As a longtime regional meetings hub, Michigan presents an eclectic stage for gatherings, with the roar of engines and sports fans in cities like Detroit, the outdoor beauty of Traverse City, the historic charm of Mackinac Island, the art-smart ambience of Ann Arbor and the eco-friendly buzz of Grand Rapids.
Detroit
The Motor City continues to be the main engine of Michigan meetings; the sounds of Detroit, from the melodies of Motown to the rich purr of an American-made automobile, are known around the world.
The city continues to enhance its offerings with major initiatives such as an impressive riverfront redevelopment project and several new properties, including the debut last fall of two casino hotels: MotorCity Casino Hotel, with 400 guest rooms and 67,000 square feet of function space, and MGM Grand Detroit, with 400 guest rooms and 30,000 square feet of event space. Additionally, Greektown Casino will open 400 guest rooms and 25,000 square feet of meeting space next spring.
Also making headlines is the renovation of the historic Book Cadillac hotel, which reopened in October as the Westin Book Cadillac Detroit, with 39,000 square feet of meeting space.
“It’s a wonderful return for the hotel,” says Christopher Baum, senior vice president of sales and marketing for the Detroit Metro CVB.
Another historic Detroit property, the Pick-Fort Shelby Hotel, which was built in 1917, will reopen in December as the Doubletree Guest Suites Fort Shelby/Detroit Downtown following an $80 million restoration. The property will feature 204 guest suites and a 22,000-square-foot IACC-certified conference center.
Detroit brings in national and state associations, while the sports market ranks high in the group mix. Detroit teams like the Tigers, Lions, Pistons and Red Wings captivate fans’ attention, and the city has been selected as the location for the 2009 Final Four basketball playoffs. Sites like Ford Field and Joe Louis Arena offer event spaces and special packages for groups.
For off-site events, Detroit really shines with venues like the nearby Greenfield Village and Henry Ford Museum, which boasts several historic exhibits such as the bus on which Rosa Parks made her historic stand, as well as Model T rides, Ford factory tours and more. Another top pick is the Detroit Institute of Arts, which recently finished a $120 million renovation, and the Wright Museum of African-American History.
Detroit’s largest venue is the Cobo Center, with 2.4 million square feet of space, and meetings hotels include the Detroit Marriott at the recently renovated Renaissance Center and the Atheneum Suite Hotel and Conference Center in Greektown.
There are also several excellent meeting sites 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
With both the University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University, the Ann Arbor area enjoys a reputation as a thriving, creative destination with dozens of art galleries, performing arts centers and unique shops. The city is very pedestrian-friendly and continues to garner praise from national publications like AARP, U.S. News and World Report, and Forbes, topping such lists as “Healthiest Hometown in America” and one of the “Brainiest Places to Retire.”
Smaller regional meetings are key here, since the city does not have a convention center, but Ann Arbor works with both colleges for facility space, as well as with hotel properties, according to Dennis Doyle, director of sales and marketing for the Ann Arbor Area CVB.
“We specialize in personal service and smaller meetings, but we also have excellent sports venues due to the universities, so both amateur and professional sports groups are important for us,” Doyle says.
One of the destination’s unique off-site venues is Boardwalk Creative Center, which stages unique team-building exercises, or planners can arrange events at Fox Hills Golf and Banquet Center.
Hotel properties with meeting space include the Four Points by Sheraton, Holiday Inn Ann Arbor Michigan North Campus and Ypsilanti Marriott Hotel at Eagle Crest. The Michigan Information Technology Center is also well equipped for meetings.
Saginaw
The communities within Michigan’s Saginaw Valley boast an impressive collection of family activities and historic sites—from the Military and Space Museum to the new Mid-Michigan Children’s Museum, which offers 16,000 square feet of interactive displays for the kid in everyone.
The Saginaw Valley is a prime meeting point for associations of 500 or less, according to Wendy Scott, director of convention sales for the Saginaw Valley CVB, but the area can also accommodate up to 1,500 attendees.
Area attractions double as unique off-site venues, including the Japanese Cultural Center, offering an authentic tea garden; the Theodore Roethke house, former home of the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet; and the Castle Museum, a historic building resembling a French castle.
For leisurely diversions, groups can take a cruise on the Cass River aboard the Bavarian Bell paddle boat or hop on one of the new Frankenmuth Fun Boats, which will begin operating in April.
The Dow Event Center, Birch Run Expo Center and Horizons Conference Center are the region’s primary meeting sites. Area hotels with function space include Four Points by Sheraton Saginaw; Conference Center at Apple Mountain; and the newly renovated and expanded H Hotel, a Dolce Hotels and Resorts property in Midland.
Greater Lansing
Greater Lansing’s new tagline, “Where It All Comes Together,” is right on the money; development, renovation and culture are converging to make the state capital and its surrounding area a natural choice for groups.
“A lot of neat things are happening here,” says Shari Berger, vice president of sales for the Greater Lansing CVB. “Our Lansing Center just finished an $11 million renovation, our five full-service hotels are all undergoing or just finished renovations, and the Stadium District, the flagship of new development in downtown, has opened.”
The Stadium District is a mixed-use development of retail and entertainment options across from Oldsmobile Park and near the Lansing Center, Radisson Hotel Lansing and Michigan State Capitol. Additionally, in nearby East Lansing, the Broad Art Museum is a premier venue debuting in 2011 at Michigan State University, and another project in the planning stages, City Center II, will include a Hotel Indigo and a performing arts theater.
Greater Lansing’s primary market is associations, and Berger says the city will be targeting larger associations as the development progresses.
“We also look to move into the specialty health care market, especially with Michigan State University being so close,” she says.
