It's official: The RSNA will stay in Chicago at least through 2004, reversing a decision to move the convention to Orlando in 2002 and 2003.
The announcement was made today in a press conference called by Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley and attended by Del Stauffer, RSNA executive director, and most of the RSNA board.
Key factors in the reversal were changes in union and hotel arrangements. A labor agreement signed Sept. 29 modified overtime rates, reduced the number of labor personnel overseeing booth construction, and gave greater leeway to exhibitors who prefer to do their own booth setup.
Mayor Daley admitted the city had become overconfident about its power to attract and retain large conventions.
"We always were the number one convention city and we took a lot of things for granted," he said, recognizing increased competition from convention centers in Orlando, Las Vegas, Atlanta, and other cities.
City leaders also promised a big increase in the number of hotel rooms in downtown Chicago. According to Stauffer, professional attendance at this year's meeting is down 2%, primarily because radiologists refused to accept out-of-town hotel room assignments.
Other factors cited in the decision were the new $70 million parking garage at McCormick Place and $1.4 billion in overall capital improvements to the city that will have a direct impact on tradeshows. Among these are new express bus lanes to and from McCormick.
The trade unions were thanked repeatedly for their willingness to cut a deal favorable to convention groups like the RSNA.
Orlando received the news on Monday, Stauffer said, adding that their reaction was one of "obvious disappointment." He said that some exhibit space problems had developed with the convention center in Orlando. Moreover, many RSNA vendors had complained about the upcoming move, worrying that attendees would turn the convention into a family trip and spend more of their time away from the center to visit area attractions like Disney World.
Nonetheless, the RSNA was prepared to take its show out of town if Chicago had not agreed to meet its demands.
"Without this commitment, we would leave," Stauffer said.
