Online registration for the 69th Annual Conference & Marketplace is now closed. To register for the conference or to add tours and workshops to your registration, please visit IDA on-site at Registration Bays (4th Floor) at the Palmer House, a Hilton Hotel, located at 17 East Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60603, U.S., during the following times (below listed times are Central Time):

• Tuesday, October 3, 2023 | 2:00pm – 6:00pm
• Wednesday, October 4, 2023 | 7:30am – 5:30pm
• Thursday, October 5, 2023 | 7:30am – 5:30pm
• Friday, October 6, 2023 | 7:30am – 3:30pm

Current registration prices are:

IDA Member Price: $975 (U.S) | $780 (Canada) | $700 (International)
Nonmember Price: $1,175 (U.S) | $960 (Canada) | $880 (International)
*One-Day Only Price (Wednesday, Thursday or Friday): $475
**Guest Price: $250 (a la carte prices available below) 

View a full schedule of rates and deadlines. All late rates below are in USD. 

By registering you are agreeing to IDA Event Agreement and Code of Conduct and IDA Attendee Assumption of Risk, Waiver and Release Form. 

We would like to make the registration process for the 69th Annual Conference & Marketplace go as smoothly as possible. In order to register for the conference, you need to either have an account in IDA’s database or you must create one. If you previously registered for an event, you should have an account in the database. For instructions on logging in to your IDA account, please visit the downtown.org Guide. 

The full registration fee includes General Sessions with Master Talks, Breakout Sessions, admission to Marketplace, receptions (2), refreshment breaks (4) and lunches (2). Pre-conference workshops and tours are available for an additional fee (see program for fees). Advance registration is not required for General or Breakout Sessions, Service Advisories or Lunch & Learns. 

*The one-day registration fee is available for one single day only. The fee includes access to one day of Plenary Sessions with Master Talks, Breakout Sessions, admission to the Marketplace, refreshment breaks (2), lunch and/or reception scheduled for the day of your attendance. Tours on the day of your attendance are available for an additional fee (see program for fees). Single day registrants are not eligible to attend activities outside their selected day. Should you choose to attend more than one day, you must purchase a full registration. Advance registration is not required for General or Breakout Sessions, Service Advisories or Lunch & Learns. Currently, single day rates are not available in the online registration system. If you are interested in registering for one-day only (Wednesday, Thursday or Friday), please contact IDA at registration@downtown.org for assistance. 

**The guest fee of $250USD includes receptions (2) and lunches (2). Attendees may purchase a ticket for a guest for a single reception only (opening or closing) and/or both receptions (opening and closing). The fee is $50USD per guest reception ticket. Tours are also available for an additional fee for registered guests (see program for fees). The guest fee does not include session attendance. Currently, guest rates are not available in the online registration system. If you are interested in registering a guest, please contact IDA at registration@downtown.org for assistance. 

Student Registration: IDA is offering a student rate of $149USD for the 69th Annual Conference & Marketplace. If you are currently a student at a university or a college (graduate or undergraduate degrees), email registration@downtown.org for assistance in registering to attend the conference at this special rate which includes a one-year student membership to IDA. Registration for students will close on September 20, 2023. Please include a copy of your valid student ID card (including dates) or a current enrollment letter. 

Payment Methods: For your convenience, payments may be made by Visa, MasterCard or American Express. Should you need to pay by check or ACH, you will not be able to complete registration online. Please email registration@downtown.org for assistance. 

Cancellation Policy: Written notice of cancellation is required. Cancellations received via email by Wednesday, September 13, 2023 will receive a refund less a $100 processing fee. Refunds will be processed approximately 30 days after the event. Cancellations received after September 13, 2023 will not be refunded. Please email the cancellation notification to the International Downtown Association by emailing at registration@downtown.org. 

