Donald E. Stephens Convention Center Reviews

Amazing experience we had at a Live concert hosted at this center. Classy location! Excellent venue! Hope we come back soon!

This is a nice convention center. Any negatives were more on the part of the convention then the actual venue. We parked at our hotel, so we did not deal with parking. Finding our way around the venue was easy. They could use more food stands since the lines were very long and we didn't even bother waiting.

Visited the bulk and powder expo at the convention center. The place is plenty large enough for these events but they do seem to have some maintenance issues or maybe a lack there of. During the expo show all you had to do was look up at the ceiling to see all of the buckets hanging from the ceiling to collect water leaks. To beat all they had painted many of the buckets black to blend in, however they missed many white and yellow buckets. Hopefully the expo managers will see this note and spend money on preventative maintenance if they want to stay relevant.

We enjoyed attending the convention for a dance competition. Very spacious.
VERY disappointed in their outrageous prices for drinks,
Dancers need water Nd they were charging $3.50 for small bottle water! Same price as their soda or lemonade.
Many parents were complaining about this,

As far as convention centers go, the Stephens is a keeper. Nicely located with plenty of lodging and parking choices around, it works well with the numerous shows I have attended here

We go to the jewelry show at least once a year. The parking is expensive and a long walk to the center. Make sure to drop off elderly before going to park.

Parking is easy and access to the convention center is convenient (especially if you are staying at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare - there is a sky bridge that allows you to avoid going outside).

I've attended several conventions here for the past 5 years, and it's easily one of the better convention centers I've been to.

I'm an annual attendee of Anime Central, and the facilities there really do a lot to accomodate for the sheer amount of people that flock there every year.

They've also got a BEAUTIFUL section of banquet halls for the building. I had only recently seen this part of the building, and it's pretty spacious and picturesque.

It's a convention center where car and bike shows are also held, the interior of the halls look like a parking ramp in places. It's fine for the intended purposes though. Beware of over zealous parking ramp cops in the ramp across the street. Come back and you will find a ticket for the lamest reasons such as having a tire on a yellow line.

Very nice venue for the event. Food and staff were very friendly. Clean. Unless I had seen the signs I would not have known that there was a large car show going on

Large center, can be hard to navigate through the building to find where you are supposed to be. Water was very expensive-$4.50 per bottle.

For a convention center, this facility is poorly designed. There are so many places that the traffic patterns bottleneck making it really hard to move around. And to be honest, if there was an emergency, I'd be seriously worried about exiting the building. We were actually able to walk from our hotel, so we didn't have to park in the convention center ramp which was a blessing as traffic around the center was snarled. Local police were onsite trying to manage it, but if I'd been in a car trying to get to the event, I'd still probably be sitting on the road.
Parking ramps were also poorly marked. We had several people ask us from their cars as we walked past them where they could park. We also found out later that there were a lot of food establishments close by, but there was no information in the convention center to alert you to this. And not being from Chicago, we didn't know. Would have been a nice piece of information to have.

The place is large, with many event rooms, and good facilities. Very professional, relaxing and accommodating

Perfect location right next to the airport. Lots of hotels with airport shuttle services and a sky bridge connecting the hotels and convention centre. Clean and big building, perfect for holding big events with lots of attendees.

Great space for exhibiting at CWIEME. The Donald Stephens Convention Centre was very clean and extremely large.

It is a normal convention center.
Parking $15.00. You can get your parking ticket validated at a near by restaurant if you want to pay $17.00 for a burger.

This was my first time attending an event at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, so I wasn't sure what to expect going in. First of all, the convention center is very large, but also very clean. The number of hotels and restaurants surrounding it made for a very convenient location to stay while in the area for the event. The convention center was kept a bit more frigid than I would normally like, but I prefer being a little chilly over being way too hot, so I couldn't even really list the temperature as a negative. The staff was friendly, though I don't think they were all briefed to the fullest extent about the event taking place, which made for a little frustration when trying to ask for information. Overall, however, it was a great location, and I would gladly return here for another event in the future.

I recently attended a Case Management show at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center. And I have to say, this is a very nice conference center. Rosemont is certainly easy to get to from O'Hare if you're traveling. And if not, it's accessible from multiple highways. Parking is across the street and is connected to the center by a long enclosed walkway. The parking fee was $15, which compared to downtown Chicago is very reasonable. The venue is very large, and has a great circle for unloading equipment. I also found the food that was served at the conference to be well above average. The Continental breakfast offered a large variety of muffins, bagels, sweet rolls, and breads. There was always hot coffee, water, and tea. Water stations were placed strategically throughout the area. Our pasta, salad, and meatball buffet for lunch was very good. The large slices of cake they served afterwards were great. Washrooms were very clean as well. I really cannot complain about anything! If you're planning a business event, this is definitely a good choice.

Myself and three friends attended the 2015 Comic Con at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center. The center is absolutely massive inside, with multiple levels and rooms. It was absolutely fantastic to attend the event and with all the space it made it like an awesome treasure hunt to find what you were looking for. Comic Con is an absolute blast to attend here. We had a huge problem with wi-fi the year before but it seemed much better this year and we were able to pay with plastic at most vendors when we needed to. Highly recommend this to anyone into comics or pop culture.

As with most convention centers it was so,so. But, the real fly-in-the-ointment was parking costs. This is ridiculously high for suburban parking $13+

Nice convention center, but seems old and outdated. It is located closely to several hotels so that makes it easy for accommodations when traveling out of town for shows at the convention center.

I've been to two different conventions just this year alone at the Douglas E. Stephens convention center and it continues to amaze me at how clean and well kept the center is. The staff there is wonderful, friendly, and very helpful. The convention center is one of the larger ones I have visited, with plenty of room for any type of convention or conference you could imagine. They also have their own parking garage right across the street and have 5 or 6 hotels in walking distance, plus shuttle services to several more hotels in the area.

Very easy to get to and lots of parking. I use the Balmoral exit instead of River road - a lot of traffic is by-passed this way. Make sure to stay in the left lane to get into the parking deck. There is a covered walkway to get to the convention center so you are never exposed to the weather.

Attend many trade shows here always great. Staffed by knowledgeable helpful personal. There is a downer POOR FOOD and VERY HIGH food prices. Clean washrooms.

The convention center is bigger on the inside than it looks from the outside. There is plenty of parking in a number of parking lots and garages. The garage we picked was a short distance and was $13.00 - not that bad. We went for the World of Wheels and there were lots of cars and vendors and groups of car clubs. Some of the cars were pretty awesome and they also had a section for motorcycles. Bathrooms are conveniently located. Food can get pricey, so you might want to stop for a quick McDonald's before you get here, or wait until after the event for dinner.

I was there for a two day conference... our event space was clean, comfortable for the event... temperature was comfy, not too hot, not too cold.

Decent amenities, though the floor layout was a bit awkward. I kept finding myself back in the first hall when I was trying to walk the second hall. The hallways in between halls reminded me of a nice casino. Area for pick-up and drop-off was a mess though, hard to get in and out of there.

Just a quick uber ride from the airport so it made a perfect day trip. Flew in about 10 am and exited the Center by 7 pm to catch a 8:30 pm flight back out. Will definitely attend more shows at this venue.

This was the first year there was a security check before entering the building, but it made me feel safer so that was great.

The booths were set up well and spaced appropriately. The center itself is clean and had all the necessary amenities.

Great visit and I will be back.

Basically the same venue as all the other exposition halls, except for the logistics of the moving in and out- that went so smooth. We were allowed to carry our displays in and out, even fairly heavy equipment that didn't need a forklift, without any interference from organizers or trades.

big center that was done up nicely. customer service from Stacey and Mia were great. loved that tis place is connected to two hotels - the Hyatt and the Hilton - just a short walk to both through the attached enclosed walkway.

I attend Wizard World Comic Con every year. There is always adequate signage about where to go. Police are always present to aide in crossing the street. I highly recommend wearing walking shoes because if your event is throughout the convention center, it involves a lot of walking.

This place is enormous. Lots of rooms, hallways, walkways and space. All of the employees were friendly and helpful. The bathrooms are large but they are very spread out and difficult to find. Food is WAY overpriced. We go to a lot of competitions and are used to paying inflated food prices but these were crazy. $3 for a smaller than typically "small" soda or $3 for a can in the machines. They did have several water stations which were free and much appreciated by the athletes. The venue itself is very spread out and a little difficult to navigate but it treated our group (which was also huge) very well.

Nice, very large, well organized convention centre. Police provided great security and crossing to hotels on the opposite side of street.

Worked the Progressive Motorcycle Show at the convention center in early February and it was a fantastic venue! Lots of floor space for exhibits and the convention center staff was friendly and helpful. LOVED the skybridge connecting our hotel to the center so that we didn't have to get out in the cold winter wind. It was very clean and very well-kept. All the bathrooms were clean and the concession food was decent.

This is a huge event and I know its a great undertaking. For the most part I think they did a great job organizing it and putting it together. There were a lot of people around to ask questions if you got lost or needed help. The hall's were well put together and they kept them as tidy as they could. Thanks for the great event!

I had the pleasure of working in this facility during the recent Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals show. A more delightful and expansive facility would be hard to find, the location is excellent with the Center con reacted to several nearby hotels via suspended and heated walkways.

I look forward to returning next November for the 2016 MCACN show.

Love coming here-- beautiful architecture and decor on the inside- lot of history there. Coming for Comic Con is always my favorite-- tons of parking, places to eat close by

Nice venue! Displays were well done, lighting could have been better. Vendor mall was spacious. Food court was nice!

I enjoyed returning to Rosemont for the National Baseball Card collectors show. The Don Stephens convention center is a perfect venue for the huge scale and variety of this event, with a convenient location as well, surrounded by hotels and restaurants. Also greatly enjoyed the friendly locals I met at Gibson’s, across from Stephens. Overall, a friendly community with warm hospitality and much to offer. I’ll return!

Got tickets on-line. No lines to get in. First time at RV show and will be back. The amount of products was amazing.

This is a very pretty building with very nice lighting and bathrooms! I was here on the 10th of April for an event, LOTS of people! Everything was great... except the food! The snacks in front consisted of cheese, crackers, dried fruit, hummus and pita chips. When asked if more pita chips could be brought out, we were told "no". Dinner was also a disappointment. Chicken was okay, vegetables were not exciting at all. But mostly, out of almost 1400 people, wouldn't you at least prepare for a few vegetarians! People at my table were told that there was no vegetarian dishes, and when pressed, gave them half cooked pasta and the unexciting veggies. There was a lot of full plates to be taken back to the kitchen. A place this size, should always be prepared to feed the people who are not meat eaters! During Lent or at any time of the year!

