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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS -- While many will be riveted to their TVs for the 2010 Winter Olympics, they’ll be able to take a break from the breakneck speeds of the Giant Slalom to those who are taking a similar slalom through the aisles of McCormick Place during the auto show. This year’s NBC5 Chicago Auto Show special will enjoy a huge lead-in audience of those watching the games from Calgary with even more Olympic coverage on the back end of the special.

“The Olympic Games positioning on NBC5 is terrific for us and those who love cars,” said Show Chairman John Phelan. “And it’s a great way to give everyone a heads up about what’s going on for the full public run of the show. We’re all about bringing people into McCormick Place to view what our industry has built and is selling. What better way to tempt them than to give them a High Definition view of one of the city’s great events?”
Jerry Cizek, co-general manager of the auto show, along with Phelan and co-general manager Dave Sloan have joined with NBC5 President Larry Wert in lobbying Olympic officials to allow them to the compete in the 4-man Bobsled on a specially constructed hill outside McCormick Place.

“They’ve been fighting us all along,” said Cizek. “But then they found out that the high-speed runoff area for our hill empties directly into Lake Michigan—and they somehow have now agreed. I know it’ll make for great TV—and it’s the least they could do after we got geeked on the 2016 games!”

NBC 5’s Brant Miller, LeeAnn Trotter, Ginger Zee, Paula Faris, Matt Rodewald and Charlie Wojciechowski will cover the show wall-to-wall in “gold medal” fashion.
Look for the NBC5 team to cover the hottest car exhibits, family fun at the auto show, hybrids and car buying tips. Throughout the special, the multiple Emmy award winning team will follow new car buyers as they cruise the floor of the nation’s biggest auto show. Again this year, viewers at home will have a chance to win prizes as they watch the live show on NBC5! The Chicago Auto Show special will also be streamed live on www.nbcchicago.com

The hour-long special, live from McCormick Place and in HD, will air Saturday, Feb.13 at 6 p.m. with an encore telecast at noon on Sunday, Feb.14.

Plans are also underway for Telemundo Chicago’s Auto Show special and presentation of the 4th annual Telemundo Hispanic Day! The special will air and encore opening weekend of this year’s show and will be followed by Hispanic Day planned for Friday, February 19. The WSNS production team just recently received a Midwest Regional Emmy for their 2009 Chicago Auto Special. Look for the return of hosts Oscar Guzman and Nelly Carreño to again take Spanish language viewers to all that is new at the 2010 Chicago Auto Show as well as to again promote Telemundo Hispanic Day. The entire Telemundo Chicago team is looking forward to the 2010 Chicago Auto Show!

About the Chicago Auto Show: Sanctioned by International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA), the Chicago Auto Show is the largest auto show in North America and has been held more times than any other auto exposition on the continent. First staged in 1901, 2010 will mark the 102nd edition of the show. The Chicago Auto Show will open to the public Feb. 12-21. Show hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. (Feb. 12-20) and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Feb. 21). For additional information visit: www.chicagoautoshow.com

About the Chicago Automobile Trade Association: Founded in 1904, the Chicago Automobile Trade Association (CATA) is the nation’s oldest and largest metropolitan dealer organization. The CATA is comprised of more than 400 franchised new-car dealers and allied members. Dealer members employ over 20,000 people in the metropolitan area. For additional information visit: www.cata.info

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CONTACT:
Paul Brian
Director of Communications
Chicago Automobile Trade Association
630-424-6069 Direct
630-495-2282 Main
paulbrian@drivechicago.com Email

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