Substitutions: Substitutions of complete registrations (including tours and workshops) are gladly accepted prior to the event start date. Please submit a written request to registration@downtown.org before October 3, 2023 at 3 pm ET to complete your substitution. Only one substitution is permitted per original registrant and must be transferred to an individual in your organization. The individual submitting the substitution request is responsible for all financial obligations (any balance due) associated with that substitution. 

Outstanding Balance: Please note, if you have an outstanding balance for this event and/or tour(s), you will not receive your badge on-site or be allowed to attend tours until payment is received. Please contact registration@downtown.org prior to your arrival on-site to pay your outstanding balance. 

Adding a Pre-Conference Tour, Pre-conference Workshop, Pre-conference Day Trip or Mobile Tour: Please note, the pre-conference tours, pre-conference workshops and mobile tours sellout quickly and are booked on a first come, first served basis. Therefore, it is advisable to add these items at the time of your conference registration. If you are registering for someone else or a group, please find out their selection prior to registering them. Although each person within the group can purchase a tour or workshop after they have been registered, they run the risk of the tour or workshop no longer being available. 

If you have already registered for the conference and would like to add a workshop or tour, you can add it directly from your individual profile. Please note, authorized users cannot log back in to add a tour to someone else’s event registration. You must be logged in as the individual wishing to purchase the tour. After logging in, click on the “Purchases” tab. On the left-hand side will be an option for “Events.” From there, you should have listed the Annual Conference & Marketplace; click on the “Details” button next to that listing. Once you are on your registration profile, there is an “Add Session” button on the right-hand side. This will allow you to add other options to your cart and check out the same way you registered. 

Pre-Conference Tour, Pre-conference Workshop, Pre-conference Day Trip or Mobile Tour Cancellation Policy: Tours may be canceled without penalty prior to Wednesday, September 13, 2023. After September 13, 2023, no refunds will be given on pre-conference tours, pre-conference workshops or mobile tours.  If you are planning to cancel your tour or workshop, please email registration@downtown.org. 

HAMILTON Cancellation Policy: This event is nonrefundable. 

Not already a member of IDA? Register at the member rate by joining today! Contact Customer Service to complete enrollment. 

Group Pricing: Groups of four or more individuals from the same organization receive an additional 10% off their group registration. Each person being registered within a group must be from the same organization or company to qualify for the group pricing. The registration system will automatically apply the savings during the group registration process. NOTE: A minimum of four individuals must be registered at the same time. If less than four register, you CANNOT register the fourth person at a later date to receive the group pricing. This group pricing only applies to full conference registrants and does not include tour or mobile tours.  

Experience a worldwide cultural phenomenon with your place management friends and colleagues while in Chicago! This award-winning smash hit musical performance comes complete with an IDA exclusive Q&A with one of the actors immediately following the show.  

HAMILTON is the story of America then, told by America now. Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B and Broadway, HAMILTON has taken the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton and created a revolutionary moment in theatre—a musical that has had a profound impact on culture, politics, and education. With book, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, direction by Thomas Kail, choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler, and musical supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire, HAMILTON is based on Ron Chernow’s acclaimed biography. It has won Tony®, Grammy®, and Olivier Awards, the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and an unprecedented special citation from the Kennedy Center Honors. The show’s runtime is 2 hours and 45 minutes including an intermission.  

The James M. Nederlander Theatre (24 West Randolph Street, Chicago, IL 60603) opened to much fanfare on May 8, 1926, and was one of the first motion picture palaces designed to create a complete experience for the theatre patron. To this day, the décor is a virtual art museum including large mosaics and an inner foyer with elephant-throne lighting. 

If you are an authorized user for your organization, you will see a screen with a choice of who you are purchasing for (yourself or your organization). Please select purchase for yourself since tickets will be placed under the name of the purchaser for pick-up. If you are not an authorized user for your organization, you will automatically see the purchase screen. Click “Review & Checkout” and be sure to provide your cell phone number. On the next screen, you can click the arrows in the quantity box to adjust the number of tickets you would like to purchase. Click “Update Cart” and then “Checkout.” Provide payment information (make sure the billing address matches your credit card statements).  You will be asked for a shipping address by the system, but please note, tickets will NOT be shipped. They will be available for pick-up between 2:00–5:30 pm CT on Tuesday, October 3, 2023 at the IDA registration booths in Chicago, Illinois. 

