Your next best big meeting awaits
By Malik Anderson
When you think of Illinois, what comes to mind? The Chicago Bean? The cold winters? The large convention center? Whatever it is, you probably don’t have the state’s identity pinned down just yet. There’s plenty to experience across Illinois’ diverse cities and towns, whether you’ve visited once or are making your 11th trip.
Resources
Choose Chicago
[email protected] • choosechicago.com/meeting-planners
Discover Peoria
[email protected] • peoria.org/meetings-conventions-sales-page
Go Rockford
[email protected] • gorockford.com/meetings
Reasons Why Meeting Planners Love Illinois
• Supersized convention facilities. At 4.6 million sq. ft. of total space, including 2.6 million sq. ft. of exhibit space, Chicago’s McCormick Place is the largest convention center in the United States. Nearly 3,000 guest rooms connect to the convention center via enclosed sky bridges for easy access.
• An acclaimed big-city destination. In 2025, Chicago was named the Best Big City in the United States by the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards for the ninth consecutive year. To celebrate the accolade, Choose Chicago published nine reasons Chicago is the best big city, including best global big city, best cultural big city, best affordable big city and best foodie big city.
Read More: Headlines vs. Reality: Chicago
• Team-building opportunities. Peoria offers plenty of venues for physical activity-based team building. Climb your heart out at First Ascent rock climbing gym, go toe to toe with colleagues at Pekin Paintball Park or participate in horse riding, ice skating and tennis at Pekin Park District.
• Fun post-meeting nights. Rockford has a rocking nightlife. Several music venues, such as BMO Center, Hard Rock Live at Hard Rock Casino Rockford and The Music Box provide desirable opportunities for attendees to catch live shows from major names and local bands.
Places to Meet & Stay
Connected via skybridge to Wintrust Arena and McCormick Place, Marriott Marquis Chicago has an additional 100,000 sq. ft. of meeting space in the Skyline Ballroom. The property’s Showroom Foodhall offers five dining outlets.
93,000 sq. ft. of meeting space; 1,206 guest rooms
Loews Chicago Hotel’s culinary program Flavor highlights the city’s local F&B. Streeterville Social, the third-floor outdoor restaurant, serves up rooftop views and seasonal menus.
30,000 sq. ft. of meeting space; 400 guest rooms
Embassy Suites by Hilton Rockford Riverfront & Rockford Conference Center was built within the former Amerock Building, a 104-year-old factory building that housed a textile business.
18,000 sq. ft. of event space; 160 studio and two-room suites
Peoria Marriott Pere Marquette’s downtown views can be enjoyed from guest rooms and meeting spaces. The Peoria Civic Center, which is attached, offers an additional 137,000 sq. ft. of exhibit and meeting space.
18,000 sq. ft. of meeting space; 286 guest rooms
This article appears in the May/June 2026 issue. You can subscribe to the magazine here.
