McCormick Place is the largest convention center in North America. At 2.6 million square feet of exhibit space across four interconnected buildings, it hosts major trade shows year-round — IMTS, McCormick Place Auto Show, National Restaurant Association Show, and dozens more.
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The McCormick Place Campus
McCormick Place comprises four buildings connected by covered walkways:
- North Building — 1 million sq ft, lakefront location
- South Building — 840,000 sq ft, the original hall
- West Building — 470,000 sq ft, newer construction
- Lakeside Center — 300,000 sq ft, smaller events and conferences
Each building has separate loading docks, freight elevators, and show floor access points. Your Exhibitor Services Manual (ESM) will confirm which building your show occupies. Freight delivered to the wrong building will not make it to your booth on time.
Who Handles Drayage at McCormick Place?
Freeman is the general service contractor (GSC) for most McCormick Place events. Some shows use GES. Check your ESM.
Drayage rates at McCormick Place range from $110 to $200+ per CWT, reflecting the union labor costs that are higher here than at most other U.S. venues. For a 2,500 lb booth shipment at $150/CWT, that is $3,750 in drayage — before transportation.
Union Labor Rules: What Exhibitors Must Know
McCormick Place operates under IATSE (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees) jurisdiction. The rules are strictly enforced. Violations result in fines and forced re-do at union labor rates.
What exhibitors can do themselves:
- Set up your own booth using your own employees — with conditions
- Carry items by hand (no dollies, no carts, no mechanical assistance)
- Connect your own electrical, plumbing, and IT if your employees are qualified and are doing it as part of their normal job duties
What exhibitors cannot do:
- Operate forklifts or pallet jacks
- Use hand trucks, dollies, or carts to move materials
- Unload your own van or truck at the dock
- Move items between the dock and your booth space
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Advance Warehouse for McCormick Place
The Freeman advance warehouse for McCormick Place is located near the venue in the Chicago area. The address is show-specific — always pull it from your ESM, not from a previous show.
Advance warehouse window: Typically opens 30 days before move-in, closes 3–7 days before the show. The exact window varies by show size.
Why advance warehouse is essential at McCormick Place:
Direct-to-show delivery at a large Chicago show means your driver sits in a marshaling yard — potentially for 4–8 hours at peak move-in events like IMTS or the Restaurant Association Show. Advance warehouse eliminates that wait and gives you the lower drayage rate.
For any McCormick Place show with 1,000+ exhibitors, advance warehouse is strongly recommended.
Labeling Requirements
Every piece of freight must be labeled before it arrives in Chicago. Required on each label:
- Company name (exactly as it appears in the exhibitor directory)
- Booth number
- Show name and dates
- Building designation (North / South / West / Lakeside)
- Delivery method: ADVANCE or DIRECT
- Piece count (1 of 4, 2 of 4, etc.)
- Weight per piece
McCormick Place advance warehouse processes hundreds of shipments per day during peak intake. Unlabeled or mislabeled freight is quarantined and may not reach your booth before the show opens.
Drayage Cost Planning for Chicago
Chicago drayage costs more than most other U.S. venues. Budget accordingly.
| Booth Size | Estimated Freight Weight | Estimated Drayage | |-----------|------------------------|------------------| | 10x10 inline | 400–700 lbs | $600–$1,400 | | 10x20 inline | 800–1,500 lbs | $1,200–$3,000 | | 20x20 island | 2,000–4,000 lbs | $3,000–$8,000 | | 30x30 island | 5,000–10,000 lbs | $7,500–$20,000+ |
These are transportation-separate estimates. Your actual drayage will be quoted by Freeman based on certified weight at the warehouse.
Special handling surcharges apply to:
- Uncrated or padwrapped materials
- Oversized single pieces
- Items requiring craning or rigging
Return Freight After the Show
Move-out at McCormick Place follows the same union rules as move-in. All freight must be picked up by authorized carriers from the marshaling yard.
The process:
- Dismantle your booth and repack crates
- Complete your Material Handling Agreement (MHA) with Freeman
- Apply outbound labels (same format as inbound)
- Freight is staged in the marshaling yard
- Your carrier checks in and picks up
⚠️ Watch Out
Schedule your outbound carrier for the first available move-out window. Do not wait until the final move-out day.
Key Differences: McCormick Place vs. Other Major Venues
| Factor | McCormick Place | LVCC (Las Vegas) | Javits (New York) | |--------|---------------|-----------------|-------------------| | Union rules | Strict (IATSE) | Moderate | Strict (IATSE) | | Drayage rate | $110–$200/CWT | $95–$185/CWT | $120–$200+/CWT | | Advance WH | Freeman | GES (most shows) | Varies | | Campus complexity | High (4 buildings) | High (3 halls) | Medium (1 building) | | DIY booth setup | Allowed with limits | Allowed with limits | Allowed with limits |
How Calway Handles McCormick Place Shipments
Calway Logistics ships to McCormick Place for shows throughout the year. From our Ontario, California base, we handle full freight cycles for Chicago shows — pickup, advance warehouse delivery, deadline tracking, and post-show return.
What we manage for you:
- Carrier selection and booking for Chicago routing
- Advance warehouse delivery with confirmed receipt
- Coordination with Freeman on intake windows
- Outbound carrier scheduling for move-out
- Compliance labeling before pickup
We ship to Chicago regularly. We know the Freeman intake process, the building assignments, and the union environment — so you are not learning it for the first time on move-in day.
Common McCormick Place Freight Mistakes
Using a dolly to move your own cases. Even a small hand truck triggers union jurisdiction. Know the rules.
Delivering to the wrong building. Confirm your building assignment before every show — it changes based on hall configuration.
Missing the advance warehouse deadline. Direct-to-show at a major Chicago show means long marshaling yard waits and higher drayage. Hit the advance date.
Underestimating drayage. Chicago drayage is higher than most exhibitors expect the first time. Build it into your budget before you commit to booth space.
No outbound carrier scheduled at move-out. Storage fees at McCormick Place are expensive. Have your carrier confirmed before the show opens.
Ready to Ship to Chicago?
Get a custom freight quote from Calway for your McCormick Place show. Tell us your show name, booth size, origin city, and estimated freight weight — we will handle the rest.
Get a Quote or call (909) 605-9893 — available 24/7.
Calway Logistics | Ontario, CA | USDOT #3353508 | FMCSA Licensed & Bonded Serving McCormick Place and all Chicago-area convention venues.
About the author: Jose Melchor is Operations Manager at Calway Logistics, based in Ontario, CA. With 15+ years in trade show logistics, he has coordinated freight for exhibitors at LVCC, McCormick Place, Javits Center, Anaheim Convention Center, and every major trade show venue across the U.S. and Canada.