The Trump Tower is here
The Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago, slated to open in December, bears the unmistakable Trump stamp. With an eye toward glamour and luxury, this venue is angling to become Chicago’s hottest event location for the business community. The hotel boasts 20,000 square feet of meeting space, with five conference rooms and two executive boardrooms (a nod to TV’s “The Apprentice,” perhaps?).

“Every meeting room has floor-to-ceiling windows with unobstructed views of the city, the Chicago River and Lake Michigan,” says Robert Prohaska, director of sales and marketing. “And no air walls means there is complete privacy.” Even better, the hotel’s Trump attaché service is on call to help planners manage frenzied last-minute details. “Attachés will be available prior to and during the meeting to make copies, run errands, and just help the event run smoothly,” Prohaska says. For larger events, consider the stately Grand Ballroom and Skyline Room, which come equipped with some of the best views in the city.

Step out of the box with a sleek and surprising space
Picture a former ComEd power plant built in 1891, and “chic events space” probably doesn’t spring to mind. But the Chicago Illuminating Company, located in the south Loop near McCormick Place, buzzes with 21st century appeal. The two-story, 20,000-square-foot rehabbed building houses a 7,500-square-foot private party and event space, featuring towering ceilings and steel beams that lend a nouveau-industrial vibe. “It’s a fantastic space with a sophisticated, urbane feel,” according to General Manager Marta Milchulka, noting that its stylish (and surprisingly versatile) aesthetic lends itself to everything from weddings to high-end product launches. Ask planner Jennifer Anderson, who recently used the space for a Mediterranean-themed event: “We had Spanish guitar playing for cocktails, then a Spanish-style band playing during dinner,” she says. “There was also a very cool lounge for dessert and cocktails. Marta is great to work with because she really understands the space and what can be done with it.” The space can accommodate up to 250 for seated dinners and 600 for cocktail receptions. Marble bars (also used for chefs’ presentations), floor-to-ceiling windows and elegant tile mosaics cloak the space’s former identity, but make no mistake: The combination of old and new makes it an electrifying choice for planners looking to shake things up.

Add a pinch (or handful) of exotic flair
This winter, plan an escape from the Windy City without ever leaving the west Loop. The new Middle East-inspired Alhambra Palace Restaurant is a sensory delight—between the fountains, belly dancers and ornate architecture occupying this splashy (and huge) space, it’s easy to overlook the authentic, awe-inspiring Moroccan, Egyptian and Syrian artwork and artifacts lining the walls. “Every square inch of the place is like a living, breathing museum,” says former General Manager Matt Gansz. Alhambra is a full-service restaurant specializing in Moroccan and Mediterranean cuisine, with seven rooms including a 6,000-squarefoot banquet hall with seating for 300 to 400. If your crowd isn’t the hookah-smoking type, don’t be put off—Alhambra’s myriad options make it a cinch to plan a tailor-made event that won’t sacrifice the venue’s unique ambience. “We do a lot of corporate events,” Gansz says. “This space has a grandeur and elegance that are unmatched. We hope to become a household name in Illinois.”

Be tech-savvy
Some events demand that you pull out all the stops, tech-wise—look no further than the University Center of Lake County in Grayslake. The futuristic exterior the University Center won two awards for outstanding new construction) hints at what’s inside: a lecture hall with interactive capabilities, “smart” classrooms, computer labs and a conference room with videoconferencing ability. Earlier this year the University Center hosted a live video conference of an open-heart surgery. “The highly technical type of equipment available here brings in a wide variety of events—corporate and nonprofit events, a lot of local companies,” says Kimberly Kreml, CMP, manager of conference services and facility marketing. Leighton Hansel, directory of regulatory affairs for the medical products group of Abbott Laboratories, made use of the facility’s audio-visual resources when his group sponsored a meeting at the University Center; he says the staff’s attention to detail made navigating the venue’s state-of-the-art technology easy. “The room was set up as we requested. The support of the center’s staff was excellent and an important element of the success of our meeting,” he says.

Dial up the scale for a truly memorable fete
Its prime location is just one of McCormick Place West’s attributes. This brand-new addition to the McCormick Place campus houses a staggering 250,000 square feet of meeting space, including a rooftop terrace and a 100,000-square-foot ballroom that’s “one of the largest in the world,” according to Meghan Risch, public relations director of the CCTB. The ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership was the first group to hold an event in the new space in August. “We had the great privilege to utilize the fabulous new Skyline Ballroom for our openingnight reception,” says Amy Ledoux, CMP, vice president for meetings and expositions. “They planned this one right. To have this size ballroom in conjunction with the exhibit floor and the meeting space in the West building is really ideal,” she says. Ledoux’s group used the rooftop garden for a donor reception prior to the opening night function in the ballroom. “That space is magnificent. You can see the entire skyline of Chicago,” she says, adding: “The West building is beautiful, and yet another option for planners who bring their large conferences and trade shows to Chicago.”

Get Connected:

TRUMP INTERNATIONAL HOTEL & TOWER // Chicago / 312.644.0900 / www.trumpchicago.com

CHICAGO ILLUMINATING COMPANY // Chicago / 312.326.9500 / www.chicagoilluminatingcompany.com

ALHAMBRA PALACE RESTAURANT // Chicago / 312.666.9555 / www.alhambrapalacerestaurant.com

UNIVERSITY CENTER OF LAKE COUNTY // Grayslake / 847.665.4000 / www.ucenter.org

MCCORMICK PLACE WEST // Chicago / 312.791.7000 / www.mccormickplace.com