Donald E. Stephens Convention Center facts for kids
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Former names | Rosemont Convention Center |
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Location | 5555 N. River Road Rosemont, Illinois 60018 |
Owner | Village of Rosemont |
Operator | Village of Rosemont |
Opened | 1975 |
The Donald E. Stephens Convention Center is a very large building in Rosemont, Illinois. Rosemont is a town located close to the big city of Chicago. This center is a popular spot for many different kinds of events, like big meetings, trade shows, and special gatherings. It first opened its doors in 1975.
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Donald E. Stephens Convention Center
The Donald E. Stephens Convention Center is a huge place designed to host large events. Think of it as a giant hall where many people can meet, learn, and have fun all at once. It's a key part of the Rosemont community.
What is a Convention Center?
A convention center is a special kind of building made for holding big events. These events can include:
- Trade shows, where companies show off new products.
- Conferences, where people gather to discuss specific topics.
- Exhibitions, like car shows or comic conventions.
- Other large public or private gatherings.
These centers usually have very large open spaces called exhibition halls, along with smaller meeting rooms and places to eat.
A Big Place for Big Events
The Donald E. Stephens Convention Center is truly massive! It has a huge amount of space for exhibitions, about 840,000 square feet (which is about 78,000 square meters). That's like having enough room for many football fields inside! This allows it to host several large events at the same time or one giant event.
Parking and Access
Getting to the center is easy, and there's plenty of parking. It has a large parking garage that can hold up to 8,000 cars. You can get from the garage to the center using a special walkway called a Skybridge, which keeps you out of the weather.
Where is it Located?
The convention center is in a great spot in Rosemont, Illinois. It's very close to some other important places, making it convenient for visitors.
- O'Hare International Airport: This is one of the busiest airports in the world, so people can easily fly in for events.
- Allstate Arena: A large indoor stadium where concerts and sports events happen.
- Rosemont Theatre: A place for live performances and shows.
- Fashion Outlets of Chicago: A big shopping mall where people can find great deals.
Being near these places means visitors to the convention center have lots of options for entertainment and travel.
Who was Donald E. Stephens?
The convention center is named after a very important person: Donald E. Stephens. He was the mayor of Rosemont for a long time. Mayors are leaders of a city or town, and they help make decisions about how the community runs. Donald E. Stephens played a big role in developing Rosemont, and the convention center was named in his honor to remember his contributions to the town. Before it was named after him, it was known as the Rosemont Convention Center.