Ive been to many of these places over the years. The facility has all the amenities one would need while there. Yes they price gouge food and drink but it is what it is. The facility is very well kept and Im there about once a year. Parking is a little tricky but with Uber and Cabs, shouldn't be an issue. The covered drop off area is top notch.

The convention was huge but this space was bigger - a great venue that never felt crowded or uncomfortable. Staff were very friendly.

My only complaint is that they hosted another convention at the same time, in some of the same space. At the same time as Comic-con, there were huge herds of pre-teen girls running around screaming at some pre-teen male internet "celebrities". It was quite annoying.

Great show that was well organized. The largest problem with this facility is parking, it's pricey and worse inconvenient.

I like the wide array of places to use there for various events. It works very well for the Electric Power Conference.

My boyfriend and I recently attended Anime Central (ACen) here from May 20th-22nd. Overall, the venue was great. The exhibit hall and entertainment areas accommodated the large amount of people easily. It was never excessively crowded as I have seen at other convention centers. The only real improvement I could suggest for them is to consider upgrading to/adding water fountains with the water bottle-filling feature like you find in airports and other large spaces. They are much more sanitary and cost-effective for dehydrated con attendees. The bathrooms were slightly dated around the main show floor, but the "fancy" part of the convention center had newer bathrooms. All of the bathrooms were clean, however. The live events rooms for movie screenings and such were very nice and well set up. Any staff with whom I spoke were very friendly. The food was also good: there were snack bars and a Starbucks on-site, and the adjoining Hyatt had a buffet for con attendees. Also, there was a prom going on at the same time as the anime convention, but the two events were very separate and did not get in each other's way. I would gladly attend an event here again.

Not bad... the building is needing a facelift but it was serviceable and the staff were on top of providing amenities for the guests. It was comfortable and functional.

I visited recently for the world of wheels car show. Always a great event and the facility is spacious. Parking is average price and plentiful. Food is reasonable and law enforcement presence makes the area feel secure and safe. Always a great place to visit.

Came here for a two day conference. Not having been here before, I was impressed with the size, layout and friendliness of staff. Great location.

We were there for Fan Expo. Nice facility in a beautiful area. Great traffic control. I was able to walk across a bridge to a nice park, which had hiking and bike trails, along with many deer. Numerous restaurants within walking distance. Great food inside the facility and friendly employees. Very pleasant experience.

This convention center is huge! There are some great places to stay and dine in the area as well. Staff was friendly enough and well organized.

Parking is free across the street, if you validate your ticket, and have lunch in one of the several restaurants. There's an Adobe Gila's Mexican restaurant, a Toby Keith's Bar and Grill, a Fogo de Chao, a Hofbrauhaus, and a couple of other restaurants that I forgot the names of.

A show in Rosemont is always a good experience as everything is layed out in a perfect way to move around easily. Food options could be better, but service is still good.

Participated in a show in Donald E. Stephens Convention Center. Loved that it was close to O'Hare Airport and very good selection of hotels to choose from just around the convention center.

This center needs an upgrade and people movers. Through thier walkways it must be a long mile to get where you need to be. A new ground level entrance would be great. They share an entrance with the rest., but, it's not open all the time.

-Restroom options are limited.
-Rooms for smaller sessions are far from the main Halls.
-It's quite a walk from the Convention Center Parking (located behind Hilton, Embassy Suites and Double Tree).

We went for Our World Underwater and were surprised to see at least 3 other conventions at this location. The facilities and meeting rooms were really nice. Plus they had water stations set up around the seminar rooms.

Attended acen for all three days. Had more than enough space to host the event. Was well staffed as you saw security at various checkpoints and vendors attending shops. It also connects to a couple hotels nearby so make traveling a bit easier. This is a great place to visit with so many different events hosted here often.

My friends and I attended the Wizard World Chicago Convention 22nd, 23rd, and 24th of August.
Saturday night my friends and I were subjected to petty harassment by Rosemont police officers. We pulled out of the lighted parking garage after seeing a movie. My friend noticed he needed to turn his lights on. Probably had them off about 5-10 seconds. He turns them on. We are instantly pulled over by Rosemont police officer (badge 1431). He asks my friend if he knows what he did wrong. After receiving a "no" response he replies that the cars tail lights do not work. The officer walks back to look at them and seems confused. Asks for license and insurance card. The asks what we are doing in the area. (Comic convention that has signs everywhere) Then asks if we had been drinking. (No) He then walks back to his vehicle to fill out a ticket. Meanwhile another officer shows up and shines his bright flashlight into the car, into everyone's eyes. I am not sure what he was looking for from three comic nerds but I guess he didn't find it. Although he had plenty of time to search the car because officer 1431 took almost 30 minutes writing out a ticket. As we drive away he drives right back to his hiding spot to give out more tickets. As we walk back to the hotel connected to the convention center he pulls another victim over. So be warned Rosemont does not want your money via tourism they want to give you grief and take your money at the same time. Needless to say we will pick another place to spend our money next time. Way to go Rosemont PD.

The staff is super helpful and friendly, and the facility is very clean. We are here for the National History Bee and we're happy the convention center is attached to our hotel (and several others) by a skywalk. There are several very good restaurants close by, and it's super close to the O'Hare airport. All in all, a good experience. There's a huge capacity here in Rosemont to handle large convention crowds.

Nice venue concession not too outrageous plenty of bathrooms. However would like to see more water fountains. Only one in main lobby area. Not everyone want to buy bottled water.

The convention center did a nice job hosting the conference I attended. It was clean and spacious - bathrooms were great. The food served to us was very good - plenty of choices as well. The staff was very nice. The location is great with close proximity to the highway and several hotels.

The Donald E Stephens Convention Center is HUGE! Event we attended had every inch of the center covered with tables and vendors. There were snack bars all along the way and restrooms through out. We attended the convention 4 days, security present but did not see the need, all was safe and comfortable.
There were approximately 10,000 attendees the busiest day but not overly crowded to walk through the area and get to vendors.
I would definitely go to a convention there again.

There are several hotels that have a skyway bridge to get you to and from without having to cross the street. But crossing street was safe enough.
There are several excellent restaurants within walking distance.

We have been here a couple of times for events with my son. It’s really nice and spacious! There is an attached parking garage for a fee. Then it’s a LOT of walking through covered walkways to get to the convention center so wear walking shoes!

The staff that operate the daily business of the convention center are always ready and willing to assist. Close to the airport and many restaurants.

This is such a pain to get to and the parking is a rip off...there in no other way around it, but it just stinks how the traffic is set up to bit to the parking lot!

Conveniently located to Ohare airport, plenty of hotels from high end to affordable in the area. As far as large convention centers, it's the same large rooms, expensive parking, expensive food and drink. Nough said, if you have to go just do it

Went here for the Wizard World Comic Con. Can be very disorienting. Some parts are just large open spaces with concrete floors to fill with what ever you want and other parts are fully carpeted with carved wall sconces, fountains, and large elaborate crystal chandlers (which are really pretty). Never tried the restaurant (couldn't find it when I needed it) and I didn't see any other food vendors or even snack machines there. That is where they lost one point. They lost the other due to the 'skywalk'. It is horribly planned and makes you walk over the entire convention building before letting you into it (with some thrilling views of the roof, all painted a lovely beige color, ugh!) all the while freezing you with air conditioning (one every 2 feet) it's a good 15 min walk with branches splitting off to various parking garages. And good luck guessing which path to take, the signs aren't so good either. We had a member of our party with mobility issues. Thank goodness we had an electric scooter for them, this is not a 'shortcut'. Bring comfy shoes.

This convention center is probably one of the best located in NA in relation to mass transit. Additionally there are several good hotels within walking distance.

I attended a sportscards show here. The only problem would be the parking situation as it costs $15 flat rate and it is a long way off. There is a long skyway from the garage but you better be in shape to walk. The vent was well run and I will be back again.

Everything about the convention center is great except the food service. I am at convention center all over the country and this is worst convention food in the industry. Check out other cities like Orlando and Baltimore to get ideas on the food. We at the shows understand you are going to overcharge us anyway, so why can't we get food that's edible.

I visit twice per year for the Gem Show. Convenient and they have a shuttle to the parking garage. Nice.

This place is HUGE and there are taxis and buses coming in and out daily. Nice on the inside with an escalator and multiple conference rooms.

explored huge display of many products for sale. many things were very reasonable in price. disappointed about pay parking but what can you say. very nice product show. now know happens few times a year. wouldn't mind returning.

We were here for the travel expo twice...2011 and a previous year. Big place and depending on your reason for being there business or pleasure this place has room to accommodate all your needs and info for sure. There are plenty of near by places to dine to suit your needs also.

Venue was just fine for the show. Shuttles can deliver you right to the door under cover. Lots of room in the "foyer" to wait for doors to open. Food and drink prices are "sky high" but suppose that is to be expected at this type of place. Overall well satisfied with the location and free shuttles to the Hilton Garden Inn.

My husband and I went here. The place was packed. They should have a better system for reentry. Every time we stepped outside to smoke we had to go through the security line each time. 😠

The convention was set up alright but the entire place did not have much appeal and it was really hot!

Ist time visit for International Quilt Show. Was impressed by the size of the place. Able to display lots of items and there is a lot of walking to see everything. Food court too pricy to eat there.

This venue huge, two floors for show. Park in ramp and take gerbil run to show if weather cold. Bathroom very clean. Bars and carnival food scattered around show perimeter.
Escalator to second floor next to stairs fur easy access.
Walk across the street for some good steak at Gibson's.

I was there for the Wizard World Comic Con and loved the place. It's huge and pretty. The staff was great. I just wish there were more eating options inside the venue.

The Donald E. Stephens Convention Center is an outstanding venue for comic-con conventions since it has several show floors and breakout rooms for panels etc.

Came here for the weekend because there was an expo going on. It was really big and spacious and walking distance from my hotel which was perfect.

For the past 4 years, I have taken my son to the annual Anime Convention that is held here. The crew who does all of the scheduling and set-up do a fantastic job.

The convention center has shuttle buses going to the various conventions. Restrooms are conveniently located.

The place to go to plan a vacation, hundreds of people to talk to from all over the world. Also can visit Customs and Border Protection booth and learn about Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, and other programs that get you thru the airport faster.

The Adventure Travel Show took place January 26 & 27 2013. Exhibiting there, found a table to be absent. A quick saunter to RES to recheck my records with RES records and Viola! pleasantly, amicably we agreed for the need of a table.

I went on my way for a few hours to return to my exhibit booth and there the table stood. Thank you Rosemont Exposition Services.

Communication is a simple matter.
Try communicating folks then matters don't spiral into terribleness.

