Looking for a highly interactive and incredibly engaging team building event?

Want to see the sights and hear the sounds of the city?

The Great “Amazing Race” Chicago has turned into one of WCF’s most popular team building programs in the past two years.  The Great “Amazing Race” Chicago elevates team building to a new level of fun by incorporating strategic thinking and planning into an environment designed to entertain and energize your employees. With NEW MISSIONS and DESTINATIONS taking you to fun and exciting locations all over the city, this event is sure to be one your employees will never forget!

SPOTLIGHT:  Great “Amazing Race” Chicago for 300 People
WCF is excited to execute one of its largest ever Great “Amazing Race” programs this summer – 30 teams lead by WCF’s “Race Guides” compete in a thrilling race across Chicago! Teams are given a packet of clues for each destination throughout the city and “Race Guides” to assist each team.  Each “Race Guide” is a critical component leading to the success of the event. With a “Race Guide” assigned to keep people focused and answer questions, WCF is able to create a significantly more sophisticated and challenging event, even with groups as large as this. As the 30 teams race all over Chicago from the Magnificent Mile to Lincoln Park, Wrigley Field, the Loop, Greektown, Chinatown and more, “Race Guides” provide clues and missions, take photos for the group and assist the group throughout the event.

For more information Visit WCF Online.

Recent comments on event planning blogs have prompted some planners to ask the question, “Is True Team Building Dead?”

Some recent comments:

• “Companies are passing off recreational activities and entertainment as team building.”
• “Team building of old is gone…”

While it is true that there are many different types and variations of team building available to businesses, certainly the team building of old is not dead.  In fact, as companies continue to rebound from the recent recession, it is more important than ever.  Team building programs must evolve to match the client’s objectives.  While some clients may request “deep skills” team building, focused mainly on business messages and strategies, others may request a more laid back event designed more for mixing and mingling.  It is the event planner’s job to sift through the client’s needs to create an event designed to match their objectives.

Of course, not every client needs the “deep skills” focus.  However, no one is trying to pass off an evening at a bar as true team building either.  A good event planner is able to create an effective team building event regardless of where it falls on the spectrum from “deep skills” team building to recreational activities and entertainment.

Let us know what you think…is old-school “deep skills” team building dead or has the range of team building needs simply expanded to offer a wider range of options?

With the continued rebound of the economy, now is the time to start planning your 2010 summer outing.  Windy City Fieldhouse (WCF) remains committed to Delivering Exceptional and Memorable Client Experiences focused on meeting your event’s unique goals and objectives in a fun and innovative setting – all while staying within your budget.  To accomplish this goal, WCF must proactively assist its clients in planning for their upcoming summer outing – typically the largest event of the year and the one requiring the most planning.  WCF once again provides its annual guide to planning a unique and memorable summer outing.  With some new editions and twists, read on to help plan your best summer outing ever.

As the winter weather takes hold of the Chicagoland area, WCF is already busy working with clients planning and selecting their 2010 summer outing.  Even though some of its many longtime clients were unable to hold a summer outing in 2009, most of them along with the 2009 summer picnic clients are returning for their summer outing in 2010.  Over the past 12 years, WCF has planned and executed over 1,600 corporate summer picnics and outings for clients including JP Morgan, Seyfarth & Shaw, IBM, Allstate, USG, James McHugh Construction Company, Fortune Brands, Children’s Memorial Hospital, and more.  Even during the economic downturn in 2009, WCF planned and executed over 200 summer picnics and outings.  Through its experiences with summer outings and client feedback, WCF has identified key components of the decision-making process clients should consider to ensure their summer outing matches the mission and objectives of the event while maximizing value, participation and fun.  Most importantly as the economy continues to rebound, don’t wait!  Many clients are already booking their summer outings to guarantee the location and date of their choice.

Mission & Objectives
The first step in the decision-making process is defining the summer outing’s key mission and objectives.  Without determining these elements, it is virtually impossible to plan and select an event that maximizes participation, fun and value for employees and guests of all ages.  WCF takes each client through a series of questions designed to help identify some key goals for the event.  Some of the questions to consider in this step include:

• What is the budget for the event?
• Is a focus of the event to build camaraderie and goodwill amongst employees and/or employees and their families?
• Is the event focused on enhancing relationships amongst employees?
• Is the event strictly to reward employees?
• Is the priority on younger employees (generally without families) or those employees with families or both?
• If the priority is on both, how will the needs of the different groups be addressed?