HAMILTON is now sold out.

Know before you go! Find information about the theater policies and procedures here.  

*The performance begins at 7:30 pm CT on Tuesday, October 3, 2023, and has a run time of 2 hours and 45 minutes including an intermission. There will be an exclusive cast member Q&A following the show that will end at approximately 11:00 pm CT. 

**This event is nonrefundable. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the International Downtown Association by emailing registration@downtown.org. 

***Tickets will be available for pick-up between 2:00–5:30 pm CT on Tuesday, October 3, 2023, at the IDA registration booths at the Registration Bays (4th Floor) at the Palmer House, a Hilton Hotel, located at 17 East Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60603. Tickets will be under the name of the purchaser.  Please note that seat selection by the purchaser is not available for this performance. A block of seating in the orchestra section has been obtained for IDA attendees. IDA will make every effort to ensure that groups sit together but cannot guarantee specific seat placement. 

Additional IDA rooms have been secured at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, 151 East Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60601, which is approximately a 15-minute (0.7 miles) walk from the host hotel. Currently, rooms are sold out on certain nights at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. Based on availability, you may reserve your room online by using this link or call hotel directly at (312) 565-1234 and reference Group Code “G-JIND.”

Hyatt Regency Chicago is the largest hotel in downtown Chicago on the river. A gateway to the city’s top attractions, hotel guests enjoy a walkable location and easy access to Millennium Park, Chicago Riverwalk, the Magnificent Mile and Lake Michigan.

The official conference accommodations will be at the Palmer House a Hilton Hotel, located at 17 East Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60603, U.S. Currently, rooms are sold out on certain nights at the Palmer House. Based on availability, you may reserve your room online by using this link. Select “Make A Reservation.” Note: you must make one reservation at a time.  You may also call the hotel directly at (312) 726-7500 to confirm if a room is available under the IDA room block as there could be cancellations. Reference “IDA” as the group code.

About the Palmer House, a Hilton Hotel 

A timeless Chicago hotel, Palmer House offers historic charm with hip conveniences, comprehensive amenities and gracious service. In recent years, this historic Chicago hotel has undergone a $170 million renovation to ensure that it includes all the conveniences and comforts the 21st century guest expects while also preserving significant history. Clearly “the Chicago hotel the world knows best” has positioned itself for the next era in downtown Chicago accommodations–and the next generation of Palmer House Hilton with a hip and historic outlook. Palmer House, a Hilton Hotel is a member of Historic Hotels of America®, the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation for recognizing and celebrating the finest historic hotels across America. The Palmer House, a Hilton Hotel, is located at 17 East Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60603. 

Don’t be Scammed by Third Party Housing Companies

The official hotel is listed above. Please beware of other companies soliciting hotel room “deals” over the dates of the Annual Conference & Marketplace. Third party housing companies typically offer a higher rate than the official block rate. These companies’ cancellation policies are often harsh and unforgiving. IDA is not working with any third parties to offer attendees accommodation. If you receive a solicitation and are unsure whether or not it is legitimate, please contact Lul Teklit at Lul@downtown.org.

Located in the third-largest city in the country, O’Hare and Midway International Airports are vital to the economy, bringing in over 2 Million Metric Tonnes (equivalent to over 4 Billion lbs) in 2022, most of which are imported goods coming from different countries around the world. To learn more about O’Hare and Midway International Airports, click here.

If travelling by taxi, a ride downtown takes 20-40 minutes, depending upon the time of day. An average fare from O’Hare to downtown Chicago is $35-45, while an average fare from Midway is $30-40.