Transworld shows are held here 4 times per year, giving shoppers a chance to buy scarves, purses, sheets, fur coats,jewelry (real and costume) and deeply discounted rates. It's a shoppers dream! You must preregister and there is a $5 fee to get in. Wear your walking shoes and bring a your shopping bags.

The convention center was well organized, clean, and the people at the doors were very helpful when they were asked questions.

The most confusing maze of corridors with inadequate signage made finding anything difficult. It is, however, connected with gerbil tubes to the surrounding hotels and garages -- no need to go outside. Parking is $13 with no in/out privileges. Boo! Hiss!

It's a fairly average convention center; nice that it connects to several local hotels, but huge bottlenecks on the escalators in a couple areas, and no way around them. Food is typical convention center - limited and over-priced

An excellent facility with loads of hotels next door that allow easy and comfortable access to the convention center through sky walks. Parking lot directly across the street is very convenient. The coffee shop in the entry is an added bonus.

For the past 8 years my high school has hosted the Prom here. Paul, the catering manager is helpful and caring. The room is elegant and impressive. The staff goes out of their way to treat high school students like adults. It is a very bid undertaking considering we take almost 600 kids.
It is an amazing venue and I cannot say enough about it.

Very close to O'Hare airport which makes this venue extremely convenient. Parking is easy here as well. It's best to stay at one of the 4 local hotels which are connected through the skywalk. Service is great and plenty of room for meetings.

Signage to get to the event was terrible as was the traffic as it was clogged all the way to the freeway. The signage was awful, I missed the parking area twice. First because I didn't see the sign and the second time because by the time I saw the sign I was in the wrong lane and couldn't get over to the right lane. Once we finally made it into the garage, after passing many closed lots that were blocked off but empty we found a spot. Parking was $15, a little steep if you ask me.

The convention was packed and again the signage was terrible, no one knew where to go. The workers were less than helpful but once we got it it was even worse. A version of Comicon was going at the same time but we had no interest in it, if they were separated the event would have been more enjoyable. There was just so many people you couldn't even walk in a straight line.

The whole event was just a themed flea market unless you had VIP tickets, what a waste. We came from MN to see the event, again, what a waste.

Attended a Radix Dance Competition and Convention at the Stephens. Easy parking, big facilities, and close to hotels and restaurants. Much easier and cheaper than going downtown to McCormick Place.

The staff seem to enjoy and go out of their way to be rude. It is a shame so many shows are here - you don't have a choice but to put up with it.

Very big and clean. The staff is very friendly. Easy access but very very large. A lot of walking. 3 miles just at the National Convention. Parking is not convenient. $15 a day and no validation at convention center. A long walk from the convention center and back. Sky bridge is too narrow and tortuous. If you are in good shape OK but if you have health issues or are handicapped it can be a struggle.

No hassles about building or equipping our booth. Other venues have strict union rules. My only complaint is the food service. Poor food and very expensive with long line ups.

One of the worst convention centers I've worked in. It was clearly not designed to be a convention center. One day was freezing and the next just cold. Just dark and oddly laid out. Only good thing is the convenience to hotels ( about 5 across the street) and O'Hare airport. Even parking is lousy. Only reason I gave it 2 stars instead of 1 is that the people I encountered were actually nice. Years ago when I worked here the attitude was "not my job", but this time the workers I encountered were pretty friendly.

We had to use the skywalk to get through the arena and to another hotel for our event. We walked about 10 minutes through an elevated, glass corridor. The temperatures were unbearably hot and we only saw one other person with a mop bucket who told us that we were almost there. It was creepy

This is a huge convention & conference place that competes with McCormick Place. A lot of smaller conferences. It is convenient to the airport and it has plenty of hotels and restaurants all around.

easy to access if being dropped off and picked up at main entrance. not very good for parking close by when disabled.

This place was so clean at all times I was amazed with over 20,000. People here and never was any if the restrooms dirty or out of supplies or overflowing trash cans.IT WAS WELL STAFFED, Friendy and Efficent.

Attended the Transworld Jewelry and Accessories Show here. Convention Center large enough to accommodate more than one large event at a time. Clean and offers many rooms and various layouts for events. Easy to get to. Easy to enter and exit.

Nice large venue within a very close distance to O’Hare, but the interior lacks the feeling of a more modern facility. Other than some dated fixtures, overall a nice venue.

We love coming up for various shows at the convention center. The travel show in the winter is our favorite way to break up the cold and dream.

Went for granddaughter's gymnastics meet. Nice inside. I thought $13 for parking was too much. Had a handicapped person along and still long walk. However, it's Chicago!

Let's start off with poor or no signage as soon as you get to area. Found parking garage entrance 4 blocks away with no signs on where to go after turning off off the Main Street. No signs in garage to tell you there is enclosed walkway to center. Walked the 4 blocks to center outside. Found walkway when leaving. We were there for RV show. Men's Bathrooms were small and every fixture jammed right next to each other with no partitions. Wife had to wait in line to get in. Food courts were too small and overcrowded. Long lines for food. All RV,s were jammed into small aisle ways for each dealer area. Slippery floors on enclosed walkway back,saw one woman slip and fall. Too crowded,too hot in the center to enjoy going into RV,s. We will never go back!

Been coming here for years for conventions and it is always a pleasure.

The convention center is sprawling and it is easy to get lost. However, I have found if you keep wandering, you will eventually find where you need to be! Everything is well lit and the main lobby is inviting. The fountains out front are a great meeting place and an excellent feature for pictures. Everything in the lobby and on convention floor is usually kept clean and neat. There is an abundance of space for any event and the facility can easily fit thousands people.

However, a few aspects of the facility need to be updated. For big events, the bathrooms tend to become disorderly. A word to the wise, use a bathroom in one of the hotels if possible. They don't see as much foot traffic. Some of the meeting areas in the convention center also need updating. They are a bit 1980's for contemporary audiences.

Another less desirable aspect to this convention center is the food... it is overpriced and lacks quality. Like many food vendors with convention contracts, it is just edible at best.

Also, parking near the convention center is very difficult. If possible, have someone drop you off at the door. The parking deck makes finding a space easier, but it is a bit of a long walk back to the convention center. There are tunnels leading to the center from the parking deck, but there are a lot of twists and turns. Getting from the parking decks is also something that could be improved.

While the lobby is well lit and welcoming, I hope to see it get an update soon. The decor is aging a bit. I really don't think this takes away from the quality of the venue.

I know that I will have many happy returns to this convention center!

Nice convention center that is very large. The restrooms were very clean and handy. There were two shows going on at the same time which made for great fun. The entire place was clean with a nice Starbucks located inside. The food was the usual hockey game food - lots of junk.

This place needs more bathrooms. Staff was not always very friendly...and gave us WRONG information more than once.

This center is amazing,set up at many shows here.And frankly,Glenn in the back of the seens is great! GIZMO

Have attended multiple conventions here. Not much to say, just a solid venue with hotels and restaurants close by. The area has improved now that they included the Entertainment District for going out after.

Good convention cent4er. The walk from the hotels is long and parking inside the center might make for a shorter walk. We couldn't find a lot of bathrooms so we walked the show to take advantage of the one we found. There may have been others but we didn't see them. Lots of room and the vendors seemed to have a bit more room so it didn't seem so crowded. We would definitely go again.

I've been to the Donald Stephens Convention Centre a couple of different times and it is good. There is lots of room and there are lots of hotels and restaurants around it so you don't have to go far.

American Telugu Association (ATA) organized its 25 year silver jubilee event on July 1-3 at Donald B Convention Centre, Rosemont, IL.

GREAT LOCATION
Organizers should be complemented for organizing a grand event on a July 4 long weekend. Rosemont convention center is a top tier location with good connectivity, good catering & event staff, close to parking and hotels.

WELL PLANNED ACTIVITIES FOR ALL AGE GROUPS
Significant amount of planning and thought went into organizing the events and activities. Convention center had a large event area supplemented by multiple smaller rooms where events were targeted for specific groups. Wide range of activities were planned for different groups.

This ranged from business events & networking, seniors activities, youth socialization, rural development, non profit organization events etc. People were actively participating in these events that conveys that these events were successful in meeting their goals.

DAY 1 - GOOD START BUT MARRED BY LUNCH FIASCO
Saturday (July 2) was the first day with many cultural, social, business, youth activities sprinkled throughout the day. These seem to be well received with participants staying engaged throughout the day. However during lunch things started falling apart wherein people had to wait for almost two hours to get food. Some of the queues ran out of rice, people waited for rice to be delivered, many of the folks decided to eat whatever was available. Later during the day dinner was better as more queues were opened up and mistakes from lunch were largely avoided.

Other activities continued as planned and focus turned to the main event area that was well designed with a large stage and multiple screens to enable people in back rows to get a close view. Main event area comprised of events by local talent as well as dance teams invited from Detroit, Atlanta, and other cities.

POOR EVENT SEQUENCING
Event sequencing seem to be odd as a high energy Tollywood dance was followed by a slow classical dance, further followed by political speech. This seem to indicate lack of experience and forethought in planning the nature and sequence of activities. GMR group founder was invited to speak and he gave a first hand motivating speech that was backed up by a nice audio-visual description of his accomplishments, however this was soon followed by a politician who gave loud political speech that seemed completely out of place.

EXCESSIVE DELAYS
For an event of this magnitude some delays and scheduled changes are likely however the event was completely out of sync with the published schedule. This was further exacerbated by interjections to introduce and thank political celebrities who came all the way from India for this event (not sure if their trip was paid for by American Telugu Association).

CELEBRITIES - LOST OPPORTUNITY
During the event Kajal Agarwal came to the main event area, she must be complemented for her gracious presence and patience in dealing with selfie seekers. She spent a good amount of time in the event area and backstage, however wasn't given adequate stage time, this reflected the poor planning and execution by the organizers. Similar situation happened with Jagapathi Babu garu who despite his stature and stage-presence got a very small fragmented stage time.

DAY 1 - ABRUPT END AT MIDNIGHT
Overall event schedule was few hours behind schedule and there was no significant attempt to catch up on the schedule. Poor planning and forethought was clearly evident when stage sound system and lights were turned off at exactly 12:00 AM.
The Bahubali event participants were literally frozen on the stage unsure of what is happening (some of the participants started crying). The American Telugu Association (ATA) organizers were caught completely unprepared and could not even apologize about this as the sound system was turned off.

DAY 2 - MISSING BREAKFAST
Sunday (July 3rd) was the second and perhaps more important day of American Telugu Association (ATA) silver jubilee. Some of the participants who showed up early could not get any breakfast, though some of the organizers seem to be carrying breakfast trays to their hotel rooms. This contradiction seemed to convey that insiders/organizers were treated differently than the general attendees. Perhaps not having any breakfast would have reduced cost and logistics, however not providing breakfast despite promising seemed to reflect inexperience or incompetence.