Once objectives are determined, the planning and selection process for the ideal summer outing begins.

Weekday vs. Weekend Events
The next step in the decision-making process is determining if the event is to occur on a weekday or weekend.  With benefits to either option, the mission and objectives determined by the client drive this decision.  For instance, a company looking to provide a highly engaging and entertaining event for employees and their families would prefer to host a weekend event to ensure family members are able to attend.  However, clients who want to guarantee a high employee attendance rate and want to focus on building relationships amongst employees are likely to choose a weekday event.  In addition, weekday events are typically less expensive since family members do not attend.

Day vs. Evening Events
After selecting the day of the week, clients must choose the best time of day to hold the event.  Traditionally, summer picnics are held in the afternoon taking advantage of the warm weather, time off work during the week and the optimum time for family members of all ages to attend, just to name a few.  However, a recent trend towards evening picnics held from 5:00-9:00 PM has proved popular with many WCF clients.  Evening picnics are a good choice for many companies for a variety of reasons such as cooler weather, lower costs, larger range of available dates and more!

Whether selecting a traditional afternoon picnic or opting for the newer evening picnic trend, clients must make sure to match the advantages of each to fit their needs.

Exclusive Interactive Event vs. General Admission Event
With the day of the week and time selected, the next step is choosing the type of event:  an exclusive interactive event vs. a general admission event.  Exclusive interactive events are private events strictly for the company, such as private summer picnics, company softball tournaments and interactive receptions.  These events provide a great environment for internal networking and enhance relationships between the company, the employees and their families.  On the contrary, general admission events take place in public environments such as amusement parks and zoos.  These events focus less on the relationships between the company, the employees and their families and more on providing free admission to a destination.

More and more companies are selecting exclusive interactive events as the best return on investment.  Both event types are intended to reward employees, however exclusive interactive events are much more likely to also motivate employees while enhancing employee morale and camaraderie.  In addition, exclusive interactive events tend to develop goodwill with the employees’ families since the entire group is together (or in the same area) throughout the event as opposed to being spread throughout an enormous public area.

“Everyone had an amazing time.  The event was awesome I am so glad that we decided to have it outside in spite of the weather.  Your team did a great job, the food was great, we had a blast playing softball/volleyball, and it was a really good event.  We definitely want to do something like this on an annual basis.  Special thanks to you for getting all this set up.  We received the digital pictures and it reminded us of how much we enjoyed ourselves.  We look forward to doing business with you soon.” – Big Ten Networks

Book Early
Now that you’ve selected the details of your event, it is imperative to start the process of booking your event early. Certainly one of the key ingredients to a great event is booking the location and date of your choice.  With thousands of proposals sent each year, you must request your proposal early – no later than February of each year and preferably sooner.  Plus, if you book early enough, WCF is the only company in the industry to provide you with a CUSTOMIZED PICNIC WEBSITE including your logo, itinerary, menu, maps and even an area for post-event digital photos taken by WCF during the picnic.  Returning clients have their photos posted from last year’s event.  Visit PicnicsInChicago.com/client_site to view a sample website.

5 GREAT WAYS TO SAVE ON YOUR SUMMER PICNIC! WCF offers a variety of innovative and creative ways to save on your next summer outing. Here are just a couple great ways to save: Onsite Event – WCF comes to your office location for the perfect summer event Employee Only Event – Switch this year’s event to employees only Call your sales representative today to find out about THREE MORE GREAT COST-SAVING ideas!

Now that you are ready to book your outing, here are some key factors when selecting the company to best execute your next summer event…

Award-Winning Experience: Selecting a company with the experience to handle every aspect of planning the event, selecting trusted quality vendors and making your event run seamlessly with no hassle for you is a key element to a successful event.  For example, taking advantage of WCF’s experience gained from executing over 1,600 picnics and outings is priceless.  Voted Chicago’s #1 Team Building and Entertainment Company for 3 consecutive years, WCF is the best in the industry at finding the right venue for your needs, selecting the best trusted, quality vendors and creating an interactive and engaging environment for all ages by providing the right number of staff and activities throughout the event.