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) operates trains from O’Hare to downtown Chicago for $5. The trip takes approximately 45 minutes, which is far quicker than taxis or bus transfers during peak traffic times. The CTA Blue Line station is accessible via O’Hare’s lower level in Terminal 2 and is the easiest and most affordable way to get to/from O’Hare.

The Orange Line station can be found east of the terminal building at the Midway Transportation Center. Follow signs for CTA Trains or Trains to City to locate the station, via a walkway. From Midway Airport to downtown Chicago the train takes approx. 25 minutes and the fare is around $2.25.

IDA is committed to making our educational sessions accessible to everyone, regardless of ability, and to reasonably accommodating the assistive needs of our members, attendees and partners. We are actively working to increase the accessibility of our offerings. In so doing, we strive to comply with the available standards and guidelines under the Americans with Disabilities Act and related laws to the greatest extent possible. If you are having trouble accessing an IDA offering, or have a question regarding session accessibility features, please contact IDA at registration@downtown.org for assistance.

Who attends the IDA conference? IDA conferences are designed to meet the needs of professional place managers from downtown organizations, city agencies, municipalities and private-sector companies. Content is designed for every level of the profession, from executives to associates.  

Where is the conference located? The Palmer House, a Hilton Hotel, located at 17 East Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60603, U.S., and at various other locations throughout downtown Chicago. Select preconference and mobile tours will be held off-site; those location details will be noted in the program. 

Are meals included? For each full day of the conference (Thursday and Friday), a morning continental breakfast and lunch will be included. Dinners are not included, but IDA and Chicago Loop Alliance will provide a locally curated list of dinner options. 

Is there a dress code? While there is not a specific dress code for the conference, most attendees choose to dress between business and business casual. Individual events (tours, receptions, etc.) throughout the conference may specify and require a certain dress code. Those events will be noted. 

Will there be wi-fi at the conference? There will be wi-fi available for IDA attendees at the Palmer House, a Hilton Hotel 

How do I get to the hotel from the airport? If travelling by taxi, a ride downtown takes 20-40 minutes, depending upon the time of day. An average fare from O’Hare to downtown Chicago is $35-45USD, while an average fare from Midway is $30-40USD. The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) operates trains from O’Hare to downtown Chicago for $5USD. The trip takes approximately 45 minutes, which is far quicker than taxis or bus transfers during peak traffic times. The CTA Blue Line station is accessible via O’Hare’s lower level in Terminal 2 and is the easiest and most affordable way to get to/from O’Hare. The Orange Line station can be found east of the terminal building at the Midway Transportation Center. Follow signs for CTA Trains or Trains to City to locate the station, via a walkway. From Midway Airport to downtown Chicago the train takes approx. 25 minutes and the fare is around $2.25USD. 

Do you have a map of Chicago? Explore the best the city has to offer in the official downtown of the city. Chicago Loop Alliance’s website offers things to do, shop, eat, drink and more. Visit their website to explore more and find interactive maps. Click here to view a map of Chicago’s Special Service Areas (SSAs). 

The Annual Conference & Marketplace of the International Downtown Association is the signature gathering of inspired leaders who are shaping cities around the globe. This is the premier event for urban place management professionals to discuss industry trends, share best practices and learn the latest tips of the trade. 

What we heard: 

• “The IDA conference is an outstanding opportunity to gain expert knowledge and learn from other communities. It is a ‘must-attend’ event for all urban management professionals interested in how to ensure a bright future for our ever-growing cities.”  
• “This conference was educating, refreshing and inspiring to see the work that’s being done in cities around the world. I encourage staff at varying levels to attend and share what you learned with your colleagues and create a plan of action to produce measurable change in your community.” 
• “Once again, IDA has brought together the innovators that breathe life and excitement into our downtowns.” 

• “If your organization is dealing with an issue, IDA conferences are the way to meet directly with a person who has successfully dealt with that issue.” 

