ASCO To Hold Annual Meeting In Chicago For The Next Ten Years: City Seen As Best Choice To Host Meeting That Continues To Grow

Main Category: Conferences
Also Included In: Cancer / Oncology
Article Date: 11 Sep 2009 - 3:00 PDT

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The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) along with The Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau (CCTB) announced that ASCO will hold its Annual Meeting at Chicago's McCormick Place for the next 10 years. The contract will begin when ASCO holds its 46th Annual Meeting on June 4-8, 2010 and runs through 2019 (with an out clause for 2016 should Chicago be awarded the 2016 summer Olympics.) Chicago was the home of the 2008 meeting. The 2009 meeting was held in Orlando, Florida.

As ASCO's Annual Meeting continues to grow - more than 29,000 attendees attended this year - the Society's leadership has worked to identify the most appropriate host city that can not only accommodate what is one of the world's largest medical association meetings, but also provide the convenience and atmosphere ASCO attendees desire.

"We are very glad to be entering this partnership with the City of Chicago," said Allen S. Lichter, M.D., CEO of ASCO. "Chicago is a terrific town for ASCO for so many reasons - the convention center, the hotel space, the cultural offerings, the restaurants. We are so pleased that our Annual Meeting has found such a welcoming and hospitable home for the next decade." In a survey of meeting attendees conducted this year by Alan Newman Research, 70 percent of all attendees to the 2008 Annual meeting in Chicago rated their "overall experience" in Chicago as "very good" or "excellent."

Chicago offers a central location for attendees to meet from around the United States and is easily accessible for a large number of ASCO's international attendees. There are 75 major hotels within an easy commute to one of the largest and most modern convention facilities in the United States. This, along with the city's wealth of restaurants, world class cultural attractions, and friendly hospitality made Chicago a very attractive choice.

"This long-term agreement is a true partnership with ASCO and further solidifies that Chicago continues to be a preferred meetings destination, particularly among the medical industry," said Tim Roby, CCTB President and CEO. "We look forward to welcoming ASCO back to showcase the depth and breadth of resources available within the city, state and Midwest region."

Source
American Society of Clinical Oncology