Activities for All Ages: Find a vendor who provides activities for all age groups attending the event.  A key element of WCF picnic packages is separately targeting each age group to meet its specific needs.  To ensure each group has entertainment, WCF divides the entertainment into four main categories: “Interactive Relays”, “Facilitated Traditional Sports”, “Passive or Walkup Entertainment”& amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; lt; /strong> and “Entertainment Add-ons”.  Regardless of each attendee’s interests, WCF provides an array of activities capable of entertaining everyone.

Premier Venues: Location! Location! Location! Location is the key to an event and an element that requires a planner with access to the right venues.  WCF has access to the best private venues in Chicago – CITY & SUBURBS.  From the incredible facilities at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), located within blocks of the Chicago Loop, to locations throughout the suburbs, WCF has access to the premier picnic grounds in the Chicagoland area.  If desired, WCF transforms your company’s property into your own private picnic grounds.

Hassle-Free Planning: Find a vendor that allows you to focus on enjoying your event and mingling with your employees and co-workers.  WCF is a great example of a company that handles every detail.  From acquiring permits and selecting the caterer to adding interactive entertainment and facilitated activities, WCF’s team handles all the details of your event so you don’t have to worry.  WCF is a “one-stop shop” for coordination of your entire summer outing.  You just sit back, relax and enjoy the event.  Best of all, you get all the credit!

Cost-Conscious Planning: Many options exist for cost savings that still allow for an amazing event.  Find a vendor who knows how to meet your budget but not reduce the value of your event.  While WCF can’t fit every budget, it utilizes its years of planning experience to maximize your summer picnic budget and provide your company the best RETURN ON ITS INVESTMENT.

Solution:  Select a  WCF Interactive Summer Picnic! WCF offers award-winning experience, activities for all ages, premier venues and knowledge to provide the most effective, cost-conscious planning in the industry.  Taking advantage of WCF’s experience gained from executing over 1,600 picnics and outings is priceless.  Don’t settle for anything less!

Make sure your employees have something to look forward to this year and book your 2010 summer outing now with WCF.  The sooner you book, the more value you receive on your investment throughout the year. For more information on utilizing WCF’s team of expert summer outing planners, contact your sales representative at 773.486.7403 Request a Proposal or Visit WCF Online .

Many lessons have been learned from the recent economic downturn. Businesses, including WCF, have taken time to reevaluate not only their business strategies, but also their role within their communities. A great number of WCF clients found themselves in a position where they wanted to reward their employees for all their hard work and dedication, but also help others in their community during these difficult times.

In its continued efforts to provide clients with new and innovative events designed to meet client needs, WCF began its new “Double Goal” Events for a Cause.  Many of you as parents and coaches are familiar with the very popular “Double Goal” Coaching approach promoted by the Positive Coaching Alliance – striving to win, and even more importantly using sports to teach life lessons through positive coaching.  WCF has turned the same principals learned as coaches and parents into the events industry with its “Double Goal” Events programs.  Through the use of “Double Goal” Events, WCF is able to assist in improving employee cohesiveness, teamwork and communication in addition to helping those in need.

“Our “Double Goal” Events allow us to improve workplace skills at the same time as making a difference outside the office through charitable giving” says Murrel Karsh, president of WCF.  ”Clients continue to provide overwhelming feedback that these types of events are exactly what they need – building a lasting sense of team unity and providing contributions to a charity in the community whether it is in the form of time or money.”

Despite the fact that many economic indicators are pointing to the end of the recession, it is important to continue to promote the lessons learned during these difficult times.  The recession brought about a renewed focus on how businesses are perceived by the public.  By giving back to the community with “Double Goal” Events for a Cause, businesses gain from the lessons learned with WCF’s award-winning events and charities receive welcomed contributions.

For more information on “Double Goal” Events for a Cause, contact Murrel (murrel@windycityfieldhouse.com) at (773) 486-7403 or visit WCF online at http://WindyCityFieldhouse.com/cause.

Windy City Fieldhouse (WCF) remains committed to Delivering Exceptional and Memorable Client Experiences focused on meeting your events unique goals and objectives in a fun and innovative setting.  To accomplish this goal, WCF must proactively assist its clients in planning for their upcoming summer outing – typically the largest event of the year and the one requiring the most planning.  WCF once again provides its annual guide to planning a unique and memorable summer outing.  With some new additions and twists, read on to help plan your best summer outing ever.

