McCormick Place hosted an increased number of trade shows in 2011, but overall attendance and exhibit space use continued their declines, according to
data posted online by the Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau
.
The massive convention center hosted 52 trade shows, up from 42 in 2010.
Attendance last year totaled 768,685, a decline of 9.6 percent from 2010. Attendance has been trending down since 2009, as has exhibit space used. Shows used 6.5 million feet of exhibit space in 2011, off 14 percent from 7.6 million in 2010.
Meanwhile, the convention hall saw a slight decline in meetings hosted, to 39 gatherings from 43 the year before. But meeting attendance climbed, to 59,328 from 39,592 in 2010.
Convention officials reached labor pacts last year aimed at cutting exhibitors’ cost. They have said this makes Chicago more competitive with rivals and should lead to new business for the convention center, a key economic engine for the city.
Increased use of online marketing and the nation’s economic slump have hurt convention business in recent years.
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