What Does FPSS Exhibit Space Cost in 2027?
The current published FPSS 2027 Exhibitor Sales Prospectus lists these rates.
Published FPSS 2027 Exhibit Space Rates
Published Cost | Current Rate |
|---|---|
FPSA Member Exhibit Space | $31.50 / sq ft |
Non-Member Exhibit Space | $38.00 / sq ft |
Drayage | $4.75 / sq ft |
The prospectus states that drayage is optional for booths under 200 sq ft, while corner fees and administrative fees also apply.
These published rates are a starting point, not an all-in booth price.
Booth structure, graphics, utilities, equipment handling, technology services, installation, furniture, and other project requirements can sit outside the exhibit-space rate. McCormick Place also directs exhibitors to the event organizer and general service contractor for event-specific freight, contractor, move-in, and show-service information.
Rates should be rechecked against the current FPSS exhibitor materials before exhibit space or show services are contracted.
Why Booth Size Changes More Than the Space Rate
A larger footprint affects more than the square-foot charge.
It can increase:
exhibit-space cost;
structure and flooring;
graphic production;
freight volume;
installation labor;
lighting and AV;
meeting and storage requirements.
That is why booth size works more like a cost multiplier than a single budget line.
For example, moving toward a 30x40 booth may be driven by processing equipment, several demonstrations, storage, or technical meetings. The additional budget is not limited to floor space because more of the exhibit may also need to be produced, transported, installed, powered, and serviced.
The size page should answer whether the footprint is appropriate. Here, the important question is why changing the footprint changes several parts of the budget at once.
What Live Machinery Adds to an FPSS Booth Budget
A processing machine rarely creates just one additional cost.
Its requirements can spread through the project:
freight → machinery handling → positioning → utilities → operating clearance → footprint → installation coordination
At McCormick Place, these responsibilities can involve different work scopes. Riggers handle machinery un-crating, un-skidding, positioning, and re-skidding; Teamsters handle general material other than machinery. Electricians handle equipment connected to the building electrical system, while plumbers cover services including compressed air, water, drains, and gases.
That creates a practical budgeting lesson:
A machine added after the booth layout is locked can change much more than freight.
It may alter machinery handling, electrical or plumbing service, floor position, working clearance, and installation sequencing at the same time.
For equipment-heavy exhibits, the physical relationship between machine, working space, utilities, and visitor access is developed in FPSS Production & Facilities booth planning. In this article, those requirements matter because each can become a separate cost driver.
What Connected Automation and Software Demos Add to Cost
Software and automation demonstrations can look lightweight compared with processing machinery, but their infrastructure is different rather than necessarily simple.
A connected demo may involve:
screens → devices → power → internet → AV → in-booth connections → technical setup → backup presentation
That can apply to MES platforms, OEE dashboards, IoT systems, remote equipment monitoring, production scheduling, traceability platforms, and other demonstrations that depend on live data.
McCormick Place is the venue provider for Internet and telecommunications services, and it strongly recommends wired dedicated connectivity for mission-critical product presentations because wireless performance can vary with equipment, booth structures, attendee traffic, and other environmental factors.
A cloud dashboard therefore should not automatically be treated as a “screen-only” cost.
Its budget may also involve connectivity, devices, power, network locations, technical setup, and a fallback demo path.
The physical and digital workflow itself belongs in FPSS Operations & Scaling demo planning. The cost question is narrower: which parts of that workflow require additional space, equipment, or show services?
FPSS Booth Cost Drivers at a Glance
Booth Decision | Cost Areas Affected | Why the Budget Changes | Typical FPSS Scenario |
|---|---|---|---|
Larger footprint | Space, structure, graphics, flooring, labor | More area requires more materials and setup | Equipment + meetings + storage |
Processing machinery | Freight, machinery handling, utilities, labor | Equipment needs movement, positioning, clearance, and service connections | Processing or production system |
Connected demo | Internet, AV, power, devices, technical setup | Several systems must operate together | Automation, MES, OEE, packaging |
Private meeting area | Space, walls, furniture, lighting | Non-demo functions still consume footprint | Technical or buyer meetings |
Custom equipment integration | Engineering, fabrication, installation | Structure must work around exhibitor-owned technology | Machinery or specialized demo |
Reusable structure | Storage, graphic refresh, modifications, freight | Cost continues across future events | Multi-show exhibit program |
This table is not a price sheet. Its purpose is to show why one booth-planning decision can affect several budget categories simultaneously.
Rental, Custom, or Hybrid: Compare More Than the First Show
The lowest first-show cost is not always the lowest long-term exhibit cost.
A Chicago trade show booth rental can work well when the exhibitor needs branded walls, screens, counters, flooring, meetings, or storage around samples or exhibitor-owned technology.
A custom structure becomes more relevant when specialized architecture, equipment interfaces, or fabrication are central to the exhibit. For equipment-heavy projects, Chicago booth fabrication and show-site execution can also become part of the budget because the surrounding structure has to work with machinery, utilities, installation, and venue requirements.
FPSS exhibitors can also use a hybrid approach:
exhibitor-owned machinery or technology + reusable rental or modular exhibit structure
The comparison should therefore look beyond one event.
Consider:
first-show structure and production;
graphics replacement;
storage;
adaptation to another booth size;
structural modifications;
repeated freight;
installation;
expected number of future shows.
This is a lifecycle-cost decision, not simply a choice between “cheap rental” and “expensive custom.”
Why Late Booth Changes Can Raise FPSS Costs
The most expensive change is often not the most expensive individual item. It is the change that affects several dependencies that have already been planned.
Adding another screen late can change mounting, electrical, AV, internet, cabling, and installation.
Adding a machine late can affect freight, machinery handling, utilities, floor position, working clearance, and labor.
That relationship is particularly important at McCormick Place because machinery handling, general material movement, electrical work, plumbing, and technology services may involve different responsibilities.
Before comparing final booth options, confirm:
equipment dimensions and weight;
machine operating clearance;
power requirements;
compressed air, water, drain, or gas requirements;
live versus recorded software demos;
internet and AV requirements;
screen, workstation, and device locations;
meeting space;
storage and demo-reset needs;
rental, custom, or reuse strategy.
When these dependencies are settled early, rental and custom proposals can be compared against the same project scope rather than different assumptions.
FAQ
Is the FPSS exhibit-space rate the total booth cost?
No. The current FPSS 2027 prospectus publishes exhibit-space and drayage rates, but structure, graphics, equipment, utilities, technology services, labor, furniture, and other exhibit requirements can create additional costs.
Why can an equipment-heavy FPSS booth cost more?
Machinery can create linked requirements for freight, handling, positioning, utilities, operating space, and installation. At McCormick Place, machinery handling, general material handling, electrical work, and plumbing services also fall under different work responsibilities.
Is a rental booth always less expensive than a custom exhibit?
Not necessarily. Rental can reduce the need for new structural fabrication, while custom work may better support specialized architecture or equipment integration. For repeat exhibitors, storage, modifications, graphic updates, freight, and reuse can also change the longer-term cost comparison.
