CHICAGO – THE Metropolitan Pier and Exhibition Authority (MPEA) The Board of Directors voted this week to award the McCormick Place Campus private management contract at OVG360 and the food service management contract at OVG HospitalityThe new contracts are expected to run from October 1, 2023, to September 2028.
The McCormick Place campus includes the 10,000-seat Wintrust Arena and the Arie Crown Theater in addition to the McCormick Place Convention Center.
“We look forward to working with OVG to continue delivering a world-class experience to all visitors and event planners who utilize McCormick Place, Wintrust Arena and the Arie Crown Theater,” said Larita Clark, CEO of MPEA. “MPEA and OVG will immediately begin working with ASM Global and SAVOR…Chicago, the campus’ current private management and catering companies, to ensure a smooth transition. MPEA does not anticipate any impact to currently scheduled events.”
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OVG360, a division of Oak View Group (OVG), is a full-service global venue and hospitality management company with a portfolio of more than 200 client-partners spanning arenas, stadiums, convention centers, performing arts centers, cultural institutions and state fairs. OVG360 focuses on innovation in food and beverage services, reservations and content development, sustainable operations, public health and safety, and more.
OVG is a global sports and entertainment company founded in 2015. It focuses on the sports, live entertainment and hospitality sectors and currently has eight divisions across four global offices (Los Angeles, New York, London and Philadelphia).
MPEA owns McCormick Place, North America’s largest convention center, as well as the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place and the Marriott Marquis Chicago. For the new contracts with OVG360 and OVG Hospitality, MPEA’s board of directors acted on the recommendations of MPEA staff, who carefully reviewed the RFP responses for both contracts. Both companies were unanimously selected after a rigorous RFP process involving representatives from all business units, according to Clark.
“OVG has an excellent reputation and track record in venue management and hospitality, as well as an innovative vision for the future. MPEA was impressed with their customer- and employee-centric hospitality philosophy, which we believe will enhance the event experience,” Clark said.
Contact Larita Clark atlclark@mpea.com