WCF is already busy working with clients planning and selecting 2009 summer outings.  Over the past 11 years, WCF has planned and executed over 1,400 corporate summer picnics and outings for clients including JP Morgan, Seyfarth & Shaw, IBM, Allstate, USG, James McHugh Construction Company, Fortune Brands, Children’s Memorial Hospital, and more.  Last year alone, WCF planned and executed over 300 summer picnics and outings.  Through its experiences with summer outings and client feedback, WCF has identified key components of the decision-making process that clients should consider to ensure that their summer outing matches the mission and objectives of the event while maximizing value, participation and fun.  Most importantly, don’t wait!  Clients are already booking their summer outings to guarantee the location and date of their choice.

Mission & Objectives
The first step in the decision-making process is defining the summer outing’s key mission and objectives.  Without determining these elements, it is virtually impossible to plan and select an event that maximizes participation, fun and value for employees and guests of all ages.  WCF takes each client through a series of questions designed to help identify some key goals for the event.  Some of the questions to consider in this step include:

• Is a focus of the event to build camaraderie and goodwill amongst employees and/or employees and their families?
• Is the event focused on enhancing relationships amongst employees?
• Is the event strictly to reward employees?
• Is the priority on younger employees (generally without families) or those employees with families or both?
• If the priority is on both, how will the needs of the different groups be addressed?
• What is the budget for the event?

Once objectives are determined, the planning and selection process for the ideal summer outing begins.

Weekday vs. Weekend Events
The next step in the decision-making process is determining if the event is to occur on a weekday or weekend.  With benefits to either option, the mission and objectives determined by the client drive this decision.  For instance, a company looking to provide a highly engaging and entertaining event for employees and their families would prefer to host a weekend event to ensure family members are able to attend.  However, clients who want to guarantee a high employee attendance rate and want to focus on building relationships amongst employees are likely to choose a weekday event.  In addition, weekday events are typically less expensive since family members do not attend.

Day vs. Evening Events
After selecting the day of the week, clients must choose the best time of day to hold the event.  Traditionally, summer picnics are held in the afternoon taking advantage of the warm weather, time off work during the week and the optimum time for family members of all ages to attend, just to name a few.  However, a recent trend towards evening picnics held from 5:00-9:00 PM has proved popular with many WCF clients.  Evening picnics are a good choice for many companies for a variety of reasons.

• Family – Those who have actively involved children like evening picnics because they don’t have to miss that week’s camp, class, game or practice.
• 20 to 30 year olds – Evening picnics are a great opportunity to share some food and drinks with co-workers followed by an evening out at a variety of downtown bars or clubs – all without giving up a precious summer afternoon or a day of productivity in the office.
• Employees – By holding the event after work hours for weekday events, employees don’t lose an afternoon of productivity in the office.
• Cooler Weather – With summer evenings staying light until 9:00 PM, evening picnics provide a great opportunity to take advantage of Chicago’s cooler evening weather.
• Available Dates & Location – Best of all, evening picnics offer more flexibility for dates and locations.  With almost all weekend day events booked, evening picnics allow companies to secure their first choice of date and location.
• Budget – Lastly, if budget is a concern, evening picnics also tend to be less expensive in many cases.

Whether selecting a traditional afternoon picnic or opting for the newer evening picnic trend, clients must make sure to match the advantages of each to fit their needs.

Exclusive Interactive Event vs. General Admission Event
With the day of the week and time selected, the next step is choosing the type of event:  an exclusive interactive event vs. a general admission event.  Exclusive interactive events are private events strictly for the company, such as private summer picnics, company softball tournaments and interactive receptions.  These events provide a great environment for internal networking and enhance relationships between the company, the employees and their families.  On the contrary, general admission events take place in public environments such as amusement parks, baseball games and zoos.  These events focus less on the relationships between the company, the employees and their families and more on providing free admission to a destination.  In addition, it is extremely challenging to meet the desires of diverse employee groups at general admission events, as these destinations are generally not targeted to all demographic audiences or age groups.

More and more companies are selecting exclusive interactive events as the best return on investment.  Both event types are intended to reward employees, however exclusive interactive events are much more likely to also motivate employees while enhancing employee morale and camaraderie.  In addition, exclusive interactive events tend to develop goodwill with the employees’ families since the entire group is together (or in the same area) throughout the event as opposed to being spread throughout an enormous public area.  If desired, clients add a meeting or team building event prior to the outing to increase value and enhance interaction amongst employees.

