For corporate meetings you get a New York style white space that can be transformed into any type of design. We have a collection of colorful and comfortable mid-century style furniture that can be mixed, matched and arranged as you would like.

New York style white
space ideal for creative
thinking and entertaining
4,000 square foot loft with great daylight
Original hardwood floors
Wireless internet
Mid-century furniture collection available at
no extra cost
Convenient location in Chicago’s booming West Loop
LCD projector, easles and in studio sound system
In house event coordinator and photo services

Corporate Functions -Focus groups, Strategic marketing meetings, Cocktail parties,
Tech Suites, Team Building, Employee orientations, Recruitment, Customer appreciation,
Annual celebrations, Product launches

West Loop Studio Chicago Weddings:

For weddings West Loop Studio is a little unconventional and completely sensational.

This historic top-floor loft is easily transformed to any theme or design style. From an intimate sit down dinner of 100 to a cocktail reception of 200 our event staff can assist you with all the resources you need to create the events of your dreams!

West Loop Studio Unique Features

4,000 square-foot floorplan
17 foot ceilings with bowstring trusses
9 foot windows with city views
Original restored maple floors
Remodeled bathrooms
Spacious dressing room and prep areas
Freight elevator for easy logistics
Professional Photography Package
Our most exciting and talked about feature!

Contact Jamie Kelter of West Loop Studio and mention Hereschicago.com

We offer state-of-the-art meeting space and friendly,attentive service. Featuring two-room suites, the Link@Sheraton and various boardrooms,this all-suite hotel allows you to stay comfortable and connected. The hotel provides over 5,500 square feet of function space that can accommodate groups up to 200 attendees,ideal for any event. Take advantage of Twice the Savings with incredible group package savings and extras that will make your event flawless.

• 5% credit to master account
• One complimentary meeting space
• Up to 100,000 Starpoints® signing bonus

ENJOY TWICE THE SAVINGs AT SHERATON 121 Northwest Point Blvd. • Elk Grove Village, IL., 60067 • 847.290.1600

Host your next meeting anytime now through April 30, 2010 and enjoy*our Starwood group offer:

*Minimum of 10 sleeping rooms per night or attendees with catered food and beverage to qualify for this offer. Valid for new business only and cannot be combined with previously discounted offers. Applicable for events hosted April 30, 2010.

Plus, we’re offering a second special offer with:

• 15% discount on Food & Beverage
• Complimentary in house Audio Visual
• Complimentary high speed Internet access in guestrooms
That’s double the savings at Sheraton for you!

To start planning your next event today, please contact Gary Tarpinian at 847-290-7074 or tarpinian@sheratonchicagoelkgrove.com and mention Hereschicago.com

Visit Hereschicago.com directory of hotels and meeting venues

As charitable contributions decline due to the poor economy, many non-profit and not-for-profit organizations are turning to the dynamic, results-delivering entertainment of America’s Pop Standards Sensation Peter Oprisko to help boost donations at (and interest in) their annual fundraisers.
  
Chicago-based Oprisko, nationally-known as “The American Michael Buble,” is gratified by the strong demand for his services.  “The requests to be an integral part of these important events are extremely flattering and humbling, and I deeply appreciate the opportunity to perform on behalf of so many worthy causes,” said Oprisko, whose talents and abilities helped Chicago’s Queen of Martyrs school raise $30,000 for student textbooks at their annual fundraiser on Saturday, February 13.

Oprisko’s performances have also contributed to recent fundraising successes for numerous other organizations including Rotary International(November 6th),  Cure MS(November 13), Believers Together(February 6th), and Lewis University, which held its 11th annual Signum Fidei Celebration at Chicago’s Palmer House Hilton on September 12th that raised $140,000 for scholarships.

Oprisko, who deeply discounts his performance fee in deference to all charities and 503(c) organizations,  provided each fundraiser with a world-class, customized live musical ensemble(ranging from quintet to big band) to accompany his acclaimed vocal performances that featured an audience-pleasing variety of pop, jazz, and standards popularized by Michael Buble, Stevie Wonder, Frank Sinatra, The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Barbra Striesand, Ray Charles, Tony Bennett, and Harry Connick, Jr. among many others.

Chicago-based America’s Best Pop, Jazz, & Standards featuring Peter Oprisko and his ensembles is the area’s most popular and reliable source of high-quality, fun, live musical entertainment for corporate events and other occasions. The top choice of event planners, destination firms, companies, and private clients for more than a decade, Peter’s astounding track-record(an average of 300 successful events/year) speaks for itself.

