Chicago Grows

If you think you've outgrown Chicago's McCormick Place, think again. Legislation authorizing an $800 million expansion was signed in August. The planned expansion is expected to add about 600,000 square feet of exhibit space and 200,000 square feet of meeting room space by 2007.

ISP for Orlando

Smart City Networks has won a multiyear contract to provide Internet services to the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., beginning January 1. In early 2003, the center is scheduled to open an expansion that will increase it from 4 million to 7 million square feet.

CA Partner

Computer Associates has named GES Exposition Services as the general services contractor for CA World, its mega e-business conference. The two-year agreement began with the July 2001 event in Orlando.

35 AV Offices

AVW Audio Visual Inc., an operating unit of The Freeman Cos., Dallas, has merged with a major Canadian audiovisual rental and presentation services company, TELAV Inc. The merged company, known as AVW/TELAV, has offices in 35 cities across the United States and Canada. In other Freeman news, the former general manager of AVW's New Orleans office, Bonnie Helmker, has been named general manager for Freeman Decorating Co.

Listen and Learn

Michael Hough, author of The Profitable Trade Show, has produced a 90-minute educational tape, “Attendance Promotion for Trade Shows.” The cassette and 20-page companion handout cost $49.50. To order, visit Hough's Web site, www.profitabletradeshow.com/tape.