Nearly 300 entrepreneurs and business owners attended the Midway International Airport Industry Day at the UIC Forum in Chicago, on Wednesday.

The event, hosted by the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA), briefed businesses of all sizes and specialties about the numerous concession opportunities that will soon become available as part of the recently announced Midway Redevelopment Program.

 

As revealed by TRBusiness last Friday, Chicago’s Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced the largest investment plan in nearly a decade for Chicago Midway International Airport – at around $248m – and that the CDA will issue an RFP for a single-entity concessions operator, in September.

CDA says that the concessions areas, stores, and restaurants will be renovated and shopping, dining, lounge facilities, spa services, and medical services will be added.

“On behalf of Mayor Rahm Emanuel, we are pleased to host this event to help ensure that entrepreneurs, business owners and operators of all sizes are aware and informed about this tremendous opportunity to be part of the City’s largest redevelopment plan for Midway in more than a decade,” said CDA Commissioner Ginger S. Evans.

 

“We look forward to receiving many innovative and exciting proposals from a wide-range of qualified candidates to ensure Midway’s concessions programme delivers great results for the traveling public, the airport and Chicago residents.”

 

Highlights of the day included a review of the Request for Proposal (RFP) process, procurement requirements, and a discussion of the Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) participation.

Industry Day participants were also able to network face-to-face with each other, as well as with representatives from the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection, Department of Procurement Services, Unite Here!, Illinois Restaurant Association, Illinois Retail Merchants Association, Inspector General, Skills for Chicagoland’s Future, and the Women’s Business Development Center.