Past Resources: 

IDA members can watch videos now from previous Master Talks or download past session presentations by visiting the Knowledge Center. 

Members of the media interested in attending the IDA Annual Conference & Marketplace are welcome during the event’s Master Talks, breakout sessions and select mobile tours. RSVPs for credentialed media are required for programs and tours. To obtain credentials, please contact Allison Shashok, Vice President of Membership, Marketing & Operations, at allison@downtown.org. Please identify your outlet and contact information. 

Media are responsible for arranging their own transportation and lodging during the conference. 

Get social! What questions will you come ready to ask? ExShare them on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn using #IDACHI23. Members can log in to IDEA Connection, IDA’s online virtual community, to connect with peers, share best practices, and exchange ideas before meeting up in Vancouver. Learn more and log in here. 

Are you coming to Chicago with IDA? Show off your attendance and let your colleagues know by sharing the “I’m Attending” social media badge (download the image). 

Get connected! Download the free IDA Events Mobile App from the Google Play or Apple App Store before heading to Chicago. Create your own personalized agenda, explore speaker bios, chat with other attendees, take surveys and learn about district enhancing products and services. To download the Mobile App, visit the Google Play or Apple App Store and search IDA Events or click the corresponding link below. 

Apple Store URL: Please click here to download the application 

Google Play Store URL: Please click here to download the application

Wherever possible, there has been an effort at this year’s Annual Conference & Marketplace to reduce the amount of paper. Thus, there will be no printed program available this year. IDA highly recommends you download the app before arriving on-site. When available, presentations will be placed on the event app and/or in IDA’s Knowledge Center after the event. 

Once you have downloaded the IDA Events Mobile App, you will be prompted to enter your name and email address. Please enter the email address you used to register for the Annual Conference.  A validation code will arrive to your email from registration@downtown.org. No password set-up is required. Please note, if you do not log into the app for more than 24 hours, you will be required to reenter a validation code. There will be free wi-fi on-site at the Palmer House Hilton Hotel for conference attendees so you can stay up-to-date with the program, exhibitors, sponsors and other attendees.

Click here to read the launch email to learn about curating your personalized agenda, chatting with other attendees, posting to the event feed and exploring exhibitors! 

And don’t forget, you can win prizes (and bragging rights) as you rack up points on the app leaderboard for posting a photo, taking surveys, visiting exhibitor profiles and more! 

 Stay connected post-conference! Take surveys and access presentations. Open the app to view available presentations from 2023’s Annual Conference & Marketplace under the agenda tab. 

By attending the 2023 Annual Conference & Marketplace, certified Leaders in Place Management will earn 12 credit hours toward the renewal of their LPM certification. Additional certification maintenance credits can be earned by attending qualifying pre-conference workshops during the conference. When credits are available for workshops, they are noted in the program. Please visit downtown.org/certification to learn more about becoming certified or recording continuing education units. 

IDA is an AICP credit provider. AICP members can earn Certification Maintenance (CM) credits for the Annual Conference sessions and workshops. When CM credits are available, they are noted in the program. IDA’s 2023 sessions provide an easy way for AICP certified planners to earn their CM credits. Learn more and submit credits on your own at planning.org/cm. 

For decades, urban place management professionals have acted as leaders of their communities by undertaking the strategic and visionary work of city building. IDA has developed seven official knowledge domains, recognizing the distinct areas of professional practice used to shape vibrant urban districts which anchor the well-being of towns, cities, and regions around the world. Content for IDA’s Annual Conference is organized around this framework. For more information about each domain, visit the Career Center. 

Preview the agenda below (please note, all times listed are Central Daylight Time and all prices are in USD). To see the full description, click on the down arrow next to the title. You can filter the program by domain or session type and start curating your personalized experience. Note, this program is subject to change.

** Pre-registration is required for tours and workshops. Visit the registration desk to check availability and sign-up (there is a fee to attend).