FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Isaac Reichman, ireichman@choosechicago.com, 312-805-9586
Cynthia McCafferty, cynthia@hawthornestrategy.com, 314-322-8647
Choose Chicago and MPEA Announce Chicago to Host ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition in 2028
“Super Bowl of Meetings” is an opportunity to showcase Chicago’s meeting prowess to thousands of association executives and meeting planners
CHICAGO, IL (August 12, 2024) – Choose Chicago and the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA) are proud to announce that the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) has chosen Chicago as the host city for their 2028 ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition. ASAE is the premier global, professional organization for association executives with more than 52,000 individual members and more than 1,800 organizational members. Often dubbed the “Super Bowl of meetings”, the ASAE Annual Meeting, which will take place at McCormick Place in 2028, is the largest annual educational and networking conference for the association profession in the world.
“We are thrilled to announce that the ASAE Annual Meeting, one of the most important events in our industry, is coming to Chicago in 2028,” said Rich Gamble, Interim President and CEO of Choose Chicago. “With thousands of decision-makers from some of the biggest associations in the world descending on Chicago, this will be an opportunity to not only deliver direct economic impact to our city but influence future decisions and lead to even more meetings and events choosing Chicago.”
“We extend our thanks to the CEO Michelle Mason and the entire ASAE leadership team for selecting Chicago and we are honored to welcome ASAE to McCormick Place in 2028,” said Larita Clark, CEO of MPEA. “The ASAE Annual Meeting is a pinnacle event in the meetings industry, drawing thousands of association executives and influencers. It is a wonderful opportunity to highlight our campus and demonstrate why Chicago is continually recognized as the Best Big City in the US.”
The average immediate economic impact of the ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition is between $15-18 million over four days. The prospective downstream economic impact makes hosting the ASAE Annual Meeting unique in the meetings industry. Annual Meeting host cities can reliably expect 20% of ASAE decision-makers in attendance to book future business in the host city within 5 years.
In a press release announcing Chicago as the host city along with all host cities through 2034, ASAE President and CEO Michelle Mason, FASAE, CAE, said, “We are excited to partner with these cities to deliver exceptional experiences for ASAE attendees and showcase each city’s unique brand of hospitality. The ASAE Annual Meeting serves as a cornerstone for the association community to connect, share insights and shape the future of the profession. Our Annual Meeting host cities are critical partners to our success.”
According to ASAE, in choosing host cities, they took into consideration the convention center facilities, hotel packages, and venue options for evening events. Other site selection factors include the geographic location; the commitment of the host city to deliver new experiences for ASAE attendees; and the support of local city officials and hospitality industry leaders, as well as the city’s relationship with ASAE.
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About Choose Chicago: Choose Chicago is the official sales and marketing organization responsible for promoting Chicago as a global visitor and meetings destination, leveraging the city’s unmatched assets to ensure the economic vitality of the city, its residents and our partner business community. Follow @choosechicago on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok and Twitter and tag #ChicaGOandKNOW. For more information, visit choosechicago.com.
About Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA): The Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority owns McCormick Place, the largest exhibition and meeting facility in North America, the Wintrust Arena as well as the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place and the Marriot Marquis Chicago Hotels. Together, the North, South, and West Buildings and Lakeside Center offer 2.6 million square feet of exhibition space. Located along Chicago’s lakefront, McCormick Place features 173 meeting rooms, the Arie Crown Theater, and one of the largest ballrooms in the world.
