The 99th Chicago Auto Show
What: The nation's largest auto show, spanning 1.25 million square feet. Multiple world and North American introductions. Complete range of domestic and imported passenger cars and trucks, sport utility vehicles, experimental and concept cars -- in total, nearly 1,000 different vehicles. Numerous accessories and auto-related exhibits, competition vehicles, antique and collector cars. For additional information, visit www.chicagoautoshow.com.
When: Today through Feb. 18
Where: McCormick Place, Lake Shore Drive at 23rd Street, Chicago
Hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. (closing at 8 p.m. on Feb. 18)
Cost: Admission Ticket prices are $10 per adult and $5 for seniors ages 62 and older and children ages 7-12. Tickets for children ages 6 and younger are free when they accompany a paying adult. Advance ticket sales are available at https://tickets.drivechicago.com/tickets/. Discount tickets are available from some local new-car dealers. Discounted tickets are available for groups of 20 or more on the weekdays. Visitwww.chicagoautoshow.com/school/groupsales.asp for more information.
Special days
Today: "Sebring Says" contest in Chrysler display. Victor wins a 2007 Chrysler Sebring. Mario Andretti, 6-8 p.m., Bridgestone display
Saturday: Mario Andretti and Marco Andretti, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Bridgestone display
Sunday: Marco Andretti, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Bridgestone display
Feb. 13, Women's Day: All women admitted for half off adult admission
Feb. 14-16, Chicago Auto Show Food Drive: Bring 3 cans of food for half off adult admission
Getting there
Via the Skyway: Take the Indiana Toll Road, I-90 West, to the Chicago Skyway, to the local traffic lanes of the Dan Ryan Expressway, I-94 West to the Stevenson Expressway, I-55, North to Lake Shore Drive South and follow the signs to McCormick Place.
Via I-80/I-94: Exit I-80/I-94 on the Bishop Ford Expressway and proceed to the Dan Ryan Expressway, I-94 West to the Stevenson Expressway, I-55, North to Lake Shore Drive South and follow the signs to McCormick Place.
On weekends only: Consider parking in the Millennium Park underground garage. From there, a free shuttle will take show-goers to McCormick Place.
For more information visit www.chicagoautoshow.com/ataglance/gettingthere.asp
South Shore service
The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District's South Shore line normally serves McCormick Place only on weekends. However, during the auto show, special weekday train service will be provided. For additional information, visit www.nictd.com.
Monday thru Friday
Westbound
Train # Arrive at McCormick Place
14 10:17 a.m
214 11:02 a.m.
116 12:01 p.m.
216 1:12 p.m.
18 2:14 p.m.
118 4:07 p.m.
218 5:24 p.m.
Eastbound
Train # Depart McCormick Place
109 2:43 p.m.
209 3:23 p.m.
117 6:06 p.m.
19 7:23 p.m.
119 8:53 p.m.
121 11:23 p.m.
Note: Eastbound trains 109, 117, 119 and 121 terminate in Michigan City. Train 209 terminates at Gary Metro Center. Train 19 terminates in South Bend.
All weekend trains except 601 serve McCormick Place as a flag stop. Westbound passengers should notify the conductor that they intend to exit the train at McCormick Place. Eastbound passengers should stand on the platform in clear view of the train engineer.
Chicago Auto Show by the numbers
-- 1,097: Tractor trailers total
-- 400: Trucks unloaded in the first 16 hours of the targeted freight move in
-- 10,340,000: Pounds of freight (estimated)
-- 8,340,000: Pounds of freight unloaded & spotted the first night (16 hours)
-- 7: Days to set up until the first day of media preview
-- 68: Three-man crews to handle the first nights freight
-- 158: Forklifts total
-- 1,700: Professional carpenters, decorators, teamsters, riggers, electricians, cleaners, porters, crate handlers, stage hands and official contractor personnel.
-- 13: Miles of truss lighting
-- 50: Boom lifts
-- 40: Scissors lifts
-- 6: Exhibits worked around the clock for three days to be set for the first day of 2006 show's media preview.
-- 133,333: Square yards of carpet to cover the floor of the Chicago Auto Show, enough to carpet 571 average American homes.
-- 26: Number of Chicago-based Boeing Corp. 747s you could park on the show floor
-- 1,300: Hoist motors for the trusses
The Chicago Automobile Trade Association
-- Founded in 1904, the Chicago Automobile Trade Association (CATA) is the nation's oldest and largest metropolitan dealer organization.
-- The CATA is comprised of more than 700 franchised new car dealers and allied members, employing 56,000 people in the metropolitan area.
-- CATA dealerships contribute to the state, county and city tax base with gross receipts of $16.5 billion in new car sales alone; $26 billion in new, used, parts and service. The extended impact of tax base contribution through CATA dealership employees make this group one of the largest tax constituencies in the city and state.
-- The CATA's mission is to promote and maintain honesty and dependability; employ truth and accuracy in dealer advertising; strive to constantly improve business methods and ethics; and maintain fair competition to serve both dealer and customer.
-- While the Chicago Auto Show was first staged in 1901, the CATA has produced the world famous Chicago Auto Show since 1935.
-- The auto show's annual First Look for Charity black-tie preview raised more than $2.6 million last year for 16 area charities, making it one of the city's largest single-day fundraising events.
