Thanks for all the advice. I am probably going to call the hotel after the Christmas period to get exact details as i'm going to be there in late January.
About how much in fees from the hotel am I looking at roughly?
I was spending many a sleepless night trying to get a 24x24x24 pelican case to transport my scenic design model in and then trying to figure out how to get it on a plane to my destination. Now i can just throw it in a bigger-then-needed box and pack it with lots of padding - instead of spending $400+ for one item for a single event.
Packing supplies, 2-day shipping, and return shipping should all cost less then the price of the case I wanted to fly it in (nevermind oversized luggage fees r/t).
Hotel is going to be the Blackstone (the Renaissance Marriott near Grant Park) and they appear to have a business center (probably outsourced) and do charge for internet. Rave reviews for customer service though, so here's hoping it pans out in my favor.