Chicago Sports & Entertainment Summit

The teams, players and gameplans shaping the region's most famous places and events

Event Ended On: Wednesday June 25 2025

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Speakers and Panels

Opening Remarks

Keynote

Carlos Ramirez-Rosa

General Superintendent and CEO, Chicago Park District

The Home Field Advantage

Destination Placemaking in a Modern Age

Larry Blouin

Senior Director Capital Programs, Northwestern University

Eric Nordness

Managing Principal, Marquee Development

Steven Haemmerle

Steven Haemmerle is the EVP of Development Advisory Services at Hunden Partners. He joins the Hunden executive leadership team as a senior real estate professional with over 30 years of public, private, and not-for-profit real estate experience, including strategic planning, the development of high-profile mixed-use projects, large-scale project management, architecture, and real estate operations. Steve has a unique understanding of real estate strategy, is skilled at organizing and completing complex projects, leading experienced teams of professionals, and developing projects in the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors. Steve is the former Managing Principal of Strategic Redevelopment Advisors, a company that he formed in 2019 to provide advisory services to public sector, commercial, and not-for-profit clients enabling them to conceptualize and realize their real estate development objectives. Services include strategic planning, project implementation, program management, and design and project management. Steve served as Executive Vice President of Navy Pier, Inc. from 2011 to 2019, and was responsible for all real estate development at Navy Pier. During Steve’s tenure there, he worked with the Urban Land Institute to gather recommendations for the redevelopment of Navy Pier; helped form the not-for-profit, Navy Pier, Inc.; directed the creation of the Centennial Vision, the framework plan for the redevelopment of Navy Pier; and hosted an international design competition that resulted in the hiring of James Corner Field Operations, who gave shape to Navy Pier’s Pierscape. Much of the transformation of Navy Pier has been completed, including its exterior public spaces and the retail portions of the interior. Steve negotiated agreements with the architects, consultant, and contractors for the project as well as leases with Chicago Children’s Museum and Chicago Shakespeare Theater that allowed them both to expand their presence at the Pier. Steve sourced and negotiated a complex air-rights lease with a private entity for the development and operation of a hotel and rooftop venue at the Pier’s historic East End. All told, nearly $375M has been invested in Navy Pier since 2010. Steve graduated magna cum laude from the University of Notre Dame with a Bachelor of Architecture degree and holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Hunden Partners

EVP, Development Advisory Services

Steven Haemmerle

EVP, Development Advisory Services, Hunden Partners

Karen Grossett

Principal, Thornton Tomasetti

Andrew Totten

Vice President of Sports, Entertainment & Special Use, McHugh Construction

Moderator

Andrew Elmer

Director, Sports and Recreation, HDR

The Chicago of It All

Exploring the city’s rise in tourism, visitation, and national attention through the lens of those defining it

Meghan Curran

Chief Operations Officer, Shedd Aquarium

Tuba Smith

Festival Director, Lollapalooza

John Mangum

President, & CEO, Lyric Opera of Chicago

Larita Clark

CEO, Metropolitan Pier & Exposition Authority

Kara Bachman

Executive Director, Chicago Sports Commission

Moderator

Steve Eskildsen

Director Of Business Development, Mortenson

The Play-By-Play

The Bases We'll Tag:

Large Scale Development Destination Placemaking
- How are the city’s sports and entertainment venues crafting engaging and successful experiences for visitors
Chicago as A Destination
- How and where can we make the amenities and experiences of Chicago amenable to those who wish to visit?
Municipal Collaboration
- Amidst a time of fast-paced innovation, how can public and private entities work together to deliver security and safety for their visitors and customers?
Construction and Development
- Building and designing a modern metropolis
Investment and Capital
- Deploying finances for optimal entertainment venues

Why This Event is a Sellout:

Bisnow’s Annual Sports and Entertainment program welcomes leaders across the city’s leading teams, museums, tourist attractions, and more for a conversation on the work and role of recreational activities in making Chicago a place to call home. A program as star-studded as it is engaging and entertaining, we’ll explore everything from stadium development and destination placemaking to operating a brand in a complex economic landscape, and explore what lies ahead to make living in Chicago a home run.

The Other Players:

Owners, developers, investors, brokers, business consultants, architects, engineers, designers, lawyers, accountants, bankers and city and government officials.

About the Team:

Bisnow events convene the biggest power players in the industry to help you grow your business across a complex market. With engaging discussions, exclusive networking opportunities and the largest and most equipped audience in the field, Bisnow’s unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities of the market makes attendance a value add for any CRE professional.

Questions about your ticket purchase or interested in sponsoring? Reach out to customerservice@bisnow.com for customer support. For questions, recommendations, comments or press inquiries please email our Chicago event producer Will Follett at will.follett@bisnow.com. To request disability-related accommodations, please contact janet.fernandez@bisnow.com no later than seven business days prior to the event.

Venue

Roosevelt University
430 S Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60605

Floor: Fainman Lounge, 2nd Floor

Parking Information:

Public parking at the Grant Park South Garage

Get Directions

Agenda

Time	Activity
8:00 AM 9:00 AM	The Pregame: Opening Networking
9:00 AM 9:10 AM	Opening Remarks: Chicago Park District Chief Executive Officer Carlos Ramirez-Rosa
9:10 AM 10:10 AM	The Chicago of It All Exploring the city’s rise in tourism, visitation, and national attention through the lens of those defining it
10:10 AM 11:00 AM	The Home Field Advantage Destination Placemaking in a Modern Age
11:00 AM 11:30 AM	Overtime: Closing Networking

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Call:	202-684-2034
Email:	eventregistration@bisnow.com

Chicago Sports & Entertainment Summit

The teams, players and gameplans shaping the region's most famous places and events

Speakers and Panels

Opening Remarks

Carlos Ramirez-Rosa

The Home Field Advantage

Destination Placemaking in a Modern Age

Larry Blouin

Eric Nordness

Steven Haemmerle

Karen Grossett

Andrew Totten

Andrew Elmer

The Chicago of It All

Exploring the city’s rise in tourism, visitation, and national attention through the lens of those defining it

Meghan Curran

Tuba Smith

John Mangum

Larita Clark

Kara Bachman

Steve Eskildsen

The Play-By-Play

Venue

Agenda

Sponsors

Unlock Your Career Potential with SelectLeaders

Want to get a recap of everything covered at the event?

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