Chicago Mercantile Exchange Signs 445,000-Square-Foot Lease At CME Center/10 & 30 South Wacker; The Levy Organization Represents CME in one of City's Largest 2002 Leases.

Business Editors

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 4, 2002

Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. (CME) has renewed its lease, expanding into 445,000 square feet of office space at 10 & 30 South Wacker Drive in downtown Chicago in one of the city's largest 2002 office space leases. The 2 million-square-foot 10 & 30 South Wacker Drive complex, known as Chicago Mercantile Exchange Center, is owned by a joint venture between Equity Office Properties Trust and Lend Lease US Office Trust.

The 10 & 30 South Wacker Drive buildings, which flank CME's trading facility, were developed as the company's headquarters in 1983. This transaction will provide CME with lease-term flexibility in addition to the ability to create a new private entry at 20 South Wacker Drive. The relocation of Chicago Mercantile Exchange's current entrance from Monroe Street to Wacker Drive creates an enhanced identity for the company along one of Chicago's most recognized streets.

"Chicago Mercantile Exchange maintains the stability and the culture of the 10 & 30 South Wacker complex," said Arvid Povilaitis, senior vice president of Equity Office's Chicago Region. "We are pleased that CME is continuing its partnership with us, and look forward to consistently serving its office needs in the years to come."

Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. is the largest futures exchange in the United States and the second largest exchange in the world for the trading of futures and options on futures. As an international marketplace, CME brings together buyers and sellers on its trading floors and GLOBEX around-the-clock electronic trading platform. CME offers futures contracts and options on futures primarily in four product areas: interest rates, stock indexes, foreign exchange and commodities. The exchange moves about $1.7 billion per day in settlement payments and manages $27.7 billion in collateral deposits. CME is a wholly owned subsidiary of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Holdings Inc.

"We are very pleased to remain in this location and to continue our relationship with Equity Office and Lend Lease US Office Trust," said CME Chairman Terry Duffy. "While CME was offered attractive and aggressive relocation alternatives, it was our objective to create economic flexibility while strengthening our identity and presence on Wacker Drive. Our history at the CME Center, coupled with our negotiations with Equity Office, allowed us to accomplish both of those objectives."

"Lend Lease is very pleased to have accomplished a significant goal with the transaction," adds Brian Lantz, vice president and investment manager for Lend Lease Real Estate Investments' Chicago Region.

Chicago Mercantile Exchange was represented by Holly Duran and Richard Schulz of The Levy Organization Real Estate Services. The company provides comprehensive real estate consulting and brokerage services to clients worldwide, and has served as CME's real estate consultant since 1980. Attorney James B. Rosenbloom, partner of Goldberg Kohn, Bell, Black, Rosenbloom & Moritz, handled the lease documentation. For over 20 years, Goldberg Kohn has represented CME as part of its national real estate finance, leasing and development practice. C.J. Dempsey represented Equity Office. Brian Lantz of Lend Lease acted as investment advisor to Lend Lease US Office Trust.

The Chicago Mercantile Exchange Center/10 & 30 South Wacker Drive complex is conveniently located at Wacker Drive on the block between Madison and Monroe Streets, one of Chicago's most coveted locations. Contributing to CME's decision to remain as the anchor Tenant to the complex is the convenient access to major public transportation and the building's amenities. The complex is equipped with 550 parking spaces, a white tablecloth restaurant, two carry-out restaurants, a full-service bank, a messenger center, a leather care specialist, and a newsstand/sundry shop.

Equity Office Properties Trust (NYSE: EOP) is the nation's largest publicly held office building owner and manager with a portfolio of 744 buildings comprising 126.8 million square feet in 21 states and the District of Columbia. Equity Office has an ownership presence in 34 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) and in 142 submarkets, enabling it to provide a wide range of office solutions for national, regional and local customers. For more company information, visit the Equity Office Web site at www.equityoffice.com.

Lend Lease is one of the largest real estate investment managers in the world with US $49.1 billion of assets under management. The company has over US $38 billion in real estate and commercial mortgages under management for institutional and private clients in the U.S. Lend Lease's investment programs cross the risk/return spectrum for both equity and debt capital, and in the public and private markets. In addition, the Group operates a leading U.S. loan servicing company, CapMark Services, for the benefit of clients investing in real estate-related debt. Listed on the Australian Stock Exchange, the Lend Lease Group operates in 43 countries on six continents, with a significant presence in Australia, Asia, Europe, and the United States.

Lend Lease US Office Trust (LLUSOT) was established in 1999. Listed on the Australian Stock Exchange, the Trust provides investors with the opportunity to invest in prime US office buildings within a familiar Australian listed property trust vehicle. LLUSOT forms part of the ASX 200, All Ordinaries and LPT Index and is traded on the ASX under the code LUO.

LLUSOT has an interest in 9 prime grade assets located across 8 US office markets. The properties in this portfolio have been selected with a geographic spread to maximise diversification benefits and are located in Chicago, Boston, Indianapolis, Orlando, Atlanta, Dallas, Miami and Los Angeles. The 'foundation portfolio' of prime properties is jointly owned with Equity Office Properties Trust, the United States' largest publicly held owner and manager of office properties. Lend Lease Real Estate Investments Inc. undertake portfolio and asset management in the United States, with fund management based in Australia.

Statements about CME in this news release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements. More detailed information about factors that may affect our performance may be found in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, which can be obtained at its Web site at www.sec.gov. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.