Michigan

Nature’s bounty and the buzz of urban excitement combine to make Michigan an irresistible place to gather during any season of the year.

From the historic beauty of Mackinac Island and the maritime tradition of Muskegon to the bustling city of Detroit, the state provides a wide array of settings, in addition to venues, activities and attractions to complement any agenda.


Detroit

Best known for cars and the music that makes driving them that much more enjoyable, Detroit delivers bright lights and big fun for groups.

Recently voted the No. 1 sports city by The Sporting News, Detroit has great diversions for sports fans; pro teams like the Tigers, Lions, Pistons, and Red Wings provide first-class excitement for attendees, and attractions like the Motown Historical Museum mix culture with cool.

Revitalization continues to sweep through the city’s downtown area, with new pedestrian-friendly areas with fresh retail outlets, residences and office space.

“This is an amazing time in downtown Detroit’s redevelopment,” says Carolyn Artman, media relations manager for the Detroit Metro CVB. “We have a beautiful redeveloped, walkable and bikeable waterfront overlooking the Detroit River, and Campus Martius Park has been a huge success since it opened three years ago.”

Campus Martius Park, a re-envisioned town square, serves locals and visitors throughout the seasons, from summer concerts to winter ice-skating.

Along with new paths, the $500 million redevelopment of the riverfront will also include a new harbor for pleasure ships near GM World Headquarters.

More development is taking shape at area casinos. The MGM Grand Detroit opened its 400-room hotel in late summer, and the MotorCity Casino opened a 400-room hotel last month. Next year, another 1,055 rooms will be added to the metro area inventory, with a new hotel at Greektown Casino, along with the complete renovation of historical properties into the new Westin Book Cadillac Detroit and the Pick-Fort Shelby Doubletree Guest Suites, both of which will be well equipped for meetings.

Meeting in the metro Detroit area gives delegates a chance to enjoy unique attractions, from the Automotive Hall of Fame to the Detroit Institute of Arts, which held a grand reopening this month after a $158 million expansion and renovation. The Henry Ford Museum, which houses American historical treasures such as the famed Rosa Parks bus, is also a popular venue for groups.

One of Detroit’s main group venues is the Cobo Center, with 2.4 million square feet of space, and top meetings hotels include the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center and the Athenaeum Suite Hotel and Conference Center in Greektown.

There are also several options in the surrounding suburbs, including the Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport; Hyatt Regency Dearborn; Doubletree Hotel Dearborn; The Dearborn Inn, A Marriott Hotel; Sheraton Detroit Novi; and Detroit Marriott Troy.


Ann Arbor

Home to the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor is a vibrant college town rich with arts venues and diverse attractions, and it is consistently listed as one of the best, smartest and greenest places to live by publications such as Forbes, Money and Country Home magazines.

With so many accolades, the city makes sense as a business destination. The primary markets for Ann Arbor are smaller corporate and association meetings, according to Dennis Doyle, director of sales and marketing for the Ann Arbor Area CVB.

“Our ideal group size is around 175, but we can handle up to 2,000 utilizing rooms citywide,” he says. “We also have a pedestrian-friendly downtown featuring hundreds of international world-class restaurants.”

Unusual venues are also plentiful here, from receptions at the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum to corporate picnics at the 200-acre Wiard’s Orchards.

For attendee downtime, the area offers unique attractions like factory tours of the Chelsea Teddy Bear Company, a tour through the Ford Presidential Library or performances at the Purple Rose Theatre, founded by actor Jeff Daniels.

The area continues to expand its hotel offerings, and two new properties are slated to open in 2009: the 120-room boutique Ann Arbor Hotel and the William Street Station, which will feature 120 guest rooms and 28,000 square feet of meeting space.

Current meetings hotels include the Four Points by Sheraton, Holiday Inn Ann Arbor Michigan North Campus and Ypsilanti Marriott Hotel at Eagle Crest.

Additionally, the state-of-the-art Michigan Information Technology Center has meeting space for up to 145 attendees and offers virtual reality conferencing.


Saginaw

North of Ann Arbor is the Saginaw Valley, a popular tourism destination filled with forests, waterways and intriguing historical attractions, such as Michigan’s Own Military and Space Museum, which houses the largest collection of U.S. Medals of Honor; and Roethke House, former home of native son and Pulitzer-winning poet Theodore Roethke. And for a taste of Bavarian history and tradition, groups can swing through the town of Frankenmuth for food, expertly brewed beer and shopping.

