Metropolitan Pier Exposition Authority Board met Nov. 17.
Here is the minutes provided by the board:
A1. Roll Call: MPEA Chairman Hart, called the meeting to order at 9:01 a.m. and Ms. Calderon called roll.
A2. Approval of Minutes: Chairman Hart called for the approval of the minutes of the Regular Board Meeting of the October 27, 2020.
Moved by Member Kiley, seconded by Member Villar, and the remaining members present voted approving item A2.
Roll call vote. Record as:
| Brett Hart, Chairman – Yes | Roger J. Kiley, Jr. – Yes |
| Don Villar, Vice Chairman – Yes | Terrance B. McGann – Yes |
| Jorge Ramirez, Secretary/Treasurer – Not Present | Juan Morado, Jr. – Yes |
| Dr. Sonat Birnecker Hart – Yes | Sherman Wright – Yes |
| Nina Grondin - Muted |
A3. Public Comment.
There was no Public Comment.
A4. Consideration of Approval of the 2021 MPEA Board Meeting Schedule.
Moved by Member Birnecker Hart, seconded by Member Wright, and the remaining members present voted approving item A4.
Roll call vote. Record as:
| Brett Hart, Chairman – Yes | Roger J. Kiley, Jr. – Yes |
| Don Villar, Vice Chairman – Yes | Terrance B. McGann – Yes |
| Jorge Ramirez, Secretary/Treasurer – Not Present | Juan Morado, Jr. – Yes |
| Dr. Sonat Birnecker Hart – Yes | Sherman Wright – Yes |
| Nina Grondin - Muted |
Report from CEO: Ms. Clark reported events including tradeshows, meetings, and conventions at McCormick Place and corporate meetings, wedding receptions and other events at the campus hotels are still planning to meet when the time is right. Ms. Clark reported over 220 events are already booked for the next five years, these events have an estimated attendance of more than 6.2 million people and the contracts are valued at more than 78 million dollars. Ms. Clark reported the campus hotels are reporting an increase in booking future hotel blocks for scheduled meetings. Ms. Clark reported the sales pipeline continues to be strong; in September the campus hotels booked over $3.5 million in future room revenue and are still receiving requests for in-person site visits for both the convention center and the hotels, which will resume as soon as it is safe to do so. Ms. Clark reported capital projects continued at McCormick Place while the facilities are available to complete capital projects that otherwise would have been completed later as the event schedule would have allowed. Ms. Clark reported these projects were previously funded out of the capital fund and none of the operating budget will be used unless it is from the repair and maintenance project portion of the operating budget. Ms. Clark highlighted the campus wide lighting project which originally had an estimated 36 million dollar cost and consists of replacing nearly 100,000 lights with LED lights. Ms. Clark reported the lighting in the South Building is almost complete and the replacement of the lights in the North Building is in process. Ms. Clark reported once the project is completed the new lighting will result in lower utility costs and less frequent lighting replacements. Ms. Clark reported restroom upgrades were requested by event organizers and are currently underway in the South Building including the show floor, concourse and meeting rooms. Ms. Clark reported the campus is keeping busy and keeping as many of the labor team working as possible.
Report from Controller: Ms. Lovelace-Nieves presented the financial results for October 2020. Report from Chief Financial Officer: Mr. Bormann presented the tax collections for October 2020.
Report from McCormick Place: Mr. Causton stated he is concerned about events that can be done in 2021 but encouraged with the vaccine developments. Mr. Causton reported the International Sanitary Supply Association (ISSA) would have been an event taking place in Chicago this week and has asked him to speak about McCormick Place’s Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) certification. Mr. Causton reported he will be speaking to the Experiential Designers and Producers Association (EDPA) regarding the planning phases at McCormick Place. Mr. Causton reported the campus is finding alternative uses until it reopens and one of them is filming on campus. Mr. Causton reported in October the Batman movie “Vengeance” used the busway for highspeed chases and Chicago Med used the West Building and will be returning in November. Mr. Causton reported the Wintrust Arena was used for filming for a 20th Century pilot for NBC’s “Ordinary Joe”. Mr. Causton reported all the filming occurred outdoors and all had operation plans and implemented safety measures such as testing and social distancing which were approved by the Chicago Film Office. Mr. Causton stated filming has been done on campus for a while, for example, in Fox’s show “Next” the outside of the office building is the South Building and Humira’s commercial of three sisters going on a weekend gateway was filmed as an airport in the West Building’s central concourse.
Executive Session: Chairman Hart asked for a motion to convene in Executive Session to discuss item C1, litigation, semi-annual review of confidential executive session minutes and employee matters. Upon motion duly made by Member McGann, seconded by Member Villar, and the remaining members present unanimously voted to convene in Executive Session.
