Detroit Area
- A $278 million renovation project is under way at the Cobo Conference/Exhibition Center (313.877.8777), including a new music-themed concession outlet, Eatsville USA, which is now open on the concourse.
- Rock Financial Showplace in Novi has a new naming rights sponsor and will now be called Suburban Collection Showplace (248.348.5600). The facility features 214,000 square feet of exhibit floor space, 25,000 square feet of prefunction space and 19 breakout rooms.
- The former Ritz-Carlton in Dearborn recently became The Henry (313.441.2000), part of Marriott's Autograph Collection. Plans are under way to embark on a multimillion-dollar renovation. The hotel has 293 guest rooms, 15 suites and 26,000 square feet of total meeting space.
- The former Best Western Sterling Inn in Sterling Heights is now the Best Western Plus Sterling Inn Banquet and Conference Center (586.979.1400) after earning the "Best Western Plus" descriptor from the hotel family. The 246-room property offers meeting space for up to 1,000 guests.
Grand Rapids
- Renovations to guest rooms, the pool area and exterior were completed in 2010 at the Holiday Inn Downtown Grand Rapids (616.235.7611).
- In October 2010, Hampton Inn Grand Rapids North (616.647.1000) completed an extensive renovation of the hotel, including guest rooms, lobbies, hallways and meeting space.
- The former Fox Jewelers is in the process of being transformed into the 28-room boutique CityFlats Hotel Grand Rapids (616.796.2105). Designed to achieve LEED certification, the hotel is scheduled to open in May.
- The 320-room Crowne Plaza Hotel Grand Rapids Airport (616.957.1770) reopened in October 2010 after a multimillion-dollar renovation, including a new lobby and a new restaurant.
Kalamazoo
- The Kalamazoo County Expo Center and Fairground (269.383.8778) is building an addition of nearly 35,000 square feet onto the expo center and renovating the fairgrounds. The project is scheduled for completion this fall.
- The Air Zoo (269.382.6555) is expanding its attractions with a 50,000-square-foot exhibit hall addition to its main campus. The addition will provide space for new and current exhibits, aircraft, a 4,000-square-foot archive and an expanded library. Construction is expected to be completed in mid-2011.
- Groundbreaking for the Model A Ford Museum (269.671.5089), proposed as a 12,000-square-foot re-creation of a vintage Ford dealership, is slated to take place this summer. When completed on the Gilmore Car Museum Campus, it will become the largest public museum dedicated to the Model A Ford in existence.