Skate America to be in Chicago area (Hoffman Estates, IL) Oct. 24-26 | Page 4 | Golden Skate

Skate America to be in Chicago area (Hoffman Estates, IL) Oct. 24-26

Sloopy

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 17, 2014
Uh, it's NOT noon here in Chicago land for early BT kickoffs. That would be an 11AM kickoff. The Western Division is Central Time (minus the Indiana team in our division). Also, if my 'Cats get their mojo back this season, that would have been another night game or at the very least a 2:30. ;) As it is, my 'Cats are on a bye week that weekend. WOOT! I've already cleared it with Mr. mskater and I might (just might, if he doesn't pick that weekend for a fall marathon) just drag him to this as well. Coach #1 and I talked about it this morning and are considering volunteering. :)

Thanks a lot! What a way to burst my bubble. :eek:hwell: I forgot that the Buckeyes are usually a night game for 99% (Michigan being the exception) of the conference. Sigh...what could have been. I've gone to games at Illinois and Purdue a while ago when game time was at 11:00 a.m., but times have changed.
 

ozmodiar

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 11, 2014
Skate America, the premier annual international figure skating competition held in the United States since 1979, will be held in the Chicago area for the first time. The event will be the first major U.S. Figure Skating event, domestic or international, held in Greater Chicago since the 1946 U.S. Championships.

1946. That was the year young Dick Button won his first national title. Why has it taken nearly 70 years for another major skating competition to take place in Chicago? I don't think there's even been more than 2-3 pro events that have taken place in the Chicago area.
 

CoyoteChris

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 4, 2004
This is a tough one for me.....I spent 18 years of my life in Downers Grove and it was 40 years all told before I could escape ILLinois....flashbacks...PTSD....
Skate Canada is a five hour lovely drive from my home in Spokane. I wonder what the hotel rates are going to be in Hoffman Estates and
how convenient the restarants are? Airfare is $300 so that's not bad.....need to look into this farther.....if lots of you were going it would make ILL inois more tolerable.
At least the booze is cheep.
OK, I did some quick calculations and look sees....am I wrong or is a rental car going to be a necessity? Not much around the areana as far as close hotels and food....
 

macy

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2011
yes it's within driving distance again! woo! definitely trying my hardest to go! :)
 

mskater93

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 22, 2005
Haha, it would be sort of fun to run a race while I"m over there, but that that would be overkill...

No, he's looking out of state (he's trying to join the 50 state marathon club and is currently at 28 or so) for a marathon that weekend. Talked to one of my besties and she's going to figure out if she can afford to come up for the weekend! WOOT!
 

mskater93

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 22, 2005
Thanks a lot! What a way to burst my bubble. :eek:hwell: I forgot that the Buckeyes are usually a night game for 99% (Michigan being the exception) of the conference. Sigh...what could have been. I've gone to games at Illinois and Purdue a while ago when game time was at 11:00 a.m., but times have changed.

It'd be a night game (if our mojo returns) because it would be of interest to ABC/ESPN to pick it up.
 

mskater93

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 22, 2005
This is a tough one for me.....I spent 18 years of my life in Downers Grove and it was 40 years all told before I could escape ILLinois....flashbacks...PTSD....
Skate Canada is a five hour lovely drive from my home in Spokane. I wonder what the hotel rates are going to be in Hoffman Estates and
how convenient the restarants are? Airfare is $300 so that's not bad.....need to look into this farther.....if lots of you were going it would make ILL inois more tolerable.
At least the booze is cheep.
OK, I did some quick calculations and look sees....am I wrong or is a rental car going to be a necessity? Not much around the areana as far as close hotels and food....
See page 3 of this thread. Yes, a rental car is a necessity for HE. While there isn't a ton right around the Sears Center in HE, Schaumburg is ~10 minutes and there is a LOT around there.
 

tulosai

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 21, 2011
I was SO excited to see this headline (I grew up in the area), but calling this suburb Chicago is really pushing it. I'd love to go, but with my parents living in the actual city, I imagine this isn't realistic or do-able without a public transit option. :cry:

Yeah I am possibly reconsidering too... it might just not be realistic for me without public transit unless I can rent a car for considerably less than it is looking like I can at the moment...

I wonder what the hotel rates are going to be in Hoffman Estates and
how convenient the restarants are? Airfare is $300 so that's not bad.....need to look into this farther.....if lots of you were going it would make ILL inois more tolerable.

OK, I did some quick calculations and look sees....am I wrong or is a rental car going to be a necessity? Not much around the areana as far as close hotels and food....

Restaurants right there are nonexistent but in Schaumburg (10-15 min away) there are many and everything. Hotels will probably run between $100 and $150 a night- if you want the one closest to the arena currently it is going for $139/night for those dates.

