Rosemont EVERYTHING’S

Rosemont EVERYTHING'S turning up

IN JUST A COUPLE OF SHORT YEARS, THIS FORMER

CORPORATE CAMPUS HAS TRANSFORMED INTO AN ATTRACTIVE MECCA FOR DINING, SHOPPING AND ENTERTAINMENT THAT WILL HAVE PLANNERS SMELLING MORE THAN JUST THE ROSES. HERE'S HOW ONE MAYOR

REBUILT THE CITY.

BY TRICIA DESPRES

l 32 ILM+E Illinois Meetings + Events ? SPRING 2014

With a population just over 4,000 people, the Chicago suburb of Rosemont

could have easily ended up as nothing more than a blip on the map of Chicagoland. It could have remained a cold and sterile city of office buildings and fast-food restaurants, never worthy of gaining the attention of any visitor, let alone meeting and event planners--especially considering the big, glamorous city of Chicago is located a mere 15 miles away.

Yet, despite years of being overshadowed, Rosemont did have a plan and a vision, and in recent years, the city got to work to deliver on its promise of creating one of the most exciting new hubs for dining, entertainment, shopping and sports. So committed to the project, town officials even found space to build a ballpark and attracted some interest--even if for a minute--from the ultimate underdogs, the Chicago Cubs.

Illinois Meetings + Events couldn't ignore the recent successes and developments of this booming new destination. In this story, we take a closer look at the ever-changing suburb, from its triumphs to its challenges, and see just what might lie ahead for the emerging entertainment capital of Illinois.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF: VILLAGE OF ROSEMONT.

THE LITTLE CITY THAT COULD

Despite its attractive geographic location just 15 miles northwest of Chicago, situated perfectly within the crisscross of the Northwest Tollway system and just minutes from O'Hare International Airport, Rosemont has not always been a must-see place in Illinois. In fact, it wasn't that long ago when much of the region resembled a vast wasteland that had yet to reach its potential. But, Rosemont always felt like that

place that could flourish if just put in the right hands, say those of Mayor Bradley A. Stephens. Taking the helm of the village after his father Donald's death in 2007, the new head of Rosemont

began a series of transformations that were meant to build upon the success of boutique venues such as the popular 840,000-square-foot Donald E. Stephens Convention Center and the Rosemont Theatre, which in addition to hosting concerts and special events, has also accommodated 1,200-seat company breakfasts in their exquisite lobby.

Although the convention center has long attracted a number of premier events, like Chicago's edition of Comic-Con and the 2012 Pink Pearls & Pretty Dresses: Girls Empowerment Brunch featuring Olympian Gabby Douglas ("From parking to security to layout, everything was top-notch," says Shawn Zanotti, who did PR for the event.), it wasn't until the birth of the sprawling MB Financial Park at Rosemont that event planners from across the state began to take notice.

"We were in a unique situation with the area's office population and the convention center already in place, so ultimately we wanted to use that as our foundation for the plan and vision we had for MB Financial Park," says Mayor Stephens during a recent interview of the expansive campus in the southwest corner

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"WE LAID IT ON THE TABLE AND BASICALLY SAID `THIS IS WHAT WE SEE THIS TOWN BECOMING.'" - Mayor Bradley A. Stephens

PH OTO COURTESY OF: STACEY SCH USTER / VILLAGE OF ROSEMONT.

Donald E. Stephens Convention Center Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill

PHOTOS COURTESY OF: STACEY SCHUSTER / VILLAGE OF ROSEMONT; KINGS BOWL AMERICA.

Kings Bowl America

Rosemont Theatre

of Rosemont, where visitors can eat, drink and play. "Our broker, Marc Offit from Sierra Realty, and I went out and we laid it on the table [to prospective tenants] and basically said `this is what we see this town becoming.'"

Soon, vendors caught on to the plan. Kings Bowl America picked Rosemont as their first location to open one of their high-end alleys outside of the Boston area. The gigantic, 45,000-square-foot Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill (which also offers three skybox/ VIP rooms) was also a happy ending; the group behind the restaurant chose Rosemont after being courted by both nearby Rivers Casino and Woodfield Mall. In fact, the venue

opened in 2012 and became the first vendor to sign a lease for space at the new park.

