FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts:
Isaac Reichman, ireichman@choosechicago.com, (312) 805-9586
Michelle Gonzalez, mgonzalez@choosechicago.com, (312) 259-5708
Cynthia McCafferty, cynthia@hawthornestrategy.com, (314) 322-8647
CHOOSE CHICAGO AND MPEA ANNOUNCE RADIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF NORTH
AMERICA’S LONG-TERM COMMITMENT TO CHICAGO
RSNA to host Annual Meeting in Chicago through 2032; Global event brings tens of thousands of attendees to McCormick Place
CHICAGO, IL(January 8, 2024) – Choose Chicago and the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA) are proud to announce that the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) has committed to hosting their Annual Meeting in Chicago through 2032. The RSNA Annual Meeting, which takes place every fall at McCormick Place, is one of the largest and most impactful events on Chicago’s annual convention calendar. This year’s convention welcomed over 40,000 registrants, nearly 40% of which were international visitors, and had an economic impact of more than $115 million.
“Chicago is the greatest convention town in America, and RSNA’s long-term commitment is a testament to our ability to host global events of all sizes,” said Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. “The hundreds of thousands of conventiongoers that will visit Chicago over the coming decade for this annual event will experience the unmatched accessibility, outstanding hospitality, and vibrant neighborhoods that we are known for throughout the world.”
Headquartered in Oak Brook, IL, RSNA is a non-profit organization representing radiologists and other radiological professionals in more than 150 countries around the world. Now the largest radiology conference in the world, the RSNA Annual Meeting was first convened in Chicago in 1915. It has been held annually in Chicago since 1985. With the extension announced today, RSNA is confirming Chicago’s status as the premier US city for meetings and events thanks to our combination of meeting infrastructure, ease of transportation, and access to intellectual capital.
“We’re pleased to extend our long-standing decision to choose Chicago as the venue for our annual meeting, the world’s leading radiology forum,” said Mark G. Watson, Executive Director of RSNA. “Year after year, we hear from our attendees that Chicago offers a great experience all around – award-winning restaurants, optimal hotels, amazing museums, fun events, and the convenience that comes with having two international airports. Besides the experience Chicago offers, a major contributor to our success has been the long-standing partnerships we’ve held with the city, McCormick Place, Choose Chicago and all our vendors. With a meeting of our scale, we appreciate the peace of mind we have knowing that we can count on our partners for the support we need for a successful event. For all those reasons and more, Chicago continues to be the best venue for our annual meeting.”
The long-term extension of the RSNA Annual Meeting came at the end of a highly productive 2023 for Choose Chicago, with their sales team far exceeding their aggressive goals. In 2023, Choose Chicago booked over 2,100 future meetings and events, representing 2.45 million hotel room nights. Total room nights booked were 24% higher than goal and 43% more than 2022 levels. Furthermore, meetings and events taking place in 2024 will fill more than 1.2 million hotel room nights, which will be an all-time record for Chicago.
At a Press Conference this afternoon at PCMA Convening Leaders 2024 in San Diego, Choose Chicago Senior Vice President of Sales and Services Dustin Arnheim and MPEA CEO Larita Clark will speak about the RSNA commitment and the success of 2023.
“The significance of RSNA’s extended commitment to keep their annual meeting in Chicago cannot be overstated,” said Arnheim. “RSNA is deeply embedded in our community and their annual meeting is an iconic Chicago event that is consistently of the largest medical conventions in the United States. This is the kind of event that elevates Chicago as a destination for a global audience. Congratulations to our sales team and our entire community who work tirelessly to deliver exceptional service!”
“I am thrilled to have RSNA returning to Chicago for the coming decade,” said Clark. “McCormick Place is the ideal venue for events of this magnitude. We have more floor space than any other convention center in North America, and unparalleled access to relevant intellectual capital for this audience given our proximity to some of America’s leading medical schools and teaching hospitals. I look forward to continuing a long-standing and productive partnership with RSNA.”
Under the terms of the extended contract, the RSNA Annual Meeting will alternate between the week before and after Thanksgiving. The 2024 Annual Meeting will take place December 1 through December 5 and will shift to the week before Thanksgiving in odd years beginning in 2027.
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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 X/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.