Yes, a car is a necessity. The ONLY way you could realistically (meaning without a TON, truly a TON of hassle) make it work without a car would be to stay in the hotel closest to the arena (it's still about 3 miles away), take a cab to and from the airport, and take cabs back and forth from the arena, with the arena and the hotel being literally the only places you went.
 

PlaysInTheDirt

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 16, 2014
For those flying, check rates flying into Midway airport. That's in another Chicago suburb and is about an hour from Sears Centre Arena.

And if you're driving, watch out for red light cameras - they're everywhere now.
 

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 27, 2009
No, he's looking out of state (he's trying to join the 50 state marathon club and is currently at 28 or so) for a marathon that weekend. Talked to one of my besties and she's going to figure out if she can afford to come up for the weekend! WOOT!

Ah, he's one of those marathon maniacs! :)

What states does he need?
 

Tavi...

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 10, 2014
For those flying, check rates flying into Midway airport. That's in another Chicago suburb and is about an hour from Sears Centre Arena.

And if you're driving, watch out for red light cameras - they're everywhere now.

Actually, no, Midway Airport is in Chicago about 8 miles from the Loop (downtown)- and it's south of downtown and Hoffman Estates is a Northwest suburb. So it wouldn't be convenient, particularly in our horrendous rush hour traffic. As to whether it's cheap, tho, couldn't say.
 

MoonlightSkater

On the Ice
Joined
May 17, 2011
Quandary. Do I go to Skate Canada, which is actually closer to my house? Or do I go to Skate America, which is in one of my fave cities and would give Mr. P an excuse to ride the Empire Builder? Decisions, decisions.

Skate America! Because I might be able to be there and would love to get to see some of you again!
 

PlaysInTheDirt

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 16, 2014
Actually, no, Midway Airport is in Chicago about 8 miles from the Loop (downtown)- and it's south of downtown and Hoffman Estates is a Northwest suburb. So it wouldn't be convenient, particularly in our horrendous rush hour traffic. As to whether it's cheap, tho, couldn't say.

Nope, it's not next door, and you're right it's in Chicago not a suburb, but if people are concerned about the cost, it's a great alternative to consider. I mentioned it since someone brought up flying into Milwaukee, which is nearly 90 minutes away from Sears Centre. Midway would be a better way to go.
 

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 27, 2009
Nope, it's not next door, and you're right it's in Chicago not a suburb, but if people are concerned about the cost, it's a great alternative to consider. I mentioned it since someone brought up flying into Milwaukee, which is nearly 90 minutes away from Sears Centre. Midway would be a better way to go.

And it looks like you can avoid going through downtown Chicago by taking the i-55/i-294/i-290 to 90 (though I"m sure those roads are terrible during rush hour also).

One option I'm considering is staying near the airport (O'Hare) and renting a car. That way I have access to CTA but still within a reasonable drive to Hoffman Estates.
 
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PlaysInTheDirt

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 16, 2014
And it looks like you can avoid going through downtown Chicago by taking the i-55/i-294/i-290 to 90 (though I"m sure those roads are terrible during rush hour also).

One option I'm considering is staying near the airport (O'Hare) and renting a car. That way I have access to CTA but still within a reasonable drive to Hoffman Estates.


That sounds like the best option. If you stay in Rosemont, there are plenty of restaurants, too.

I don't think we have rush "hour" here - it's just bad traffic all the time, and roads will still be under construction in late October, too. Not that I'm trying to dissuade you from coming - you can always run a half marathon, right????
 

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 27, 2009
That sounds like the best option. If you stay in Rosemont, there are plenty of restaurants, too.

I don't think we have rush "hour" here - it's just bad traffic all the time, and roads will still be under construction in late October, too. Not that I'm trying to dissuade you from coming - you can always run a half marathon, right????

Haha, no worries. I lived in Chicago (albeit it was like a decade ago) so I do remember seeing traffic pretty frequently. Though at the time I had no car (just my trusty 1970s Schwinn bicycle) and used CTA a lot so, I guess I was never really exposed to it that much.

Also I should mention I did my first half marathon was in Chicago back in 2005. :)

There is a half-marathon that weekend in downtown Chicago, but I think it might be a bit much. There's also a 5 and 10 k...maybe I'll do one of those instead!

The official hotel is near the airport in Rosemont. Maybe they will have a shuttle?

Do you know which one it is?
 
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Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 27, 2009
According to the announcement, The Hilton Rosemont/Chicago O’Hare will be the official host hotel for the event

LOL. I should have read that more carefully!

Man is it pricey! Won't be staying there...
 
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