PRIME TIME - SMACKED OF NEPOTISM
Sequencing of events reflected inexperience & nepotism. One of the accomplished artist even mentioned that he wish he had been provided a prime slot where more people could have appreciated his superb performance.

POLITICIANS - EXCESSIVE APPEASING
Events again seemed to be chaotic and getting out of hand. Politicians were brought every now and then without any planning or discipline. It almost appeared that the organizers were more interested in highlighting the politicians than focusing on the main event and its cultural and social objectives.

CELEBRITIES - LOST OPPORTUNITY (AGAIN)
The lack of discipline was further evident when Tollywood celebrities were brought on stage wherein Nani and Kajal got stage time. However other Tollywood celebrities Rashi Khanna, and Lavanya Tripathi barely got any stage time. Later on they were whisked away from stage to make for political speeches and mediocre cultural performances. Not sure if American Telugu Association is accountable to explain if the money spent of the celebrities was optimally utilized.

POLITICIAN - OUTBURST ON STAGE
Some of the speeches were blatantly political and had no link to the event, however organizers had no say as they could not afford to offend any politician. This was further evident in a funny incident wherein a politician who was performing with his troupe burst into an angry threatening speech when he was gently nudged to wrap up their folk dance performance. Organizers had to go out of their way to appease him, and let him complete his event.

DAY 2 - DINNER - BIGGER FIASCO
The dinner on Sunday seemed to be another fiasco wherein people took almost two hours to get dinner. Perhaps this may have been limited issue, however the organizers put the main event areas on hold for about hour and half to let people finish their dinner.

Perhaps this was the best time to acknowledge the politicians and finish some of the average cultural performances. This was not an unreasonable expectation particularly when the previous night performances were abruptly halted at mid-night.

POLITICIANS - EXCESSIVE APPEASING CONTINUES
Once the activities resumed the focus turned more towards acknowledging the organizers and politicians (again). There seem to be no planning or control and once again the events were behind schedule and it seemed a repeat of previous day.

However the organizers managed to extend the end time to 1:30 am as the highlight of the evening Mani Sharma's event was scheduled as the last event.

MANI SHARMA CONCERT - TOO LITTLE TOO LATE
Mani Sharma's musical night started at about 11:15 PM and people expected to enjoy whatever time was left, the event started on a good note and seemed to be worth the wait. However soon the event was interrupted multiple times to finish a fashion show from one of the lead sponsors, acknowledge some of the big donors. Many of the audience seem to be completely exhausted and left well before Mani Sharma's event completed.

CONCLUSION - LOST OPPORTUNITY
To conclude the American Telugu Association (ATA) silver jubilee event was well planned, however organizer's lack of discipline and inexperience in managing such large events resulted in a poorly executed event. The undue focus on politicians seemed to indicate that organizer's personal agenda and networking took precedence over the event's objective and goals.

One would hope that the organizers learn from their mistakes and do not repeat them in future American Telugu Association (ATA) events.

i had attended a Conference in Donald E. Stephens Convection Center & i was surprised by the place & its design

I was recently here with my family for a convention, and this was my second time here. I have been to a lot of convention centers and this one, by far is the nicest and cleanest one, I have every been too.

The convention center is nice and clean. It is difficult to find a taxi that will take you too and from. Some can take you but can't pick you up. The Starbucks is by far the worse one I have ever been in. It took 38 minutes to get 2 coffees with 10 people in front of us.

Very spacious! There's enough space for a couple conventions to run at the same time without crowding each other. They've updated the murals on the upper floor, so it looks nicer than the creepy European scene that used to be there. The staff keeps the areas clean and there's visible security if any problems arise. Restrooms are kept clean, there's a Starbucks inside, atms, and a restaurant attached that leads out to the Hyatt across the street.

Came here for a few conventions most recent was the travel and the tattoo this place is very clean very organized and great location just off the exspess way 90/94 parking right next door also surrounded by many beand name hotels if needed and several restaurant options too

I am here on business. The bathrooms are hard to find but once you do, they are well maintained and there are plenty of them. They are just off the beaten path and not always visible.

The arena was very spacious. The security was excellent. It was clean.the only downfall was the crowd was so large on Saturday, the ac couldn't keep up.

While not as big as McCormick downtown, it's much more manageable. There are many hotels attached to the property via walkways and the parking garage. One huge thing it has over McCormick is the massive amount of restaurants in the immediate area. They have done an excellent job of making the area around the convention center a place that you don't have to get in a car to see anything.

There is every type of restaurant you could want, including German, British Pub, Mexican, Brazilian and American food, including a Morton's and a Gibson's Steakhouse, all within walking distance. There is a nice movie theater, a comedy club, indoor sky diving, and a bowling ally for things to do in the evening. There is also a multi-story mall across the street you can walk to.

If you are a gambler, there is a casino one exit north.

Was here for the Chicago Golf Show for the weekend and the entire event went great without a hitch. The convention center also hosted two other events during the weekend and everything went smoothly despite the high volume in the area for the weekend.

This convention center is gigantic! I've attended several conventions there, from anime to antiques and it always runs smoothly. I love the fountain in the front!

I had a three-day convention there in July 2015; it was clean and the staff were friendly and able to give directions. The restrooms were clean, and there were plenty of them. It is a convention site- the decor was minimal and all the carpeting and walls looked the same...however, there were not enough garbage cans! We had water stations in the hallway, and we ate a boxed lunch at the center. The only trash cans were small, the size you would have in your own office. They were overflowing in no time. It would save the staff a ton of time if the Center would invest in larger bins. We also had events at the Rosemont Theatre, which is just down the street, and the traffic cops were awesome at helping us through traffic. If you park in the garage attached to the Convention Center, be prepared to pay a flat daily rate of $13.

We went to the Walker Stalker and Heroes Con. We usually go to a similar convention in Cincinnati, but this was so much closer to home. I loved how much room there was in the place. The other venue we go to is so much smaller and makes it so much more crowded. My only issue was $15 for parking, which would be ok if they let you come and go as you please throughout the day, but we didn't want to risk that, since the ticket said no in and out privileges, so we had to find food within walking distance. Otherwise, beautiful and organized facility.

This is out second time attending Comic Con and it never fails to disappoint. The space is adequate for the con although it is broken up. It is nice to have the different areas for the artists, the autographs, the photos, and the shopping. It was a little chilly inside but considering the humidity outside it was very welcome. Social Con being so close was a bit of a drawback. The only real downside to the center was the "Starbucks" located inside. The coffee is second rate, the staff seems inexperienced, and they do not honor Starbucks special offers for cardholders.

Went to an event there today. Staff are very courteous. There should be more bathrooms available. Easy to access the faculty by bus, train, taxi, and Uber. Food is what you would expect - overpriced but not that bad.

Great location for major events/expos. Plenty of parking and officers assisting with traffic outside convention center. Very clean and located close proximity of restaurants and hotels.

We were here for a quilt Festival. Love the walkway connections to nearby hotels. Very large Centre for many functions. Quilt classes in a separate area and very convenient. Staff were quick to respond and evacuate the 'class' area when someone set a fire in the male washroom. Fire dept were quick to ventilate the area so classes could resume.

We were here for Wizard World/Comic Con. Everyone was helpful and entrance to the convention was efficient. The convention halls were clean and well marked.

Outstanding, definitely worth a visit. We will be back, hopefully soon. America has so much to see I was only there for 4 weeks so trying to see everything was hard work.

Great location for a convention. It's near interstates and hotels, making it very accessible. I have never had an issue with parking in this area.
Best spot for a comic convention that I've been to!

They keep it clean, it's nice and cool in there.
By far my favorite convention center (so far)

This was a huge convention center but very well organized and operated smoothly the whole weekend. Looking forward to attending future events there.

Good but not great.. food choices are horrible.. starbucks on hand
I go back several time a year.. not bad.. convenient to airport..

went to a indian event and the parking was horrible and expensive. i rather stay home next time..the parking lot is very confusing as well

We had a great time, the facility is clean has great layout. Cannot wait to go again next year! Look forward to going to other events held there.

I found it to be a weird blend of modern and vintage. There are areas where if seems very old, with cultural paintings (German brew house) and somewhat victorian architecture and then the big giant meeting rooms which were very modernly styled.

Big rooms especially were cold, which keeps you awake better during a lecture than warm, but I wished I would have had a sweater several times.

Majority of the seating choices became uncomfortable after a short time. Actual metal folding chairs in the largest meeting room were quite awful

Several rooms had people choosing to sit on the floor rather than the chairs, I did this a couple times as well

Acoustics were great, never had difficulty hearing or seeing.

Once I found the meeting it was easy to navigate to the various rooms. Could have used more occasional seating for down times.

Food offerings were mediocre at best. Their cafeteria was poor.

Attended an industry conference here and stayed just around the corner at the aloft hotel (good place). The convention center has lots of hotels, restaurants and large mall within walking distance - very convenient. And, it's very close to O'Hare - also very convenient. Only negative comments are about the food offered - horrible, worse than a convenience store. Starbucks was super slow in the morning. They should really have far more staff during the morning shift, as they know they will be inundated. Last, restroom access wasn't the best. One upstairs in the convention space and one all the way downstairs near the convention center entrance; Not enough.

The convention center was huge. It was a lot of walking as we were there for the 2013 International Quilt Festival. Not something you want to do in one day if you have any kind of mobility problems. The staff of the convention was very nice and very pleasant to work with.

The event cost $60+ to get in. It was an event where most of the attraction was vendors selling comic related items. row after row. I can't believe that anyone could make any money as there were many comic vendors. The artwork was incredible. The costumes of the attendees were great although not quite up to par with Gen Con in Indy. The cost to get an autograph was $100+ and long lines were common. Food was pricey. The staff was mostly volunteers. Unusual for a site in Chicago as it used to be all union and good paying jobs. The vendors had to pay for space which cuts into their profits. Overall it was fun but too expensive for what it contained. We had fun though I wouldn't go again.

Its acceptable when you have no other place to eat. Basically the only place to eat in the convention center. Food is over-priced for what it is.

Was here for the PLMA show in November - overall an average facility - pluses for its size, lighting, and space. Loses points for an awful drop-off area, too few washrooms, and confusing floor space.

I was there for a large convention of sportscards and memorabilia. There is plenty of bathrooms. I stayed away from the food they were selling at the concessions. It didn't look very good.

We displayed our machines here for a spring industry show. Its amazing how fast they can put the booths and the floor together! Nice Place!

