
Photographing your meeting or company team can help build your brand through social media platforms or websites. From candid, collaborative shots to head profiles, consider taking the opportunity to showcase your business during your meeting in Chicago.
- Equipment rental
Whether you need tables and chairs, sound and audio equipment, or state-of-the-art projection gear, you can find everything you need for your meeting in Chicago.
- Decor
Want to spruce up your meeting rooms with artwork or plants? Event companies in Chicago can help secure everything you need to make your venue exactly as you envision it. Whether you’re planning social events like a large bat mitzvah, intimate affairs, or meeting rooms in Chicago IL, having the perfect place at a good location with stunning decor will make the event memorable.
- Transportation
Chicago boasts the United States’ second-largest public transportation system, the CTA, which operates an extensive train and bus network. In addition, the city has an abundance of taxis and ride-share services that can get your team to their meeting on time.
Meeting Companies in Chicago
The best meeting rooms in Chicago, IL, host high-powered sessions, but these functions are only as good as the planning that goes into planning the gatherings. Event management companies have experience producing successful corporate events in conference rooms and other professional settings. They can also point you towards an optimal meeting room, befitting vendors, and suitable equipment.
- Absolute Production Services
Serving both small businesses and large enterprises, Absolute Production Services has helped clients plan dream events for business meetings and meeting room rentals for over two decades. They work with your budget to connect you with a suitable meeting space in Chicago and offer pocket-friendly services, from conceptualization to day-off execution, The best part is they respect the site and company and stick to the vision that their clients want.
- Fierce Productions
Fierce Productions plans meetings with a theatrical edge and creative events the guests in your meeting room have never experienced. Their coordination services start three months before the event, and they can also offer virtual planning services for team building and corporate events.
- Chicago Event Management
Chicago Event Management has curated unforgettable experiences since 1996. They are leading players in Chicago’s event production industry, with a focus on endurance sports. They handle the WiFi setup for your next meeting hosted in one of the Chicago meeting rooms. The team ensures the event goes as planned by offering amenities to deliver perfect presentations and a spacious site for networking groups.
Pros and Cons of Meeting Spaces in Chicago
Hosting a business merger, conference, or investor presentation in a professional meeting room makes a difference. The Second City has supportive infrastructure and an economic landscape that backs various business activities. Read these advantages and disadvantages before renting a meeting room in Chicago, IL.
Advantages
- Diverse choice of meeting venues
Meeting venues in Chicago are as vast as the corporate activities businesses host. There are art-filled penthouses overlooking the city and historic speakeasies, all with the space requirements and facilities you need.
- Affordability
Meeting rooms benefit from the relatively affordable property prices in Chicago. Businesses often spend less here compared to similar American cities, but rental rates vary per hour from one venue to the next, based on amenities and the scheduled date for your next meeting.
- Equipment rentals
Conference rooms in Chicago, IL, typically offer several pieces of equipment to run your corporate event. Meeting rooms vary in this regard, some offer teleconferencing and audio/visual systems while others lack such facilities. Chicago's equipment rental companies can assist, whether it’s a projector, sound and audio gear, or just tables and chairs.
- Transportation options
Perhaps you are planning week-long brainstorming sessions or hosting a board of directors team from out of town. You'll need transportation to move everyone from the office to meeting rooms and other locations. Several car rental services in Chicago provide airport and event transfers, with chauffer-driven options.
- Cultural and sporting attractions
The local sporting and cultural attractions can benefit a Chicago meeting or event. You can dine with investors at the best restaurants after a high-power meeting or schedule team-building activities as part of brainstorming programs. Plan to see famous local baseball teams in action or stop by the interactive museums or waterfront parks.
Disadvantages
- Bad traffic
Chicago’s public has a connected and efficient public transit system, but the city has a traffic issue. The public transit system runs through most neighborhoods, with congestion near the Field Museum and Downtown Chicago. Moving from meeting rooms to other locations proves time-consuming without scheduling movements around peak snarl-up hours.
- Challenging parking
Chicago notoriously has parking issues, particularly in the downtown area, where it is almost impossible to find a space. Some places in Chicago IL, with a tough parking situation, are Logan Square, near Lake Michigan, the Magnificent Mile, West Loop, and Downtown Chicago.
- Crime
Chicago has a relatively high crime rate, dating to its formative years. The criminal activities in some neighborhoods impact decisions around booking meeting rooms.
- Unfavorable weather
Nicknamed the “Windy City,” Chicago IL is known for many things, but not its weather. The unfavorable conditions can make hosting outdoor meetings challenging. You may have to compete with relentless winds in the spring, cold temperatures in the winter, and hot and humid conditions in the summer.
- High taxes
If you’re from elsewhere in the United States, you might be surprised to learn that Chicago taxes groceries and restaurant bills.
Famous Locations in Chicago
- Millennium Park
Centered around the 110-ton Cloud Gate sculpture, this sprawling park is fringed by some of the city’s most famous landmarks. You can catch a show at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, escape to the beautiful Lurie Garden, or walk across the strikingly designed BP Pedestrian Bridge.
- The Navy Pier
The Navy Pier is one of the most popular entertainment destinations in Chicago IL. It encompasses amusement-style attractions, waterfront restaurants, and 50 acres of gardens. You can watch classics being performed at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, get hands-on at the Chicago Children’s Museum, or watch an immersive film at the 3D Imax Theater.
- Willis Tower
Once the tallest office building in the world, the Willis Tower is a 110-story skyscraper that dominates Chicago’s city skyline. On its 103rd floor, it features an observation space called the SkyDeck, complete with a spine-tingling glass-floored box known as “The Ledge.”