Location! Location! Location!
Once the type of event is determined, it is time to start looking at potential locations.  A convenient location is a key consideration when trying to maximize value and attendance at a summer picnic.  With many private venues located throughout the city and surrounding suburbs, it is important to consult with a planner, preferably with years of summer outing experience, to find the best venue matching the clients’ needs.  If the event occurs during the week, search for a nearby location with easy access to the company’s offices.  If possible, hold the event on the grounds at the company’s offices.  For events held on the weekend or in the evening, it is important to pick a central location for the majority of employees.  A great cost saving option when considering location is to hold your picnic indoors at WCF.  You are able to save up to 30-50% and  you are also guaranteed a perfect 75 degree day with no rain.

Solution:  WCF Interactive Corporate Picnic
WCF offers excellent private CITY AND SUBURBAN corporate picnic locations and packages that are truly a unique experience for guests.  A key element of WCF picnic packages is separately targeting each age group to meet its specific needs.  For instance, the type of entertainment a 26 year-old enjoys is vastly different then a 50 year-old father of three.  WCF’s interactive picnics cater to all age groups.

At a WCF exclusive interactive picnic, a variety of entertainment options are available including rock-climbing walls, live bands or disk jockeys/entertainers, inflatable attractions, face painters and caricature artists.  A children’s program is also available including everything from creative water games and relays to “arts & crafts”.  In addition, WCF provides its clients with a helpful guide for planning the optimal summer outing.  Included in the guide are specific steps to generate enthusiasm for the outing prior to the event including sample e-mails, numerous announcements, planning schedules and pre-event checklists.  Another new client benefit is the use of the custom client picnic website.  “ We develop customized web sites for clients as another way to deliver value to the picnic,” says Murrel Karsh, WCF president.  “The web site includes the client logo, itinerary, menu, maps and even an area for post-event digital photos taken during the picnic.  Plus returning clients have their photos posted from last year’s event.”

WCF’s numerous picnic options enable each client to effectively execute a customized summer outing that meets the mission and objectives of the event while delivering an extreme amount of value to the company.  WCF takes care of as many or as few event details as desired by the client/planner including catering, tent arrangements, parking permits, security and bus transportation.  In addition, with access to Chicago’s premier picnic grounds just minutes from downtown and throughout the suburbs, WCF offers access to the best locations in the Chicagoland area.  If desired, WCF transforms your company location or headquarters into private picnic grounds.  A variety of exclusive WCF private sites are available throughout Chicago and the suburbs including the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), The Chicago Historical Society (CHS), Navy Pier, Lincoln Park, and Millennium Park along with many suburban day camps and park districts.  Plan ahead this summer and let WCF help you identify and meet your goals and objectives for your next summer outing.

Murrel Karsh
773.486.7403

The Benefits of Team Building in the Current Economic Environment

After reading many articles in the past few months regarding the benefit of holding team building events or meetings, I thought I would share some advice we’re giving to our clients in this current economic environment.

Keeping your team motivated during the current economic environment is a difficult task facing many companies.  However, the cost of investing in a team building event is relatively small compared to the consequences of operating with a demoralized team with lower productivity and no clear direction.

A team building event also helps build a strong foundation with your employees as they tend to work longer hours and take on more responsibilities while also facing their own added stresses from a tough economy. Without this foundation and a highly energized team, it will be impossible to achieve your goals in 2009.

Team building programs are designed to help strengthen the foundation within your team while energizing your employees through fun and interactive challenges. Employees improve communication, break down barriers and learn to work more effectively as a team in a fun and relaxed setting. The end result is a heightened sense of teamwork and morale along with a renewed focus on the company’s goals.

Many of our clients are recognizing that now might be that time for a team building event.  As they get further into the year, layoffs and additional work load are truly taking their toll.  Morale and productivity are down and they need something to give their teams a spark, refocus their efforts on the company’s goals and simply put, say thank you to their teams for the hard work.  It is imperative for their teams to work efficiently towards a common goal or it will be impossibly to reach it.  A team building event is the perfect solution.

Even if you don’t use Windy City Fieldhouse, a team building event is a great way to reenergize your team, improve their morale and thank them for their effort with a little fun.  Good luck!

Murrel Karsh