Hotel Information

Our headquarters hotel is Conrad Chicago on the Magnificent Mile in River North. This location is in close proximity to museums, parks, and the loop business and entertainment district. It has enclosed access to The Shops at North Bridge. Complimentary guestroom wired and wireless internet access; 24-hour business center, with complimentary boarding pass printout; 24-hour access to fitness center; in-room spa service. Visit the hotel website for additional information and details on amenities. Tranportation details can be found on the arriving in Chicago page.

Reservations:

• Book online via the Conrad group website for CUG
• Book by phone at 1-800-705-7129 (please reference CUG to receive the group rate)

Note: The rate will be offered for 3 days prior to the conference and 3 days after the conference, based on availability.
Reservation Deadline: March 25, 2015. The hotel will continue to accept reservations after the cut-off date, based on room and rate availability.

Cray employees should not use the online system to register or book a room. Your conference registration and hotel booking are processed by Linda Yetzer. Her phone number is (1-651) 605-8961; e-mail address is yetzerll@cray.com.

Conference Office and Registration

Badges and registration materials will be available:

Sunday:  3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Registration desk – 6th floor
Monday:  7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Registration desk – 6th floor
Tuesday:  7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Registration desk – 6th floor

To register after Tuesday morning visit the CUG office on the 8th floor.

All attendees must wear badges during CUG Conference activities.

Smoking Policy

There is no smoking allowed at the Conference.

Special Assistance

Any requests for special assistance during the conference should be noted on the “Special Requirements” area of the registration form. You may also contact the Local Arrangements Committee.

Social Events

A map of all the event locations is available.

Welcome Reception, April 26

From 6 to 7 p.m. Sunday, all attendees and their guests are invited to a reception on the terrace of the Conrad Hotel to renew existing acquaintances and establish new ones.

Special Event: Blues & Brews, April 27

From 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Monday evening, attendees and their guests are invited to a enjoy Blues & Brews at Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery, 1 West Grand Avenue, Chicago. There will be a buffet dinner and music provided by Fernando Jones and his band.

Rock Bottom is a short walk from the Conrad (2 blocks).

Cray Networking Event, April 28

On Tuesday from 6:30 – 9:30 a Cray Networking Event will be held at Spiaggia, the only four-star Italian restaurant in Chicago. Spiaggia has earned international praise and numerous awards, including a 2014 nomination for Outstanding Restaurant by the James Beard Foundation.  The private dining room offers floor to celiling panoramic views of Lake Michigan and the Magnificent Mile.

Spiaggia is about a half mile north at 980 N. Michigan Ave. Coat check will be available at the restaurant.

CUG Night Out, April 29

On Wednesday from 7:00 – 10:00 p.m., all attendees and registered guests are invited to enjoy a night out organized by the Local Arrangements Committee. The CUG Night Out will be held at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry.

Transportation from the Conrad to the museum and back will be provided. Buses will load at the Conrad at 6:15 p.m.

Coat and bag check will be available at the museum.

A variety of delectable food prepared by renowned Chicago chefs will be served in the beautiful rotunda of the museum. Three fantastic museum displays will be open for CUG guests:

• Science Storms: Feel the physics and consider the chemistry of natural phenomena like tornados and avalanches.
• Transportation Gallery/The Great Train Story: In the Transportation Gallery, you can explore climb aboard the engine of the Empire State Express 999, the first machine to break the 100 mph barrier; walk through a real United 727, hanging from the Museum’s balcony; or take in the Spirit of America, the car that drove more than 530 miles per hour in 1965. The Great Train Story model railroad allows you to witness more than 20 trains running on 1,400 feet of track, completing the winding journey between Chicago and Seattle.
• Numbers in Nature: A Mirror Maze: From the delicate nested spirals of a sunflower’s seeds, to the ridges of a majestic mountain range, to the layout of the universe, mathematical patterns abound in the natural world. Numbers in Nature: A Mirror Maze exposes and explains the patterns that surround us.

Things to do in Chicago

Chose Chicago: www.choosechicago.com

Conrad Chicago Hotel Destination Guide: www.conradchicagohotel.com/destination-guide

Dining close to the hotel: www.conradchicagohotel.com/destination-guide/dining

Nightlife close to the hotel: www.conradchicagohotel.com/destination-guide/nightlife

Shopping the Magnificent Mile: www.themagnificentmile.com/shopping

Blue Waters tours

A tour of the Blue Waters supercomputer at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications is being offered at 1 pm on Friday, May 1. To join the tour, simply arrive a few minutes before 1 at the National Petascale Computing Facility, 1725 S. Oak St., Champaign. You will need to provide your own transportation to Champaign.

No RSVP is required, but if you have questions prior to the tour, you can contact a tour guide at tlbarker@illinois.edu.

To request a tour at another date or time, simply fill out this short web form and a member of NCSA’s staff will contact you.