The Michigan State Capitol is a great choice for off-site events in Lansing, and Berger says speakers from the legislature or Michigan State University can be brought in for an event as well. Another popular pick is the Spartan Club, which overlooks the stadium.
The destination’s top group facilities include the Lansing Center and the Henry Center for Executive Development, offering more than 30 meeting rooms. Several hotels also have function space, including Sheraton Lansing, Holiday Inn Lansing West Conference Center, Holiday Inn South Convention Center and Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center on the campus of Michigan State University.
Grand Rapids
With a flourishing arts scene, natural beauty and a recent “America’s Greenest City” designation by Fast Company magazine, Grand Rapids is set to become a meetings hot spot.
“Everyone’s committed to making this the next great destination,” says Doug Small, president of the Grand Rapids/Kent County CVB.
That goal was given a nice push with the recent opening of the 340-room JW Marriott Grand Rapids, which offers 20,000 square feet of event space.
The hotel is one of three properties attached to the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place Convention Center via walkway, giving planners 1,200 rooms connected to the meeting facilities.
The other two are the elegant Amway Grand Plaza Hotel and the Courtyard by Marriott Grand Rapids Downtown.
Also new is downtown’s Grand Rapids Art Museum, the world’s first newly built, LEED-certified art museum. The city has the most eco-friendly LEED-certified buildings per capita nationwide, which factors into its blooming reputation as a “green” city, Small says.
In addition to the new museum, off-site venues include the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts and the B.O.B., an eclectic entertainment venue with five restaurants, a micro-brewery, a comedy club, a nightclub and a wine cellar.
Muskegon area
One of the state’s many outdoor playgrounds can be found along the shores of Lake Michigan in Muskegon, an area loaded with parks and water recreation, in addition to museums and theaters.
Groups can head to the Great Lakes Naval and Memorial Museum or hop aboard the Milwaukee Clipper historic passenger ship or the Port City Princess.
Meanwhile, the Frauenthal Center for the Performing Arts and the Muskegon Museum of Art offer event space.
Meeting facilities include the LC Walker Arena and the Stevenson Center at Muskegon Community College.
Farther north is Double JJ Ranch and Golf Resort, a popular meetings retreat.
Kalamazoo
Home to Western Michigan University (WMU), the vibrant town of Kalamazoo features a thriving arts scene and some of the best attractions around, including the Air Zoo, offering a 4-D theater, state-of-the-art flight simulators and the world’s only remaining SR-71B Blackbird.
Another highlight is the Kalamazoo Institute of the Arts, one of the Midwest’s premier museums that regularly hosts exhibits by such artists as Dale Chihuly. The institute is available for events, as is the Gilmore Car Museum, which may have even more to offer in a few years; fundraising efforts are under way by the Lincoln Motor Car Foundation to build a 20,000-square-foot museum on the grounds that will feature historic models as well as concept cars.
Meanwhile, golf is big in Kalamazoo County, which boasts roughly 20 courses.
Although the city hosts groups of up to 3,500 people, the ideal size for the area is 800 to 1,000 attendees using multiple properties.
Primary meetings hotels include Radisson Plaza Hotel at Kalamazoo Center; the recently renovated Holiday Inn West Kalamazoo; Clarion Hotel Kalamazoo, which is undergoing a renovation; Staybridge Suites Kalamazoo; and Yarrow Golf and Conference Center.
Groups can also gather at the Cityscape Event Center, the Fetzer Center at WMU and the Michigan Technical Education Center.
Traverse City/North Michigan Resort Area
With more than 200 miles of contiguous shoreline, plus lots of beaches, bays and dunes, the Traverse City area is a natural fit for attendees who want to add a few vacation days to their meeting.
“A lot of attendees bring their families with them,” says Jack Schripsema, vice president of sales and marketing for the Traverse City CVB. “Plus, it’s easy to relax here, and people have better meetings because the atmosphere is more conducive to learning.”
The destination boasts plenty of outdoor activities, including boating, kayaking, skiing and golfing, in addition to a growing list of wineries and quaint shops.
While the area can handle large events like the recent National Governor’s Association, which brought in approximately 2,000 delegates, the ideal group size is up to 200 attendees, a number easily suited to properties like the new 137-room Turtle Creek Casino and Hotel.
Other area meetings properties include Grand Traverse Resort, Great Wolf Lodge, Park Place Hotel, Bayshore Resort, Grand Beach Resort and Sugar Beach Resort.
Just northeast are Bay Harbor Resort and Inn at Bay Harbor, both at the water’s edge, while farther inland are Boyne Mountain Resort, Boyne Highlands Resort, Shanty Creek Resorts and Treetops Resort.
Mackinaw City and Mackinac Island
Mackinaw City and Mackinac Island are located along the straits of Mackinac, and both are filled with historic charm and a rich maritime heritage.
In Mackinaw City, four National Historic Sites preserve the unique culture of the area, including the old Mackinac Point Lighthouse, where visitors can test their nighttime navigation skills and even don the apparel of an old-time lighthouse keeper, and the Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park, where an adventure tour features a zip-line ride over the trees.
Meetings properties include Baymont Inn Mackinaw City, Best Western Dockside Inn Waterfront Hotel and Holiday Inn Express Mackinaw City.
Travel is a bit slower on Mackinac Island. The entire island is a National Historical Landmark, and delegates get around town either by foot or by horse and carriage.
“People were really grateful to come here this summer and ditch their cars when gas prices were so high,” says Mary McGuire, executive director of the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau. “Plus, attendees really enjoy walking around after hours and socializing.”
The island’s group-friendly properties include the Grand Hotel and Mission Point Resort.
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 517.487.6800 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.visitsaginawvalley.com
Traverse City CVB 231.947.1120 www.visittraversecity.com