This is a wonderful convention center with lots of amenities. The only thing they really need are some sitting spots in the open areas and hallways.

I've attended numerous Wizard World Comic Con events at this venue and have always had a great time! The convention center is huge and staff has always been really friendly. It's located right by the airport with plenty of hotels in the area, which make this a great place for anyone visiting from out of town as well! Look forward to the next time I attend an event here!

Attended the World of Wheels auto show at the Stephens Convention Center. For me, it was quite convenient. Coming from the south, I simply exited the Tri-State Tollway (I-294) at Balmoral Ave, turned right and then left at the next light (1 block) and entered the large parking garage. Parking is paid at ATM-like machines in the elevator lobby and the ticket is checked when driving out of the garage. Parking cost is $15. The Sky Bridge is an enclosed walkway takes you from the garage to the convention center.

The convention center is quite large and can host good size events. Restrooms are spread around and were clean and well kept. There is the Expoteria restaurant and a Starbucks in the convention center.

If you've had your fill of activities in the convention center, you can do some (relaxing?) shopping at the Fashions Outlet mall which is a short walk away (near the Balmoral exit off I-294.

First time in this city and I'm glad to have attended. Although I must say that there were no strict rules in place for masking during the convention.

My daughter and I attended our first Walker Stalker / Heros and Villans Con this weekend. The venue was packed both Saturday and Sunday which apparently event promoters were ill prepared for. One of the negatives was that the concessions could not keep up with the volume of attendees; it took 45+ minutes to be waited on at any of concession booths. The other negative was the immense amount of cigarette smoke that engulfed the entire inside lobby area! Good grief!!! Is there not any ventilation in that area?

This convention center is ideally located in Rosemont just outside downtown Chicago. There are many premium hotels nearby and a short walk gets you to an area with many interesting restaurants and bars. O'Hare airport is close by. Most of the area hotels have complimentary shuttles to this airport.

Had a several day conference and found the staff to be excellent. Coffee and food service very good. Restrooms large and perfectly clean. Starbucks in the main lobby.
Several of the close by hotels are connected to the conference center via covered walkways which was great since we had two days of rain. If you are driving there is an attached large parking deck facility.

The convention center made it easy to find meeting rooms and accommodates a lot of people. The rooms were clean.

Travel expo in January. Good spot near airport and if you have a hotel with shuttle service it mnakes it even easier. I would come back to any expo that is held here just for these reasons. I think the area even has hotels and restaurants within walking distance

Attended Wizard World comic-con 2015. GREAT facility. Easy to get to. Parking near by. Clean!! Easy to find your way around. Lovely decor!

This convention center is huge. Went to Wizard World Comic Con 2015 which had a lot of stuff to look at and fun. We enjoyed every bit of it. There were a lot of people that were dressed up as different characters. The fashion outlet mall is just a skip, jump, and hop away.

The convention center decor was very nice. The waterfalls and chandeliers were beautiful. The space was very large and clean.

Big place, convenient but expensive parking. Lot of hotels attached by walkways/sky bridge. Lot of activities around.

Minutes from Chicago's O'Hare Airport and surrounded by topnotch restaurants and hotels, the Stephens Convention is well positioned to attract conferences of all sorts. I've been coming here for a number of years to attend the annual Assembly Show. Early on there were some problems with wireless/internet access but the problem seems to have been solved.

Very well laid out. Attended the Comic con 2014 which took over the entire center. Very well organized, nice facilities, good bathrooms, and strong wifi.

Needs a few more signs and open up the concession stands please!

This conference center is huge! The lobby is beautifully decorated and has several sitting areas. There are a lot of separate rooms for smaller classes/demonstrations. There were charging stations set up with comfy seats. I look forward to returning next summer.

I liked the size of the convention hall, and the number of restrooms available. One negative was how long of a walk it was from the room to the convention hall.

Attended the WW Chicago event at this Convention center, and was very impressed. Close to several hotels, and very well maintained! The convention center is huge, and offer a well spaced out event.

First, the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center is not nearly as big as McCormick Place along the lakefront in Chicago. The Donald E. Stephens Convention Center (formerly known as the Rosemont Convention Center) only has exhibition space of about 840,000 sq. ft., compared to the 2,675,000 of McCormick Place. So, for walking around, the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center is certainly a lot easier to deal with than McCormick Place. There is easy access from surface streets and the Kennedy Expressway and the nearby tollways. There is a public transportation terminal only a couple of blocks north which is not a real long walk. There is easy drop-off, as well, in the front which is protected from the elements. There is plenty of parking in various lots, in fact, over 8,000 parking spaces are supposedly available nearby. Parking fees can vary. The concessions in the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center can be a bit pricey, but there are several restaurants within one block, so you can have your choice. Overall, it is easy to find, easy to park and easy to navigate. We were there for a convention and we had pre-arranged parking across the street in the Rosemont Theatre parking lot.

We had a nice time. It was VERY crowded so we probably didn't stay as long as we would have liked to. But as for the venue, it was good. We actually parked at my work in the Marriott Suites complex, so we saved the $13 in parking and it was a decent day so the short walk wasn't a big deal.

We didn't eat there based on other reviews about it being crazy expensive.

Attended a trade show here with many CE classes to attend. The exhibit hall and all of the meeting rooms were up to date and spotless. The restrooms had nice contemporary finishes and were also well maintained. I would recommend the space to anyone looking to host meetings or a show.

Catering on site is average at best.
Transport around the hotels is good.
WHY ARE THEY STILL CHARGING FOR WIFI AT $10 PER DAY?????

If you are going out to Rosemont for an event, you can save yourself the parking fee. Visit the new Rosemont entertainment center and get your parking validated; it's good for 24 hours. The only downside is that you have to walk one block further. It's a little tricky, but instead of entering the garage off Manheim, go around down the street to the backside, next to the freeway. Don't enter into the movie entrance. Go to the one immediatey next to it.

Take your parking ticket and have it validated at one of the restaurants. I would recommend walking around the little square and picking one you liked. We had lunch at the Hofbrauhaus. It looks like its the same menu for lunch and dinner. We had lunch and it was a larger serving. Probably better for dinner, re price. THere is also an interesting bowling alley that serves food while you bowl. Just shop around.

Nice clean facility.
Beautiful landscaping.
Convenient to five large hotels, some connect via skywalk.

Huge Convention center, located right off Highway that connects with sky bridges to other hotels. It has an attached parking garage for $15.00 day. (Park on 2nd level for access to Skybridge-NO CASH-Cards ONLY)
Clean and plentiful restrooms. Escalators. Plentiful restaurants located down the street. I went to a Zumba Strong Convention

This convention center was part of a trip to Chicago to meet friends at Anime Central.
Due to limited time this weekend, I mainly visited the Dealer's Room, in DES convention center's large "Hall A" convention space. This review is characteristic of the public ground-level "mingling space" outside of the halls, and this "Hall A" area's amenities.

The facility is old. I am not kidding when I say the 70s want their convention center back.

They have a completely archaic telephone (66 blocks!) and electrical (4 breakers, 30A each) distribution system on each vertical column in their main large tradeshow floor area. I saw a few retrofit modular 8p8c jacks supposedly for Ethernet on some of the vertical support columns next to the 66 blocks.

The design of the common area, makes use not only of mirrored ceilings, but _paneled_ chrome mirrored ceilings.
Its like metal bars of chrome, all over the ceiling. And it looks GAUDY.

The outside, is a nice, even somewhat classy looking slate grey. COVERED IN THE MOST OUTRAGEOUS YELLOW AND RED TRIM ACCENTS.

It reminds me of my LEGO set mixed with some rocks in the dirt. It would look classy on Dynasty. It might even fit in with a circus.

Please: Cover the Red with some nice dark grey tone, the Yellow with some nicer light grey tone. Perhaps something slightly orange-y grey to offset the slate-blue stone in the siding.

And GET RID OF THE STRIP CLUB LOOKING CHROME CEILINGS (and wire some better power and cat6 thru your spaces)

A large convention center. Great for conferences. I was able to easily get around, and find various rooms throughout the convention center. As with all convention centers, you will do a lot of walking. Restrooms were easy to find, as were eating areas.

The bathrooms are difficult to find, there are no drinking fountains forcing you to over pay at the concession stands, and the information counter in the lobby was not even aware of any public transportation. She told us to Google it.

This is a huge place and the third time I've been to Comic con there. It's so unorganized and poorly run. Takes forever to get in, even if you bought tickets ahead of time. I had a VIP pass which ended up taking longer in line than regular ticket holders to get in. Thank goodness I got there Thursday and not Saturday. The lines to get in, with tickets ahead of time, went outside around the building. Terrible!
We were able to avoid eating the food, which is usually terrible, overpriced and no place to sit.
With the amount of people that come to Comic Con, should be run a lot better. They should have a better idea on how things work by this time. I probably won't be back.

Overall a nice facility, but a bit dated and not all on one level. The lobby and entrance are nice, but the main trade show floor is separated by a ramp and steps - guessing it was built at two different times. The secondary exhibition area is on the second floor which is less preferred by exhibitors as it is harder to get attendees up there.

Was here for Collect-A-Con Chicago. Solid venue. Helpful staff. Good spacing. Easy access from hotels across the street.

It’s a VERY long walk from the parking lot Via the tunnel. No coat check. And bring plenty of money for the overpriced drinks and food. Bathrooms are nice. Very few places to sit and rest.

The Convention Center is close to several hotels and many good places to eat. The food during the meetings was good, although I have not been there before when so many plates were dropped during dinner service.

Everything is ok, but it is always freezing there. No matter what kind of weather outside. Wear layers.

Attended a convention here in November 2014. Layout isn't great, as the cloak area is significantly far away from the convention halls, but otherwise seemed okay. The place appeared clean, washrooms worked, and staff seemed helpful.

Had a conference here and the facility was beautiful, very accessible and the staff was courteous and knowledgeable. Really made my experience a great experience.

This was my first time attending a convention of this size, but this convention center was easy to navigate, despite it's huge size. The place is absolutely gorgeous as well, especially within it's architecture! Absolutely stunning!

We rented a few rooms for a conference and for the cost, the value is tremendous. Parking is a bit of a walk to the show floor but it's safe, warm and dry. The facility is top of the line, could use a bit better wireless and some indoor GPS would be valuable like they have in Las Vegas but overall this is a great spot and location.

