Metropolitan Pier & Exposition Authority — McCormick Place Event Center

A finalist submission in an International Design Competition, the McCormick Place Event Center, was originally proposed to be the McCormick Entertainment District's development anchor. The home court of The DePaul Blue Demons NCAA team under a public-private partnership between DePaul University and the City of Chicago.

The arena will also serve as a mid-market concert venue for show capacity between 5000 seats and 18,000 seats and double as a meeting and convention space. Connected to McCormick Place by an enclosed pedestrian bridge at the arena's main concourse level, the center was configured to match the McCormick Concourse Level.

In addition to the arena, the center included a 500-room hotel with Conference Center and Ballroom. Our design solution offered a major landscape garden, creating a Gateway to McCormick Place and a welcoming event gathering space and community oasis while respecting the residential neighborhood scale and street-scape.