Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA) CEO Lori Healey, MPEA Chairman Jack Greenberg and Alderman Pat Dowell joined DePaul University President Rev. Dennis H. Holtschneider to break ground on the McCormick Place Event Center. The Event Center will have the capacity to host general sessions for conventions and trade shows, graduation ceremonies, concerts and other special events, as well as serve as home court for DePaul University’s women’s and men’s basketball teams. Development of the facility and other tourism investments will create 7,400 construction jobs. The McCormick Place Event Center, along with the new Marriott Marquis Chicago which broke ground in July 2015 and the existing 1,258 room Hyatt McCormick Place, further enhances Chicago’s competitive position by providing a concentration of a substantial number of hotel rooms that offer mid-to larger size shows the option of on-site hotel convenience for their attendees. The scheduled completion date for the hotel is early fall 2017.