We were here for a major hobby convention. This was a large space and was well lit. Plenty of places to eat and stay in the area. But parking was horrid and expensive. The garage across the street was easy to get lost in and it was tough to find one's way out of it or to get from one section of the garage too another. There was at least a 15 minute walk, and one time we got lost in the garage and could not find out way out. During show setup, the facility turned off the air conditioning. In August--when we were wearing masks. Ugh. The food service was expensive and of poor quality. $5 waters, for example. Still the basic setup was good. Meeting rooms on the floor above the show floor were excellent. With a little attention to detail, this facility would get a higher rating.

This is so much better than traveling to downtown Chicago. All the amenities are provided, area hotels and restaurants are great and the airport is less than 10 minutes away.

I recently attended a convention at this center and it is enormous in size. They have a sit down "café" at the back of the center but once you exit to eat at the café you have to go clear around the building to get back inside as they did not allow entry from the café only exit.

Have attended many tech conferences here over the years. It is close to hotels/restaurants and the airport which makes things easy. The facility is quite large and is beginning to hit the "out of date" point but overall a nice facility. Wifi usually costs extra unless your event negotiates it in the rate but it works well at least.

Te convention was well organized and the staff did a great job running it. The facilities were running much better this year. There was no bathroom backups like last year. Parking for the center is continently located across the street. Parking was only $13 a day. Signage was visible and updated when changes were made.

We attended a car show there. The address on the paperwork and the GPS didn't jive so we drove through several neighborhoods before we got to the parking garage - we should have just used our heads and gotten off the interstate when we saw it. We parked in the parking garage, which was very convenient because there is an enclosed walkway from the garage to the Center; there appeared to be cheaper parking options. The downside is that the walkway seems really long especially after walking around a car show with no seating for several hours. Also, there were very few restaurants in the area.

A helpful hint: There is a bank of ATM like machines to pay for parking as you come back from the Center, remember to take your ticket with you so you don't have to go back. If you forget your ticket there were two booths where you can pay before you leave.

Only problem would be hotel is in industrial area with limited restaurants within walking distance so vehicle is necessary for any real nightlife.

Close to hotels dining also more to do within walking distance. New outlet mall is huge and has a large selection of stores many ver upscale Gucci Prada etc...Movie theater and new Bowling ally makes off trades how hours full of options. Thankfully they jus added a Starbucks inside so you can get a good drink and nibble. Airport is also 7 min away sad to say we never make it into the city when we fly into Chicago.

I took My son and family there for a Midwest comic convention
It was a lots of fun Big, and a lots of things to see nice !

This place is huge, so its hard to write a solid review, but I'll give it a go.

I typically go here for Wizard World Comic Con.

Its a great setup for this, because of the multiple hall rooms that they can divide and it makes crowd control better.

There is a skybridge that is great to help get from the hotels across the streets. Not the best for strollers, because you have to deal with the limited number of elevators. However, during major events, they have the police out there that will help you cross the street.

We he been here three times for the show. Best R show in the Midwest. There are so many trailers and options you need at least a half a day to get through what you want to see.

As convention centers go this one is pretty good for a trade show. There are enough hotels in the area and its easy to get in and out of. There are several snack/drink cafe's inside and plenty of restrooms that aren't too far away.

The facility is a bit run down and "sticky" feeling. Could use a good cleaning. The bar was poorly stocked and the first few selections were: "sorry...we don't have that anymore."

Walked across a 4 lane (Maybe 6) highway to get there from overpriced hotel but 2 police officers guided traffic to increase safety. Free coat check. Huge expo space. Bathrooms clean. Temp was not well-controlled.

Great location and across the street from our hotel. Loved the layout for the Wizard Comic Con and one of the best I've attended for this type of convention. There was more than enough walking room with the layout and I never felt crowded or pushed. They did a good job of directing traffic to where we needed to be. Can't wait for next year!

Nice, clean and professional property for a nice Motorcycle Convention. Easy to walk from the nearby hotels and also near the shopping outlet mall.

We drove in to go to the motorcycle show. From in front of the building it took 45 minutes to park and get into the Center. Yesterday, it was about 10-15 minutes.

Parking is very convenient, located right next door. The parking garage has an slightly non-intuitive design. I saw several cars proceed up thinking there would be a down ramp at the top. The DES Center is huge, and can hold many different events at once. The entrance off the parking garage is easy to identify, and signage to the various exhibit halls is easy to follow. What else is there to say? Food choices for vegans? Bring your lunch!

Went to Wizard World 2018, had a real good time, the convention center was clean and the concession stand prices in line with other convention centers

Nice clean event location. Directions were easy to navigate. Restrooms were very nice. Conference rooms were chilly, bring a sweater to have along.

Large venue with escalators and a walking tunnel from other parking areas. Very open area. Nothing spectacular.

We had a one day conference here and were very pleased with the accommodations. Everyone was polite. It was easy to cross the street from the hotel. Nothing negative to say.

Very pleasant and sophisticated convention building. The overpass bridge to all great hotels is a plus.

This town is currupt ...everything there is creepy... the staff at this convention center included its all owned by one family who cover up crime for the gain of the town.

I was a very nice convention center. Lots of beautiful rooms and I only saw a small portion of it. The main lobby was nicely lit up by natural sunlight and the sky bridge was much appreciated because it was raining one of the days we were there.

Opened OVER ONE HOUR later than advertised on a SUNDAY during a weekend CONVENTION. Wrap your brain arounbt THAT for a moment. Over a hundred volunteers waiting in line for over one hour to start their day while THREE employees move around inside slowly, then turn on the lights, then one leaves to use the public bathroom for about 15 minutes before returning, and letting us follow them in. Employees were RUDE and incredibly SLOW. This place needs to hire Starbucks workers from the CITY who VALUE their jobs. As an employer, your current staff is COSTING YOU MONEY AND CREDIBILITY. If you're mobile, find a Dunkin Donuts and skip the frustration of being delayed and mistreated by this increasingly terrible company. This Starbucks is a perfect example of incompetence and hiring the WRONG PEOPLE for the job!

ACen was held here for now 20 years on this day, 5/23/2017. The weekend consisted of fantastic wonders that EVERYONE enjoyed. Every time an event is held here, it's not just a great time, it makes you want to come back for more. Let's just level for a minute and talk about the staff: they know customer service AND security detail in and out. The place is never dull and all members of the staff were smart, kind, and absolutely knew what they were doing and when. The place stayed clean and pristine, no graffiti on the walls, no cracks, the place looks divine. If you get the chance to come to a convention and it's held here, take it from every person here: You're gonna have a great time.

Spent two days here and everything was stellar. Things were labeled well, easy to find, the grounds were lovely as well. Nothing but great experiences to report

This convention center is very nice size and i have loved coming to conventions here several times a year. The staff were nicer than usual and the only complaint was they were forcing people out of the panel areas during the adult panels and photoshoots. It was not midnight yet but they were still pretty rude even though panels were still happening but otherwise it was very pleasurable

I went there for an accessory show. It's a spacious building with a great show room. The employees are friendly.

The convention center was huge! Very nice outside, and room for so much on the inside. Very well laid out though, so we never got lost. There was so much going on at Comic Con, but it was easy to find it all.

Center was spacious, temperature was good but food service totally inadequate for the crowd. Lines were crazy. They should separate food from water so you don't wait 40 minutes just for a bottle.

This was our first trip to the convention center and Comic Con. It was my husband, 13 year old son, our 6 month old and myself. It was very hard to find parking but we finally did. The convention center itself lacked baby changing stations in the restrooms that we went in. Other than that, it was one of the best events we have been to. We plan on going again for sure.

We visited for the Travel Adventure Show - an annual pilgrimage to see what's out there in the travel world.

Coming to Rosemont is easy from almost anywhere in the Chicago area. There is ample parking (if for a moderately steep fee), public transit, O'Hare airport, and easy driving access from many expressways. If the weather is decent, you can park at the Rosemont CTA station and walk, saving a few bucks in parking. One challenge is that you have to walk a lot, not matter what. I haven't found good bike parking, though. The parking garage is across the street, and though it has a heated walkway, is still a long way from your events. Of course, you're going to walk at an event, anyway... ;-)

The facility is vast, with many options for exhibitors and event attendees. Bathrooms are scattered around the facility. Not many water fountains, though! This would be great for a long day of walking or standing if you don't want to pay $4.00 for a fountain soda! This brings me to food prices - exceedingly high for horribly quality and lousy service. Some servers reach out a little, but most are just doing their job. For the prices they charge for what is equivalent to microwaved food, at least some cheer and attentiveness would help.

I've never exhibited here, so can't speak to this end of the service, but as an attendee, the staff is very helpful and friendly. The facility is clean and well lit, if a bit basic in some of the rooms. Functional, to be sure.

Know that if you attend an event at the Stephens Convention Center, you can focus on the event and not have to worry about too much else, beyond staying hydrated.

Attended a Trade show here and Im from Florida. I stayed at the Hilton attached to the conference center. If attending a conference here, I recommend choosing the Hilton or Hyatt which are the closest choices to the Skywalk. They need a better food service at the conference. It was worse then a ball game and expensive. Eat before you come! Im not sure if it was the Trade show's fault or theirs but there were no rugs at our trade show. Make sure this is requested!

Wow, this place is huge, it had the biggest camper show I have ever seen! Plenty of Hotels with in walking distance and plenty of restaurants close by! They had a couple of lounge areas to get a bite to eat, they were a bit pricey! $30 dollars for a couple sandwich, ham and turkey a small scoop of potato salad, couple bags of pretzels and 2 drinks! Had plenty of restrooms spread through out the building.

Although the staff in the service office are a bit miserable and not particularly helpful.

Convenient location.

The convention center was much more prepared than my last visit. They had a better plan for the convention floor to keep everything as open as possible. Only issue I had was the food, I had a slice of pizza that wasn't fully cooked. Other than that I had a great time, and hope they continue to improve!

A Starbucks is conveniently located on the first floor. Did a presentation in the facility and rooms were large and everything worked without any problems. There is a nice selection of hotels and restaurants across the street and in very close proximity.

Donald E. Stephens convention center - this October was home to SMTAI (for those involved in the Electronics Industry it clearly rings bells). And I was there, what I found:
- location - in Rosemont Il - you can come by car , across the street you can find a generous multi-story parking, so plenty of room to park your car and you have a bridge that you can cross over in a rainy day so you don't get wet. You can drop-off somebody at the entrance but you can't park there. Multiple meeting rooms are available and you have escalators that help you getting to the rooms you want - and elevators also.
Several hotels in walking distance - and you can access from a few of those, via the bridge, so its everything at hand.
- meeting rooms - with a good seating capacity ranging from very large - good for receptions - to only like 30 seats rooms for smaller meetings. Good sound system in the rooms - and all you need for a good presentation - projectors and screens available. Also take your adapter with you if you are coming from outside the US.
Furniture comfortable and in very good shape.
- at the first floor you will find a Starbucks - so if you need something form there you can have it.
- restrooms on each floor - in case you need to it.
- smoking only allowed outside in designated areas , so pay attention to the signs.
Overall - a great location for any big event that you want to organize. If you picked up and event here and you want to attend you have everything you need.

