Improvement in response to reported October 2023 mass collision; will mitigate bird collisions during migration seasons
submitted by Jonathon Sadowski, Hawthorne Strategy Group
CHICAGO — The Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA), owner of McCormick Place, today announced it has completed installation of bird-safe window film at the convention campus’ Lakeside Center ahead of the fall migration season.
The film, installed in response to a reported mass collision event at Lakeside Center in October 2023, is designed to mitigate bird collisions by helping them differentiate between windows and open air. MPEA pursued the window film solution to minimize collisions based on recommendations from meetings with numerous local, national, and international bird and animal advocacy groups, including the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Chicago Bird Collision Monitors, and Never Collide.
“MPEA has always strived to be a good neighbor and environmental steward, both inside and outside our campus,” said Larita Clark, CEO of MPEA. “We have long participated in the Lights Out Chicago program, but when we learned of the reported mass collision event last year, we knew that we needed to quickly make additional improvements to protect local and migratory birds as they pass McCormick Place.”
Film installation began in June 2024 once weather conditions allowed the product to properly adhere to Lakeside Center’s two football fields’ worth of windows. Crews worked throughout the summer in two shifts, five days per week, to complete the installation before fall migration.
“U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service commends MPEA for their rapid response to the mass collision event, seeking guidance from experts, and collaborating to make improvements to windows and indoor lighting to reduce migratory bird collisions at McCormick Place,” said Brian Smith, the Assistant Regional Director for Migratory Birds for the Service’s Midwest Region. “MPEA leadership was open to suggestions, and they were transparent with us as they implemented swift and significant changes to their lighting and existing windows to reduce risk to birds in future migratory seasons. We hope their actions inspire others along the lakeshore, in Chicago, and throughout the entire flyway to take steps to reduce bird collisions at their facilities.”
In addition to the window film, MPEA took immediate action following the reported collision. The Authority reaffirmed its commitment to the Lights Out Chicago program while the building is unoccupied, began shutting unnecessary external lights off, and enacted a policy requiring drapes to be closed overnight at Lakeside Center to prevent light from escaping.
“Field Museum researchers have documented bird collisions at Lakeside Center for more than four decades, and we would expect to see a measurable reduction in those numbers this fall migration season as a result of the new window treatment and policies MPEA has enacted,” said Dr. Julian Siggers, Field Museum President & CEO. “We look forward to continuing our work with MPEA, which will provide a model for other buildings to reduce bird collisions all over Chicago and the world.”
About Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA)
The Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority owns McCormick Place, the largest exhibition and meeting facility in North America, the Wintrust Arena as well as the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place and the Marriot Marquis Chicago Hotels. Together, the North, South, and West Buildings and Lakeside Center offer 2.6 million square feet of exhibition space. Located along Chicago’s lakefront, McCormick Place features 173 meeting rooms, the 4,249-seat Arie Crown Theater, and one of the largest ballrooms in the world.