The Saginaw Valley area is popular with meetings, according to Wendy Scott, director of convention sales for the Saginaw Valley CVB. While the average meeting size is 150 to 200 people, the area recently handled a meeting of 5,000 attendees for a religious conference.

“For a gathering that large, which took up three weekends, the housing is citywide,” Scott says.

The Dow Event Center and the Birch Run Expo Center are among the destination’s largest venues, while the Horizons Conference Center offers more than 40,000 square feet of meeting space.

Area hotels with function facilities include the Four Points by Sheraton Saginaw; Best Western Saginaw Hotel; Conference Center at Apple Mountain; and Bavarian Inn Lodge Hotel.


Lansing

In Michigan’s capital city, both mental and physical sports are welcome.

“We just held the Odyssey of the Mind world finals here,” says Tracy Padot, vice president of marketing for the Greater Lansing CVB. “The sports market is popular here, along with associations.”

Indeed, Lansing plays host to a variety of amateur sports events, from softball and baseball to bowling, hockey and basketball, and the new stadium district, a mixed-use development currently under construction across from Oldsmobile Park and near the Lansing Center, Radisson Hotel Lansing and Michigan State Capitol, will round out the entertainment district with retail outlets, office space and residential areas, according to Padot.

Meanwhile, attendees can become kids again at the Impressions 5 Science Center or take a tour through 5,000 years of artistic expression at the Art Museum at Michigan State University.

For unique events, planners can arrange team-building retreats at Le Chat Gourmet Culinary Arts, or host a reception at Country Mill Farms, complete with a view of the apple orchard.

Meeting facilities include the Lansing Center, with more than 120,000 square feet of meeting space, and the Henry Center for Executive Development, which offers more than 30 meeting rooms.

Hotels with meeting space include the Sheraton Lansing, Holiday Inn Lansing West Conference Center, Holiday Inn South Convention Center, and Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center, located on the campus of Michigan State University.


Grand Rapids

Set on the banks of the Grand River, the city of Grand Rapids balances fast-paced development with small-town friendliness, and features an array of truly impressive in-town amenities, including an 18-hole golf course and a 20-acre park located right in the downtown area.

The city also has a thriving arts community, from the state’s only professional ballet and opera companies to edgy performance art and a full host of galleries.

The area sees a lot of family-oriented conventions, according to George Helmstead, vice president of sales for the Grand Rapids/Kent County CVB. “We get a lot of agricultural, religious and rural associations that bring their families and add a few days to their stay,” he says.

With a room inventory of 1,400, Helmstead says the city’s ideal group size is 800 to 1,000 people, although Grand Rapids recently hosted a citywide convention of 3,000 attendees.

The city’s main group venue is DeVos Place, a state-of-the-art convention center with 1 million square feet of event space; the center is connected to the Van Andel Arena, Amway Grand Plaza Hotel and Courtyard by Marriott Grand Rapids Downtown.

The newest addition to the city’s hotel inventory is the 340-room JW Marriott Grand Rapids, which opened this fall with 20,000 square feet of meeting space.


Muskegon Area

Along the shores of Lake Michigan is a region rich in maritime history and family-friendly attractions.

In the Muskegon area, groups can tour the Milwaukee Clipper, a ship listed on the National Register of Historic Places, visit the Great Lakes Naval Memorial and Museum, or arrange receptions and events on the USS LST 393, a tank landing ship that won three battle stars and remains a powerful memorial of World War II.

Other attractions also include Michigan’s Adventure amusement park, the Muskegon Museum of Art and a variety of beaches and state parks for outdoor fun.

“All our historic sites are able and willing to host events, and the art museum is a true treasure, the perfect setting for a group dinner,” says Jill Foreman, tourism marketing coordinator for the Muskegon County CVB.

Meeting facilities in the area include the LC Walker Arena and the Frauenthal Theater. To the north, the Double JJ Ranch and Golf Resort in Rothbury is a popular meetings retreat with a variety of recreational offerings, including a new waterpark, and the property has plans to construct a new conference center and spa.


Kalamazoo

Kalamazoo is a thriving community with arts, natural beauty and education at its heart.

Home to one of the country’s top-rated nature centers as well as the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, the city also enjoys a vibrant college atmosphere, thanks to Western Michigan University (WMU) and a host of local educational institutions.

