It was the hottest ticket in town. Last night's party to launch the Irish sales campaign for the Spire development in Chicago took place in a vast marquee in Fitzwilliam Square with over 500 guests on the list.

Property people rolled up in their droves to admire the plans for the 150-storey tower on the shores of Lake Michigan, but also hoping to meet actor Liam Neeson who was in town for the do. After news broke last week that he would be attending the party, the acceptances started to roll in. Savills HOK is taking bookings for private tours of the sales suite from today as part of a worldwide push to sell what's being billed as the world's tallest residential tower.

Prices start at just over €500,000 for the lowliest studio rising to around €40 million near the top of the spiralling building which won't be completed until 2011.

Developer Garrett Kelleher is hoping that Savills will sell at least 200 of the 1,193 apartments in Ireland though the roadshow will continue on to 14 other cities including Moscow and Shanghai. Developer Ray Grehan of Glenkerrin Homes was among the guests, and he must envy Kelleher his planning permission for such a remarkable venture - he's having quite a time of it trying to get just 15 storeys in his proposed development for the vet college site in Ballsbridge.

Developers Liam and Bill Durkan were also casting an eye over the Spire, along with Mike Murphy of Harcourt Developments and Stephen Vernon from Green Property. Designers Louise Kennedy and Helen Turkington were also there, possibly to view the interiors designed by Santiago Calatrava himself.