"From the very beginning, we have been intrigued by Mayor Stephens' progressive way of thinking," explains John Thomas, vice president of marketing and entertainment at Boomtown Entertainment, the company behind Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill. "He is a master of relationships who has lived in his town and knows what makes it special. For us, it was the right concept at the right time in the right city."

It turns out it was the right decision, too. "We have had more private parties in our Rosemont location than anywhere else," says

Thomas, whose company plans to open 15 more Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill throughout the country by the conclusion of 2014. The venue can do a lunch meeting for 12 or a buffet for 1,000, and when you add in the live entertainment aspect, it creates quite the unique venue.

"We have seen an uptick every single month of this year in terms of our private parties and events," Thomas says. "As well, our research demographics show that people are not only coming here from throughout the Chicagoland area, but all across the northern half of the state. Rosemont has done a masterful job in attracting them."

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Words of Advice

from the Meetings & Event Industry

Illinois Meetings + Events magazine recently asked event planners what advice they would give to the Village of Rosemont in terms of swaying business out of the city and into the suburbs. This is what they had to say:

"I would think it is in their best interest to put together a marketing initiative that plays on the fact that it's not as far away from Chicago as you might think. They just seem to keep adding to their list of phenomenal facilities, and the potential is so great. They have some great bones--they just need to make sure everyone is aware of it."

? Shawn Zanotti

CEO of Exact Publicity

"I'm surprised every time I go to Rosemont. I guess the truth is that I just don't know enough about it. I have clients that are just not the downtown conference type, and Rosemont would probably be perfect for their annual conferences. But I feel like the Village of Rosemont might not be speaking to people like me. I want them to step up the communication with me. Keep it simple and tweetable ... and my clients and I will take more notice."

? Jiwon McCartney

managing director of ALLURE Event and Meeting Productions, Inc.

"They should add something simple in terms of getting people around from place to place. Trolleys, for example, would be quite enticing."

? Marcy Manley

CEO of WPI Event Partners / Prime Time Productions

THE NEW KIDS IN TOWN

Today, MB Financial Park is the crown glory of everything that is going right for Rosemont. In addition to Toby Keith's and Kings, there's the always-packed Hofbr?uhaus Chicago, which offers 20,000 square feet and a private room that seats 175-200 guests. Nearby there is a themed My Big Fat Greek Wedding restaurant, Park Tavern, Five Roses Pub and a Zanies Comedy Club.

High-end movie theater Muvico, featuring 101,000 square feet of meeting and dining space, also served as one of the initials in the framework that would become MB Financial Park. "Muvico has such a different atmosphere from your traditional hotel meeting room," adds Mayor Stephens of the benefit for planners.

Surprisingly, the brand-new Fashion Outlets of Chicago, which opened this past summer, has also become quite intriguing to event planners throughout Illinois. "The opening of the fashion outlets was a brilliant addition to Rosemont and opened up the possibility of more spouse-type

excursions that we could offer in the area to our clients," explains Marcy Manley, CEO/executive producer of WPI Event Partners, Inc., who has touted the destination to groups that want a more high-end shopping option. "We used to be able to find that type of thing at Woodfield Mall [in nearby Schaumburg], but their demographic now skews quite young."

For Mayor Stephens, there's even more reason to celebrate. "There was a time when we were generating $500,000 to $600,000 a month in sales tax, and in August we generated $1.3 million," he says of the month when the mall opened. "Now, will that be typical? No. We will have our peaks and valleys, but doubling the sales tax is a great thing for Rosemont, and the Fashion Outlets of Chicago has a lot to do with that. "

Housed within the Fashion Outlets of Chicago is prasino, an upscale farm-to-table restaurant first launched in La Grange that features a number of potential event space options for clients. "We have our ECO Lounge that can be used as a dedicated, semiprivate space with hi/ lo cocktail tables and multiple LCD screens. Or our Green Room is another option; it's a completely private dining room that seats 24 at one long communal table," explains Kelly DeBaz Montero, director of sales

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