For more information or to contact Peter Oprisko – Please mention you found him on Hereschicago.com

HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings ® Mid-America is your one stop shop for two days of the education, contacts and vendor resources you need to produce successful, cost-effective meetings and events. You can’t afford to miss Mid-America, Navy Pier, Chicago, April 14-15, 2010. New for 2010! Concurrent educational seminar tracks tailored specifically for the intermediate and advanced meeting planner, plus an Event Technology Expo track featuring cutting-edge educational sessions taught by technology experts. Register your entire meeting’s department. There is an educational track for every level of planner. Visit www.affordablemeetings.com for complete information.

Just 20 minutes from downtown, you’ll discover Chicago’s hottest new special events destination. Created by the same team who designed the Coliseum at Caesar’s Palace, the Venue offers incredible flexibility and state-of-the-art sound and production capabilities. No matter what the event, this extraordinary showroom easily transforms into an extravagant dinner gala, an elegant theater, or an electrifying concert space featuring six luxurious VIP suites. The Venue is equipped with cutting-edge telescopic seating that can retract in under six minutes, providing an expansive space that can accommodate a seated dinner for up to 1,200 or an elaborate cocktail reception for 3,000 guests.

For more information or to contact Martha Link at The Venue, click here and mention Hereschicago.com

ACT NOW and Save!

Must mention Hereschicago.com and book event by March 31, 2010 to receive discounted pricing.*New picnic proposals only.

Taking advantage of WCF’s experience gained from executing over 1,600 picnics and outings is priceless. Don’t settle for anything less!

For more details, contact Murrel Karsh of WCF and mention Hereschicago.com to apply discount

33 Club Chicago Private Dining Video from Hereschicago.com on Vimeo.

Video produced by Hereschicago.com

Chosen as one of the Open Table 2009 Diners Choice Top 50 US restaurants that have “Vibrant Bar Scenes” 33 Club offers a selection of cutting-edge versions of classic American fare with an extensive variety of upscale bar snacks and a uniquely affordable array of wines. Surrounded by the energy of diverse neighborhoods, the restaurant provides a luxurious, private club feel in the heart of Old Town. At 33 Club patrons can enjoy the ambiance of the grand old clubs of yesterday. Whether it’s a dinner with friends or a gala cocktail reception, 33 Club’s dramatic elegance and lively atmosphere make it the ideal location for any gathering. Great place for your corporate events, wedding rehearsal dinners, birthday party, client event, holiday party and more!

Contact Nina Madonia, Private Dining Manager of 33 Club Chicago and mention Hereschicago.com

Come meet with meeting planners, event planners and Chicago’s top hospitality professionals at the 3rd annual Hereschicago.com Meetings and Hospitality Industry’s St. Pat’s BASH! at Rockit Wrigleyville, Monday March 1st, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Limited tickets available.

As the winter weather takes hold of the Chicagoland area, many companies are already busy working to select and plan their 2010 summer outing – typically the largest event of the year and the one requiring the most planning. Even though many companies were unable to hold a summer outing in 2009, most of them are planning for a return to their summer outing in 2010. Through my experiences with summer outings and client feedback, I have identified key components of the decision-making process that planners should consider to ensure their summer outing matches the mission and objectives of the event while maximizing value, participation and fun. Most importantly as the economy continues to rebound, don’t wait! Many companies are already booking their summer outings to guarantee the location and date of their choice.

Mission & Objectives
The first step in the decision-making process is defining the summer outing’s key mission and objectives. Without determining these elements, it is virtually impossible to plan and select an event that maximizes participation, fun and value for employees and guests of all ages. Some of the questions to consider in this step include:

• What is the budget for the event?
• Is a focus of the event to build camaraderie and goodwill amongst employees and/or employees and their families?
• Is the event focused on enhancing relationships amongst employees?
• Is the event strictly to reward employees?
• Is the priority on younger employees (generally without families) or those employees with families or both?
• If the priority is on both, how will the needs of the different groups be addressed?

Once the objectives are determined, the planning and selection process for the ideal summer outing begins.

Weekday vs. Weekend Events
The next step in the decision-making process is determining if the event is to occur on a weekday or weekend. With benefits to either option, the company’s mission and objectives drive this decision. For instance, a company looking to provide a highly engaging and entertaining event for employees and their families would prefer to host a weekend event to ensure family members are able to attend. However, clients who want to guarantee a high employee attendance rate and want to focus on building relationships amongst employees are likely to choose a weekday event. In addition, weekday events are typically less expensive since family members do not attend.