We host a show here every other year and have always been impressed with the center and the staff. Love the fact that they have a Starbucks in the lobby but wish the lines were not always so crazy! I wish there were more things to do nearby and maybe a shuttle to different places like downtown Chicago or other shopping venues.

Staff at the center were extremely nice and helpful, there is a short cut on the walkway from the Hilton...ask someone :)

If you are going out to Rosemont for an event, you can save yourself the parking fee. Visit the Rosemont entertainment center and get your parking validated; it's good for 24 hours. The only downside is that you have to walk one block further. The entertainment center is directly east of the Convention Center. Easiest way to reach it is go down to street level and walk through the garages. It's a little tricky, but instead of entering the garage off Manheim, go west down the east-west street just north of the Convention Center to the backside, next to the freeway. Turn left near the end of the street. Enter the garage on the right. There are two gates. Don't enter into the movie entrance. Go to the one immediately next to it.

Take your parking ticket and have it validated at one of the restaurants. I would recommend walking around the little square and picking one you like. We had lunch at the Hofbrauhaus. It looks like its the same menu for lunch and dinner. We had lunch and it was a larger serving. Probably better for dinner, re price. There is also an interesting bowling alley that serves food while you bowl. Just shop around.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g36630-d1418715-r150847792-Donald_E_Stephens_Convention_Center-Rosemont_Illinois.html#

My sons and I attended the MCACN show held at the Donald Stevens Center November 2015. The building was clean and exceptionally well maintained. This building hosts multi events at the same time and is well laid out to handle the traffic.

Convention center very clean and spacious. Adequate bathroom facilities. Loved the complimentary Wi Fi. Link ways to different hotels makes it easier to get around. Overall a very good area for large and small events.

The ;halls were very big, but there weren't adequate restroom facilities and the in house concession food left much to be desired. Also, the sound and electricity were spotty which made the event I attended seem shoddy even though these problems were out of the host's control. The Starbucks in the venue was fast and offered delicious food, but it sold out quickly with two different events taking place at the same time. Food options nearby are sit-down and pricey so going out for a quick bite without a car was impossible. The building itself is the worst of of mid-century modern design, trying to look classy but coming off gaudy.

The Stephens Center is a great place to hold a trade show or other large-venue event. I have attended several events over the years, and they are always very well done. The in-house food service tends to be a little underwhelming, but there are some pretty good restaurants nearby. If you park at the garage across the street, don't bother to take the walkway unless the weather is bad. It really meanders around and adds a lot of steps. It is quicker to exit the garage and walk across, and there will be traffic control there helping you cross (if there is a large event going on).

Need more staff at Starbucks during conventions. Would also be nice to have more casual seating ie: chairs and tables, also some benches.

Went to a 1 day training seminar and 3 day exercise science conference, very clean & organized facility, plus close to quality hotels.

Fun it had a starbucks. we were there for the voice auditions. they also had a dinasaur exhibit going on which was nice. the only thing we didn't like was they kept making my husband move the car when he tried to pick us up at the door they would not allow him to wait for us.

Attended the travel show ,basically just to see the facility.Pace Bus has a free shuttle from the Rosemont blue line stop which was excellent.Large facility,typical convention center.Paid 5$ for two tickets on groupon to enter the show,would not pay any more.With all this info online,unless you are really interested in a certain travel spot ,I would not return to the Travel show.
Overall I liked the Convention Center.Close to everything You can also use the free shuttle to the new Outlet mall about 3 blocks away.



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We attended the Midwest Face and Body Expo and this was a great place for it! Clean, nicely sized not a lot of walking!

I have gone here several times.Mostly for the annual Scuba Diving Expo in Feb.It is close to the O'Hare airport and has ample parking across the st.Hotels line up & down River Rd.Resturants are also a highlight of this area.Morton's Steak House to Pizza venues.
As other reviews have noted a huge space for Events .Convienet unloading docks as well.

Very nice convention center. This is accessible by all roads.
Within minutes to some top restaurants. The area had many to hotels and connects to the Hyatt regency.
Many different attractions go on here.

For the past several years I have attended The Jewelry, Fashion Assessor y Show at the Convention Center. They do a wonderful set up for this function, but also have many other activities during which many attend. I remain to be amazed on what a beautiful job the staff do, which attracts people from all over the Chicago-land area, as well as for out of state visitors. For large crowds, police guide traffic & make sure people get into & out of the building safely.

If it wasn't for the nice breakout rooms, this place would have gotten 1 star. So yeah, breakout room were nice with good AV.

Now here is the reason for 2 stars. I was at a conference and on day two we had two incredible keynote speakers. I'm talking about Executive level keynotes from companies like Firestone.

Normally convention centers respect the current conference attendees, but this one certainly didn't prescribe to those rules.

While the keynote speakers were one stage you could clearly hear drills and forktrucks setting up another event. Thankfully the keynotes were professionals and the sounds did not distract them, but it certainly distracted the audience. My table was full of "really?" and "seriously?" during the keynotes.

BEEP BEEP BEEP, there's the forklift.

REEEEE, There's the drill.

So rude.

i went here for a wedding and during the reception the bartenders wouldnt give me napkins or water. Wouldnt it be a smart idea to provide coffee or water to people that partied a bit to much and try to sober them up by giving them water and coffee, but no they took everything away. I couldnt even find napkins to wipe my face.

We had not attended the annual February camping show in many years and to our surprise attending an event at this convention center is very smooth. The parking was excellent, the wall across the walkway bridge was heated and comfortable walking to the convention center. Easy entrance to the show and we enjoy the humorous camping show. We took a quick break for a pretzel to get a few carbs. The food service areas are a bit pricey, that was not surprising. Leaving the parking garage was very easy, paid our parking ticket before we entered the garage and easily found our way out of the garage and on Balmoral to catch I-294 South bound.

Parking in the convention center lot is $15+. If you follow the directions below, it is free.

Exit off I90 going south on North River Road. Go to the first light (1 block) and turn right. Go down about five blocks until you get to the big theater and the "dead end" sign. Turn left. Go past the theater and go up to the ramp on your left. Get a parking ticket from the machine and park. Try and stay on the ground floor. In the middle there is a walkway (about 4 blocks long) over to the convention center.

During a break, go over to the entertainment center. There are some restaurants there there will validate your parking ticket. A light meal is about $15 more or less. The food is good; pick one out that you like!

the worst part about this place is that the people that work there are worse than not helpful....they do what they can to prevent you getting help. Based on several different experiences here, I would move my convention anywhere else but here.

I have attended three jewelry, fashion & accessory shows here. It's a very nice convention center, clean, well kept bathrooms, and very helpful people working. Of course the food is outrageously priced, but that's the case with these events. This last show we carried in subs to eat for lunch. I would definitely do that again.

The convention center is huge, but the staff is awesome helping you find where you need to go and plenty of signage to point you in the right direction. the convention center was very clean this is just part of what made the convention great and memorable oh also the local police were real great helping people cross the street and be safe by stopping traffic.

My sister, two nephews and l visited the Donald E Stephens convention center for the worlds famous Comic Con. We were not disappointed at all. If you like comics, artist and people dressed up as super heros this place is for you. I saw some amazing art work and every comic I could possibly want. The space housing this event was HUGE and it took me a full day to recover from all that walking, however it was worth going and I'll definitely be back next year.

beautiful convention centre with amazing sense of space. well organized show. easy access if staying at the Hyatt Regency right across the street.

I attended a Fair Trade symposium and the Windy City Trade Show. The place is huge but that is because of all the events they are hosting. Parking was easy to get in and out of but it was a long walk (indoor tunnels). Make sure you leave plenty of time to get to your meeting, because it took a lot longer than we had expected. Both the symposium and the Trade Show were well organized. Restrooms were clean and easy to find.

the sheer size just makes one gasp. This facility is world class, plenty of parking, easy access to all parts of the building, tasteful in appearance

The convention center was huge and it's very hard to miss the faculty was amazing and very helpful they made my first time at Comic-Con very good

went to the baseball card show for the first time the skywalk connecting the hotel was great since it was snowing.. after the show we went to another hall in the buiding for the car show and it was massive place was nice and clean they have Valet parking too

Facilities are a grand slam. No complaints, but I could have used an ATM that was not tied to the obscure bank which did have a machine or two. One dealer would not take my check or credit card and I was not carrying much cash. Sale fell through.

Attended a business convention, the venue was your typical convention center. The convention center needs to invest the money in seating for the food area as the only seating was reserved by companies for their employees/customers. The food on site was not only over priced, it honestly wasn't even worth it. Some food seamed as if it had been left over from the previous day.

This is what McCormick place should be like. No parking headaches, no price gouging, no bad neighborhoods to traverse to get in and out of the place and plenty of ammenities close by that don't cost an arm and a leg.

My last trip here was 2005, there were still the same 3 Rosemont Police directing traffic and pedestrian attendees near the main entrance ! Apparently they cannot afford a simple traffic light ? When you walk near the entrance there are people smoking you have to walk thru to the doors. Parking is $15 a day and may vary by the Hotel you stay with. There is really nothing to do here close by but convent. Sky walk connects to most or all of the hotels, it may be closer to walk at ground level and less confusing, however could be helpful for inclimate weather of crossing more safe. The Parking lot I used was labeled but very confusing, limited elevators and horrible for access (stairs) and minimal walk thrus. Lots of airport noises. Stay for the convenience of you convention and Leave.

I was in town for a trade show and this place was very nice, plus the location is great because it's close to the airport!. The staff at the event was very helpful and well!

This convention center is just HUGE!! I would go here 4 times a year and have a vendor booth for the jewelry show. Without using your car, you can find a place to eat and a Hotel. Very Convenient!!

I've attended national conventions here three times over the last few years. The place is HUGE and kept clean (including rest rooms).

It was very easy access to O'Hare Airport. It is the first stop by light rail and the small station is only about 1/4 miles from the convention center. There are plenty of hotels and eateries nearby. Convention center food is always overpriced.

I stayed at a Comfort Suites a couple of miles south in Schiller Park and they offered free shuttle service to the Convention Center and airport.

We have been here several times, it is next to the airport, surrounded by many hotels across the streets, some connected to the center by enclosed walkway, which can be vital in the icy winter months.

Not a fancy place but efficient and no nonsense business center, I like it, it is easy to do things, get to and leave.

There is no shopping, no entertainment, nothing nearby.

