McCormick Place Will Host ASIS 2013

• By Ralph C. Jensen
• Apr 25, 2013

Industry editors attending the Pre-ASIS editorial tour in Chicago recently received a briefing on the ins and outs of the McCormick Place tradeshow center. Hosts all agree that Chicago is a city that works for the exhibitor.

However, security is top-of-mind for officials when it comes to laying out space for a tradeshow, expecting upwards of 20,000 attendees.

“McCormick Place is equipped with the very latest in cutting-edge technology so that an event runs smoothly and efficiently,” said George Rosebrock, security manager for the facility. “If terrorists were to hurt McCormick Place, they would hurt Chicago."

“Can you prevent stuff like this from happening, ‘I don’t think so,’ but what you can do is make it a little bit harder.”

Rosebrock said it all comes down to communication and working with people in the right way. He said it is imperative for all workers to keep their eyes and ears open, and to be involved in a successful and safe tradeshow.

McCormick Place brings in about $12 billion annually from visitors, and ASIS will generate about $28 million over the course of the event in September. It is the largest tradeshow hall in the Western Hemisphere, covering 2.8 million square feet. This includes a full-time staff of security workers, who are closely aligned with the Chicago Police Department and Chicago Fire Department.

“We have more than 600 security cameras watching over the hall,” Rosebrock said. “They are IP and analog, and we do our best to stay ahead of current technology.”

Aside from the McCormick staff, each tradeshow provides an army of security staff to work the floor, and keep visitors safe.