Radio, news magazine, press, and news-service reporters came in to standing room only. Somehow the word had spread, and there was nothing for us to do but hold an impromptu press conference. Blair Kamin, architecture critic for the Chicago Tribune, had been in touch with me earlier and I had mentioned to him that our meeting would finish about 4:00pm and that he could stop by if he wished.įour o’clock came, we opened the door and there was Blair-together with a host of others.

We held our Executive meeting-as scheduled and without the press in attendance. Jay Leno joked on the Tonight Show with a line that all the Council did was once every ten years to look up in the sky and say, “Yep, that’s the tallest!” Even “Spiderman” -the skyscraper climbing daredevil-wanted a list of the 100 tallest buildings so he could climb them all, having already put Sears, World Trade Center, and Empire State under his belt. In the days leading up to the Executive Committee meeting, Council headquarters received at least 75 phone calls from television, radio, newspaper, and magazine journalists requesting information and interviews. It was the culmination of weeks of “media awareness” of the competition between Sears and Petronas. “ Yes, it’s been an item on our agenda for a year.” CNN and NBC’s “Today Show” arranged to interview me atop the Sears Tower in the days before the Executive meeting. As soon as that word got out, the call came even more frequently. Newspapers, magazines, television, radio, producers of programs-all called.ĭuring the previous year we had planned that our April Executive Committee meeting would be held in Chicago since it would coincide with a Congress of one of our Sponsoring Societies. Those who don't want to buy a City Pass should get there as soon as possible (opening hours 10 am to 6 pm) to avoid the biggest rush of visitors.It was the successful challenge by Petronas Towers (Malaysia) for “the world’s tallest building” title that opened a floodgate of media approaches to the Council in 1996.

Tip: Chicago City Pass holders are treated almost as VIPs here and can simply leave the queue in front of the lifts behind. If you dare, you can look down 412m from there - for those not resistant to heights, vertigo and goosebumps guaranteed!

With glass floors, glass walls and glass ceilings, they actually give visitors the feeling of floating in the air above the Chicago skyline and make unique photos possible. Since the collapse of the World Trade Center in New York, the Skydeck is the highest viewing platform in the USA.īesides the impressive view, the observation balconies built in 2009 are particularly spectacular. On a clear day you can see up to 80km in all directions. On a clear day, you can see up to 80km in all directions. The lift takes you up to the 103rd floor at a speed of almost 30km/h. The Skydeck at a height of 412m is particularly interesting for visitors. Visit to the Willis Tower © James Camel / franks-travelbox In common parlance, the name 'Sears Tower' is therefore still used to some extent. This renaming was met with disapproval by the residents of Chicago, as the Sears Tower had become a symbol of Chicago in its more than 30 years of existence. It was only after the sale to the London insurance group Willis Group Holdings in 2009 that the Willis Tower was given its current name. The Willis Tower opened in 1974 after four years of construction on South Wacker Drive under the name 'Sears Tower'.

It also held the title of the world's tallest building until 2010, before the Burj Khalifa in Dubai broke all records.

Sears tower