Attendees can take in the region’s automotive and aviation history with off-site events at the Gilmore Car Museum, rated one of the top 10 auto museums in the country, and at the Air Zoo, which showcases classic planes and can accommodate up to 1,500 people for a reception.

The Radisson Plaza Hotel at Kalamazoo Center is one of the city’s premiere meetings-friendly properties, and other options include the Holiday Inn West Kalamazoo, Clarion Hotel Kalamazoo, the new Staybridge Suites Kalamazoo, and Yarrow Golf and Conference Center.

Large group venues in the area include the Cityscape Event Center, the Fetzer Center at WMU and the Michigan Technical Education Center.


Traverse City/North Michigan Resort Area

It’s easy for delegates to relax in the popular resort area around Traverse City, and many planners take into account the amazing outdoor activities when scheduling events. From Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, boasting picture-perfect scenery and diversions like kayaking and cross-country skiing, to the lure of a trip aboard a tall ship and onshore attractions such as quaint shops and wineries, the Traverse City region is one of Michigan’s most diverse destinations.

“Our area combines unrivaled beauty with that small-town feel, and it’s nourishment for the soul,” says Jack Schripsema, vice president of sales and marketing for the Traverse City CVB.

The ideal group size for Traverse City is 150 to 200 people, although the area can handle up to 1,500, according to Schripsema.

Diversions are available for visitors of all interests; shoppers can peruse the historic downtown, while adventure-seekers can board a 19th century replica tall ship for a cruise around Grand Traverse Bay or head for the slopes and enjoy a day of skiing. The area is also known for its wineries, and groups can arrange for a tour through Chateau Chantal, a popular estate surrounded by beautiful vistas. Golf is another top activity in the resort area, which offers a number of championship courses.

Multimillion-dollar upgrades are improving resort offerings, including Great Wolf Lodge, which plans to unveil a 9,700-square-foot conference center in January, in addition to other enhancements, and Grand Traverse Resort, which recently wrapped up a $14 million renovation.

Turtle Creek Casino Resort, featuring a 137-room hotel, a 54,000-square-foot gaming floor and entertainment venues, is also slated to open in June 2008, and construction recently began on a 92-room Cambria Suites, slated to open in 2009.

Other meetings properties in the area include Park Place Hotel, Bayshore Resort, Grand Beach Resort, and Sugar Beach Resort.

Farther northeast are Bay Harbor Resort and Inn at Bay Harbor, both set along the water, while inland are options such as Boyne Mountain Resort, Boyne Highlands Resort, Treetops Resort, and Shanty Creek Resort, which plans to finish a $10 million renovation of the meeting facilities and guest units at its Summit Village property this spring.


Mackinaw City and Mackinac Island

In the straits of Mackinac where the two Michigan peninsulas meet are two destinations packed with history and a little horse sense.

Cars are nowhere to be found on Mackinac Island, and delegates rely on horse-drawn taxis, carriage rides or their own two feet for transportation. Winding down from a hurry-up attitude also means more socializing and networking, according to Mary McGuire Slevin, executive director of the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau, and the island atmosphere appeals to a broad range of groups.

While on the island, attendees can enjoy the Butterfly Conservatory, play a few rounds of golf or visit Mackinac State Historic Park.

Meetings-friendly properties on the island include the Grand Hotel and Mission Point Resort.

Just a ferry ride across the straits is Mackinaw City, home to a bevy of maritime museums, including the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum, featuring the memorial of the ill-fated Edmund Fitzgerald, which sank on Lake Superior in 1975.

In Mackinaw City, properties catering to groups include the Baymont Inn Mackinaw City, Best Western Dockside Inn Waterfront Hotel and Holiday Inn Express Mackinaw City.


For More Info

Ann Arbor Area CVB    734.995.7281     www.annarbor.org

Detroit Metro CVB    313.202.1800     www.visitdetroit.com

Grand Rapids/Kent County CVB    616.459.8287     www.visitgrandrapids.org

Greater Lansing CVB    517.487.0077     www.lansing.org

Kalamazoo County CVB    269.488.9000     www.discoverkalamazoo.com

Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau     906.847.3783     www.mackinacisland.org

Mackinaw Area Visitors Bureau    231.436.5664     www.mackinawcity.com

Muskegon County CVB    231.724.3100     www.visitmuskegon.org

Saginaw Valley CVB    989.752.7164     www.saginawcvb.org

Traverse City CVB    231.947.1120     www.visittraversecity.com