Roll call vote. Record as:
| Brett Hart, Chairman – Yes | Roger J. Kiley, Jr. – Yes |
| Don Villar, Vice Chairman – Yes | Terrance B. McGann – Yes |
| Jorge Ramirez, Secretary/Treasurer – Not Present | Juan Morado, Jr. – Yes |
| Dr. Sonat Birnecker Hart – Technical Issues | Sherman Wright – Yes |
| Nina Grondin – Yes |
Upon return from Executive Session, items C1 and D5 were presented for consideration and discussion. Review of Covered Actions and Eligible Agreements:
C1. Consideration of Approval of Executive Session Minutes of the August 25, 2020 Regular Board Meeting.
Moved by Member Kiley, seconded by Member Grondin, and the remaining members present voted approving item C1.
Roll call vote. Record as:
| Brett Hart, Chairman - Yes | Roger J. Kiley, Jr. - Yes |
| Don Villar, Vice Chairman – Yes | Terrance B. McGann - Yes |
| Jorge Ramirez, Secretary/Treasurer – Not Present | Juan Morado, Jr. – Yes |
| Dr. Sonat Birnecker Hart – Yes | Sherman Wright – Yes |
| Nina Grondin - Yes |
D1. Consideration of Approval of New Contract for Arena and Marriott Heat Exchangers Design.
Moved by Member Kiley, seconded by Member Birnecker Hart, and the remaining members present voted approving item D1.
Roll call vote. Record as:
| Brett Hart, Chairman - Yes | Roger J. Kiley, Jr. - Yes |
| Don Villar, Vice Chairman – Yes | Terrance B. McGann - Yes |
| Jorge Ramirez, Secretary/Treasurer – Not Present | Juan Morado, Jr. – Yes |
| Dr. Sonat Birnecker Hart – Yes | Sherman Wright – Yes |
| Nina Grondin - Yes |
D3. Consideration of Acceptance of the MPEA Audited Basic Financial Statements as of and for the Years Ended June 30, 2020 and 2019.
Moved by Member Kiley, seconded by Member Birnecker Hart, and the remaining members present voted approving item D3.
Roll call vote. Record as:
| Brett Hart, Chairman – Yes | Roger J. Kiley, Jr. – Yes |
| Don Villar, Vice Chairman – Yes | Terrance B. McGann – Yes |
| Jorge Ramirez, Secretary/Treasurer – Not Present | Juan Morado, Jr. – Yes |
| Dr. Sonat Birnecker Hart – Yes | Sherman Wright – Yes |
| Nina Grondin – Yes |
D4. Consideration of Acceptance of the MPEA Audited Retirement Plan and Trust Financial Statements June 30, 2020 and 2019.
Moved by Member Birnecker Hart, seconded by Member Wright, and the remaining members present voted approving item D4.
Roll call vote. Record as:
| Brett Hart, Chairman – Yes | Roger J. Kiley, Jr. – Yes |
| Don Villar, Vice Chairman – Yes | Terrance B. McGann – Yes |
| Jorge Ramirez, Secretary/Treasurer – Not Present | Juan Morado, Jr. – Yes |
| Dr. Sonat Birnecker Hart – Yes | Sherman Wright – Yes |
| Nina Grondin - Yes |
D5. Consideration of Approval for Review of Executive Session Minutes and Consideration to End Retention of Verbatim Audio Records of Executive Session Minutes for March 19, 2019 and April 23, 2019.
Moved by Member McGann, seconded by Member Villar, and the remaining members present voted approving item D5.
Roll call vote. Record as:
| Brett Hart, Chairman – Yes | Roger J. Kiley, Jr. – Yes |
| Don Villar, Vice Chairman – Yes | Terrance B. McGann – Yes |
| Jorge Ramirez, Secretary/Treasurer – Not Present | Juan Morado, Jr. – Yes |
| Dr. Sonat Birnecker Hart – Yes | Sherman Wright – Yes |
| Nina Grondin – Yes |
Moved by Member Kiley, seconded by Member Villar, and the remaining members present voted approving item E2.
Roll call vote. Record as:
| Brett Hart, Chairman – Yes | Roger J. Kiley, Jr. – Yes |
| Don Villar, Vice Chairman – Yes | Terrance B. McGann – Yes |
| Jorge Ramirez, Secretary/Treasurer – Not Present | Juan Morado, Jr. – Yes |
| Dr. Sonat Birnecker Hart – Yes | Sherman Wright – Yes |
| Nina Grondin - Yes |
Adjournment
Chairman Hart moved to adjourn the meeting moved by Member McGann, seconded by Member Wright, and the meeting was adjourned by unanimous vote of the Board.
Roll call vote. Record as:
| Brett Hart, Chairman – Yes | Roger J. Kiley, Jr. – Yes |
| Don Villar, Vice Chairman – Yes | Terrance B. McGann – Yes |
| Jorge Ramirez, Secretary/Treasurer – Not Present | Juan Morado, Jr. – Yes |
| Dr. Sonat Birnecker Hart – Yes | Sherman Wright – Yes |
| Nina Grondin – Yes |
https://www.mpea.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/MPEA_Board_Minutes_Regular_Session_November_17_2020_Final.pdf
Alerts Sign-up