McCormick Place
Chicago, IL · 2301 S Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL 60616
At a glance
Type
Fairgrounds / Expo
Setting
Interior + Exterior
Parking
Yes
Power
Yes
Size
2.6M sq ft
Permit
Required
Visual character
“Largest convention center in North America — 2.6M sq ft of exhibition halls, Arie Crown Theater, lakefront setting, and the raw industrial scale of enormous clear-span halls that double as the largest film stages in the country”
About
McCormick Place is the largest convention center in North America — 2.6 million square feet of interconnected exhibition halls on Chicago's lakefront. The scale is almost cinematic in its own right: halls that dwarf aircraft hangars, escalator systems serving multiple levels, and the Arie Crown Theater (4,300 seats) integrated into the campus. The Lakeside Center's 1971 Brutalist architecture is a distinctive production asset. Lake Michigan is visible from the east-facing lobbies. For productions requiring massive interior environments — from post-apocalyptic settings to epic action sequences — McCormick Place offers column-free spans impossible to replicate on most soundstages. Illinois's 30% film tax credit applies, and Chicago's production infrastructure is world-class. MPEA handles film inquiries professionally.
Restrictions
Contact venue directly for restrictions and availability outside event season
Where you'll be
Permit Information
✓ VerifiedContact venue for current film/photography permit rates and availability
Contact
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