For more information, contact: Robert Krueger, 202/624-7051; [email protected]

WASHINGTON (February 28, 2013) – The Urban Land Institute (ULI), a global research and education institute dedicated to responsible land use and building thriving, sustainable communities, will hold its 2013 Fall Meeting November 5-8 at the McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago.

The theme for the meeting, “ULI Works,” will highlight ULI’s impact on the creation of thriving communities for the 21st century. The meeting will include a special emphasis on addressing industry challenges and opportunities in today’s complex environment of demographic shifts and changing economic drivers. A major focus will be factors that are fueling a perceptible sense of optimism throughout the industry; business strategies that reflect a response to reality rather than hype; and new opportunities for investment and development. The event will reflect the international reach of ULI, featuring programs designed to attract institute members from around the globe.

The ULI Fall Meeting returns to Chicago after more than a decade; it was last held there in 2000. The 2013 ULI Fall Meeting Host Committee, which is charged with maximizing the visibility of real estate markets in the Chicago metropolitan region and the larger Midwestern region to meeting attendees, is being co-chaired by ULI leaders Theresa O. Frankiewicz, vice president of community development at Crown Community Development in Naperville, Ill., and Randall K. Rowe, chairman of Green Courte Partners, LLC in Lake Forest, Ill. Icon sponsors for the event include Green Courte Partners, LLC; CBRE; Cushman & Wakefield; DLA Piper and Jones Lang LaSalle/LaSalle Investment Management.

As the largest of the institute’s events and one of the industry’s premier meetings, the annual ULI Fall Meeting routinely draws nearly 7,000 members and guests, including internationally renowned land use experts representing all land use disciplines. Those who attend include commercial developers, finance executives, economic development specialists, architects and urban planners, owners and managers, real estate consultants, and property advisers.

This year’s special programming is expected to feature sessions on intelligent densification and urbanization; coastal development and the creation of resilient communities; demand and market forces; energy and land use; connecting capital and real estate through value; and healthy communities. Real estate icon and chairman of Equity Group Investments, Sam Zell, will be among the many keynote speakers headlining the meeting. In addition, the meeting will feature sessions on topical subjects such as: how to finance affordable housing; changes ahead for retail and office design; the payback for green building retrofits; changing demographics and the impact on development; how to secure funding for a transportation project; and capital markets.

The Fall Meeting’s multitude of concurrent sessions has a reputation for providing journalists with the most timely and relevant analyses of where the industry is heading, offering unprecedented access to some of the globe’s most influential real estate leaders.

There are numerous economic benefits for cities hosting ULI’s Fall Meeting. Attendees generally spend more than $6 million during the event, including hotel costs, travel costs, food, dining and other expenses. In addition, ULI spends several million dollars throughout the metro area and surrounding communities on securing space for the meetings, including convention center space, hotel meeting space, and various functions involving dining, entertainment and tours.

However, a longer-lasting benefit – one that distinguishes ULI’s major gathering from similar events held by other organizations — is the future investment and development activity that can be triggered by ULI members visiting the city. The potential is great, because as land use leaders, ULI members are constantly seeking promising opportunities for community building and contributing to the built environment.

Note to reporters and editors: To be placed on the registration list for ULI’s 2013 Fall Meeting, contact Robert Krueger, 202-624-7051, or [email protected].

For more information on the meetings program and speakers, visit the 2013 ULI Fall Meeting website.

About the Urban Land Institute
The Urban Land Institute (uli.org) is a nonprofit education and research institute supported by its members. Its mission is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. Established in 1936, the Institute has nearly 30,000 members representing all aspects of land use and development disciplines.

About ULI Chicago
ULI Chicago (Chicago.uli.org), a District Council of the Urban Land Institute, has more than 1,000 members in the Chicago land area. Organized in 1986, the district council brings members together to find solutions and build consensus around land use and development challenges in the region. The district council offers regular monthly programming and industry-specific events that address current issues in the marketplace as well as member networking and sharing of resources.