Day vs. Evening Events
After selecting the day of the week, planners must choose the best time of day to hold the event. Traditionally, summer picnics are held in the afternoon taking advantage of the warm weather, time off work during the week and the optimum time for family members of all ages to attend, just to name a few. However, a recent trend towards evening picnics held from 5:00-9:00 PM has proved popular with many companies. Evening picnics are a good choice for a variety of reasons such as cooler weather, lower costs, larger range of available dates and more!

Whether selecting a traditional afternoon picnic or opting for the newer evening picnic trend, planners must make sure to match the advantages of each to fit their needs.

Exclusive Company Event vs. General Admission Event
With the day of the week and time selected, the next step is choosing the type of event: an exclusive interactive event or a general admission event. Exclusive company events are private events strictly for the company, such as private summer picnics or BBQs, company softball tournaments and interactive receptions. These events provide a great environment for internal networking and enhance relationships between the company, the employees and their families. General admission events take place in public environments such as amusement parks and zoos. These events are designed to be a reward or “thank you” to employees and their families. While they may provide a short lunch for anyone interested, the intent of the event is for guests to enjoy the venue with their families independent of the company. Both event types are intended to reward the employees along with enhance employee morale. Exclusive company events are also designed to build goodwill and camaraderie along with enhancing relationships between the company, employees and their families since the group is together (or in the same area) throughout the entire event. Your event objectives will determine which event type meets your specific goals.

Book Early
Now that you’ve selected the details of your event, it is imperative to start the process of booking your event early. Certainly one of the key ingredients to a great event is booking the location and date of your choice. In order to accomplish this, you should start planning no later than February of each year and preferably sooner. Make sure your employees have something to look forward to this year and book your 2010 summer outing now. The sooner you book, the more value you receive on your investment throughout the year.

Now that you are ready to book your outing, here are some key factors when selecting the company to best execute your next summer event…

Award-Winning Experience: Selecting a company with the experience to handle every aspect of planning the event, selecting trusted quality vendors and making your event run seamlessly with no hassle for you is a key element to a successful event.

Activities for All Ages: Find a vendor who provides activities for all age groups attending the event. Regardless of each attendee’s interests, select a company that provides an array of activities capable of entertaining everyone. Do not forget those guests without children. The group that is always the most challenging in terms of motivating to attend on a weekend are those 20-30 somethings without kids. If they comprise a reasonable percentage of the company be aware of the following realities:

- They will not travel far. If you are a downtown company, do not book a summer event in the suburbs. Despite their best intentions, they will not attend.
- Make sure there are activities specifically for them and clearly promote these activities in your correspondences. If kids are involved, you do not want the 20-30 somethings to assume the event is only focused on families.
- This group also prefers Saturday late afternoon events to weekend midday events.

Premier Venues: Location! Location! Location! Location is the key to an event and an element that requires a planner with access to the right venues.

Hassle-Free Planning: Find a vendor that allows you to focus on enjoying your event and mingling with your employees and co-workers. From acquiring permits and selecting the caterer to adding interactive entertainment and facilitated activities, the company must handle all the details of your event so you don’t have to worry. You just sit back, relax and enjoy the event. Best of all, you get all the credit!

Cost-Conscious Planning: Many options exist for cost savings that still allow for an amazing event. Find a vendor who knows how to meet your budget but not reduce the value of your event.

I hope that you find this information helpful as you look to plan your next summer outing. Best of luck in 2010.

Murrel Karsh, President and Co-Founder of Windy City Fieldhouse, the Midwest’s largest Team Building and Entertainment Company. WCF has helped define team building and summer picnic trends over the past 11 years.

WCF is an Inc. 5000 honoree, awarded to the nation’s fastest-growing small businesses and a recipient of Illinois Meetings & Events Magazine “Best Team Building Company” Award for three consecutive years and nominated for a fifth again this year.

WindyCityFieldhouse.com

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U.S. Poker & Casino Parties designs and hosts your casino event with all of the games you would find in Las Vegas and Monte Carlo: Blackjack, Texas Hold’em, Craps, Roulette, Big Money Wheel, Baccarat and much more!
 
Whether you’re gathering for a convention, trade show, sales conference, or a team building function, your guests will enjoy the realistic atmosphere of our private casino.

Contact Melissa Garski of U.S. Poker & Casino Parties and please mention HERESCHICAGO.COM