This convention center is laid out with large events in mind. At my time of visiting, there was a major touring motorcycle show and a separate conference occurring. The center is connected to the Hilton and Embassy hotels and an oversized parking garage by using a "sky bridge" (the locals call them hamster tubes). The Hyatt and Doubletree are also across the streets. Food options for the expo floor are concession stands, with your typical popcorn etc options. Pizza, pretzel and Pepsi cost me $13. A Starbucks is also onsite, and way better but upscale dining found in the hotels across the street. Alcohol is available on site at prices that would tax a king, but if you can afford to park here you can afford to drink here. The blue line L station is a few blocks away, and it would likely be cheaper to ride in and walk, rather than pay for parking, depending on your access to the L. Time to park and distance to walk from the garage is comparable to the L.

We stopped for breakfast one morning because it was across from our hotel. There was one person at cash register and she had to ring for someone to cook for us. That took 5 mins then they were out of pancakes french toast english muffins orange juice.v we ordered and he got both of our orders wrong. Im not sure why we didn't walk out.

Several hotels connect to Convention Center via Sky bridge. Distance may be a little daunting for those with limited mobility. Convention Center was clean and secure with attached parking garage. Starbucks was only restaurant open during my visit.

Great place to connect with US Partners during Chicago Travel Adventure Show on 13 - 14 Jan 2024 with Vietnam Private Car company. We will come back soon. See you next year on Feb-2025.

The Donald E. Stephens Convention Center is an older facility but its still getting the job done. I had very good experiences with the convention center staff relative to exhibiting at a technology conference - tough ladies but very helpful.

The convention center is very big with halls large enough to handle large-scale operations. The connecting hallways are also easy to get around, and it ws a very clean place.

The convention Center is close to ORD and well situated off of the highway. There is a free shuttle that runs from the blue line train to the convention Center, as well as to the fashion outlet mall.

The actual Center and conference halls are a little difficult to maneuver. The halls are irregularly shaped and where you think you have walked the whole length of a hall, you notice that there's a whole other show floor and hall beyond the partial wall!

That being said, it serves it's purpose and staff onsite are plenty and very helpful in getting you to where you need to be, and again, the proximity to the airport and hotels is excellent.

The DES is attractive and offers sufficient conference and display spaces large events. The staff is friendly and accommodating. The facility is connected by a walkway to several Five-Star hotels. Furthermore, it has a reasonable diner/cafeteria on-site, the Expoteria.

Was here for my nephew and friends for a fun and crazy convention. There was lots to do and see. The center did a amazing job catering to all the people and all the events that took [place over the 3 days. Not a dull moment.

Convenient location near O'Hare is a big plus. Lots of hotels, including some with the skybridge so you don't have to worry about the elements. If you're going to a larger event, make your hotel reservations early or be prepared to pay a lot and/or miss out on rooms. Parking is pretty convenient. Facility itself is decent.

Easy access to the airport and well surrounded by hotel availability. Good spot for conventions of all sizes.

For the last 3 years, my wife and I have attended the World's Fair of Money ANA Convention at this convention center. The rooms are good for talks and for meals (dinners, luncheons). The gigantic hall is roomy enough for a large number of vendors, exhibits, etc. The bathrooms are well maintained and quite functional. All in all, it strikes us as a great place for a large convention.

The convocation center is an extremely beautiful building in a nice area! There seemed to be plenty of parking. However, be prepared to possibly pay a good deal for parking. We paid $15 for the convocation's parking structure. Once inside the place is a lit bigger then expected! Overall, was a pretty good experience and it was easy in and easy out for driving.

I attended the Industry Week Manufacturing & Technology Conference at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center. It had ample room for the exhibitors and keynote speeches. It also had nice break-out rooms with a choice of either sitting at a table or sitting in rows of chairs. The staff was accommodating and pleasant. And the food was actually very good considering they had to feed several hundred people. My only wish was that they have healthier breakfasts. There was fresh fruit which was good but that was accompanied by muffins and pastries. It's also conveniently located near a number of hotels in the area.

Very large, great for wandering around in during the Wizard World Comic Con, you don't feel crowded at all but you will do some walking, particularly from nearby hotels and within this immense center itself. Beautiful wood panelled ballrooms/boardrooms on the 2nd floor of this multi-use structure.

I was there for a weekend convention, and stayed at the nearby Hyatt. The facility was clean and huge enough to accommodate very large groups. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes; I allowed 15 minutes to walk to the place I needed to be inside the convention center from my hotel. There is a Starbucks near the main entrance and a small food court near another exit.

Attractive rooms and well signed for moving from place to place. Restrooms are clean. The staff is helpful and courteous. Easy to get transportation by taxi, uber, or free shuttle to outlet mall.

As the driver who drops off a conference participant , often with difficulties, I was extremely happy with the Stephens center and their easily maneuvered drop off area. There is a designated turn lane and a large area for easily picking up or dropping someone there. Also police on duty to aid pedestrians crossing. Good job!

This conference center is roomy without being overwhelming like others. It is convenient to hotels and restaurants and just a short ride into Chicago. It is nice to be able to walk to and from a conference from the hotel. Food spots like at all convention places are limited, but the closeness to the hotels and other restaurants makes up for it.

I enjoyed how spacious the convention center made the vendor section due to the fact I was in a how that made it hard to walk in, it was very convenient. I also enjoy the Starbucks there when ever I go to a con.

Surrounded by hotels, a huge mall, a theater, and close to the airport. Parking does suck, and the concrete floors are murder on your feet and back.

I attended a very large convention here and some of my negative experiences were due to the event company, not the convention center itself. However I will say that there were not enough concession stands open for the 18,000+ person convention. Only 1 or 2 were open and the lines were 45 minutes long to get a cold hot dog and a $6 soda. And to top it off, there were absolutely no chairs and only 3-4 very small bistro tables near the snack stands even though there was plenty of space for large tables with seating. I saw at least 100 people sitting on the floor eating at one time which was terrible. Other convention halls I've been to have had plenty of seating options near the food areas. Also, the security staff were mostly grumpy and unfriendly - I don't think I ever saw any of them smile or look like they even wanted to be there.

Normal Convention Space. A long long long walk to parking garage. Large enough to accommodate most any show or convention. Numerous food vendors but very little space to sit to eat. Climate control was very good.

This venue is very popular with a huge variety of events. I attend it regularly throughout the year. It is in a very busy area. They have garage parking for all of the area, $13, and you have to walk a ways undercover, though, and they do have a shuttle bus, if you want to wait. There is a metro parking lot, outside parking only, a few blocks North of the center.

This is a great place to have a big event! There is a lot of space and the whole facility is well-lit and clean. Several shows can take place at the same time without interfering with each other because there are several large rooms available. The "sky bridge" is very appreciated as it allows for an easy and safe walk from the parking garage to the event without worrying about crossing the busy road. The only downside is that the parking price increased.

Great place to have a large gathering like Comicon. Spacious, well organized. Only criticism I have is the women's restroom. Whomever engineered the restroom was not very bright. The sinks are almost inaccessible when there are more than 2 people washing their hands. There is maybe a foot and a half to 2 feet of space between the counter housing the sinks and the wall. You have to literally suck in your gut and say excuse me to go behind someone washing their hands in order to get to another sink. Poor design. Other than that its great.

Very great place to meet, they host the Muscle Car Show and really make you feel welcomed. Very professional and polite staff.

The center itself is perfectly located near the airport and nestled amidst several huge hotels making this capable of supporting even the biggest conventions. The main floor areas could park several jumbo jets and upstairs opens to a parking garage level that can be used for another huge open space. A coffee shop and vending machines offer a limited ability to find refreshments without having to go city blocks away. The main entry doors are covered and offer plenty of space for shuttles and buses. Rosemont offers a free shuttle to shops and restaurants from the con center that runs quite late.
The area around the con center is safe and secure with plenty of lighting and police presence. Nearby is a casino and a few other attractions.
My only complaint is the terrible skybridge design that connects the surrounding hotels to the con center. Whoever designed this was an idiot. The skybridges run around the perimeter of the building, ensuring the longest walk possible between two points.
The bridges themselves are endless hallways that look like access ways in some industrial complex or prison. Just an ugly, horrible design that makes airports look uplifting and inviting. It was also somewhere near the temperature of the sun in those tunnels for some reason.
I used the skybridge once and then just walked outside in the Chicago winter rather than hike through those dungeons again.

We visited for a dance competition and this was a nice venue. Plenty of hotel options nearby with connections via skyway so you don't have to exit the building and can walk from hotel to venue. Plenty of space. A Starbucks downstairs (tho they close early afternoon). Plenty of nearby parking. All in all, a nice venue and we will come back!

I have been to this location many times. It works very well and is convenient to numerous hotels and restaurants.

I have also been to numerous other convention centers, worldwide. This location has no "soul." It is a bit dark, and a little bleak. This particular visit found me at a convention on the 2nd floor, with no other convention in the building. The lonely Starbucks sat closed on the 1st floor all day Monday (probably due to it being a set-up day). There were no other people in the empty halls. When our event kicked off (Tuesday and Wednesday) the Starbucks was open. It was the only other action in the entire building during the week.

In conclusion, this facility works well as a convention center, but it is a little (not a lot) bleak.

Convention center is huge,clean.
Washrooms were clean.
No place to sit down and rest.
The only down side was the food, which was pricey !

Was here for an event. The place was only slightly filled which made if feel empty as you walk around. Service was great!

Attended the Travel Show In January 2013. There seemed to be adequate space for displays. The aisles were wide enough to walk without big crowds. The food left a lot to be desired. The concession stands had very little to offer and ran out of food fairly early- what they did have was just passable. The restrooms were very clean and there were no lines at the ladies room, which was amazing- the only problem is that they are a long walk from the main area.

A big plus is that several major hotels are connected to the Convention Center by an enclosed, heated walkway allowing guests staying overnight to avoid the winter weather and the need to move the car.

Went there for the Travel and Adventure Show. My husband and I have been unsure of where we should go for our next vacation. When I heard where it was, I deceided to get the tickets and hopefully get some good suggestions. We were not sorry. We got alot of good information, especially from a female person who told us alot about Key West. We also stayed to listen to 2 women give advice on important facts to consider when planning a trip to get the best experience possible. Nice way to spend the day!

Loved the fact that the sky bridge allowed us to walk across to the Convention Center from our hotel!! It took me several times to not be lost in that huge place!! It had everything and it was so convenient! I hope to come back next year. Already looking into hotels for next years conference!! GREAT PLACE!!

Every year it take place the PLMA at Donald Stephens center.
It's the 3rd time we came for this exhibition.

Great location and well connected to the parking.