Michigan is a state of picturesque contrasts—from Detroit’s bustling urban atmosphere to Ann Arbor’s eclectic vibe to Mackinaw City’s laid-back pace.
The southwestern quadrant of the state also has its own feel. Encompassing the cities of Grand Rapids, Lansing, Battle Creek, Kalamazoo and Holland, the area on the “bottom left of the hand” (as Michiganders put it) is full of museum-rich artistic communities, restaurants dedicated to sustainable agriculture and downtown areas that offer affordability alongside big-city amenities.
Grand Rapids
If you haven’t been to Grand Rapids in a while, you’re in for a pleasant surprise. Just ask Tim Nelson, convention services manager for Experience Grand Rapids.
“I was born and raised here, and before I came to the bureau I owned a retail business downtown,” he says. “Back then, it was a 9-to-5 town, but all that changed in the mid-’90s when Van Andel Arena was built.”
Van Andel is located smack dab in the middle of the city’s downtown core, and its opening spurred an explosion of development, Nelson says. Now, the city is known for its nightlife, convention hot spots and well-appointed meeting space at properties such as the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, featuring 42 meeting rooms, including four ballrooms, and the JW Marriott Grand Rapids, offering an array of stylish function space.
“Van Andel is now connected by a skywalk to the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, JW Marriott, Courtyard Grand Rapids Downtown and DeVos Place, which is our convention center,” he says.
Along with its development, Grand Rapids has become an environmentally friendly metro with numerous LEED-certified buildings, and it was voted the No. 1 green city by Fast Company in 2008. It has also created its own character, with one-of-a-kind shops and restaurants as well as a youthful, lively spirit. That spirit was put on display for the world last May when local Rob Bliss raised more than $40,000 to create an intricately orchestrated video of more than 5,000 Grand Rapids residents lip-synching to American Pie. The Grand Rapids Lip Dub was the city’s vibrant response to a Newsweek piece that included it on a list of “America’s Dying Cities.” Locals begged to differ, and the video became a huge hit.
“The video was of people singing through the streets of downtown Grand Rapids,” Nelson says. “It went viral, and the last time I checked Facebook, it had more than 3.5 million views. It was even picked up on TV and national media. It really showed off the fun community vibe of the city.”
Planners can experience that vibe without having to spend too much. According to Nelson, the city offers pleasantly low rates and a multitude of venues within walking distance of each other. Two such venues are the Grand Rapids Public Museum, which is about a block from DeVos Place, and the Gerald Ford Presidential Museum.
On the development front, the city will welcome CityFlatsHotel, a 28-room boutique property, in September, and Springhill Suites North reopened in July after a major renovation.
Thirty minutes southwest of Grand Rapids is the picturesque city of Holland, population 35,000.
“Our downtown is absolutely lovely,” says Sally Laukitis, executive director of the Holland Area CVB. “We have an outdoor fireplace, bronze sculptures, an incredible farmers market, street performers every Thursday night, cobblestone sidewalks, park benches and Victorian streetlights.”
Holland’s idyllic atmosphere welcomes groups with affordable shops, restaurants and accommodations. The Doubletree by Hilton Hotel and Haworth Inn & Conference Center are the city’s two largest meeting sites. The 168-room Doubletree was renovated a little more than a year ago and offers 9,700 square feet of meeting space, while the Haworth is located on the wooded campus of Hope College and offers space for up to 350 delegates.
Lansing
As Michigan’s capital city, Lansing has plenty to offer visiting groups.
“I always thought Lansing was a blue-collar town where everyone left at 5 p.m. and vacated the city, but when I moved here, I realized how wrong I was,” says David Buckenberger, vice president of business development for the Greater Lansing CVB. “There are so many great new restaurants, nightlife spots and things to do—it is a really vibrant city.”
Stroll down Washington Street and Michigan Ave (they intersect) to find most of the city’s shops and restaurants, but be sure to take in the view of Grand River snaking through the city—now made more beautiful thanks to a new riverfront development.
“We are really excited by the Lansing River Trail,” Buckenberger says. “We are planning to build a dock there soon and offer chartered pontoon boats on the river for nice-weather receptions.”
The Lansing Center is the city’s largest meeting venue, with 71,800 square feet of exhibition space and 12,000 square feet of meeting space. The convention center is connected via a skywalk to the 256-room Radisson Hotel, which offers 10,000 square feet of meeting space.
“One of the most exciting things in Lansing is the resurgence of the Causeway Bay Hotel,” Buckenberger says. “Back in the ’90s, it was a major convention property, but then it lost ground for a bit. Now, they’ve done a major renovation and it is a great place for meetings.”
While visiting, groups can see the Lansing Lugnuts, the AAA minor-league team for the Toronto Blue Jays. The stadium is located just down the street from the capitol and offers space for groups of up to 4,000 on its terrace, up to 40 in its restaurant and up to 60 in its suites.
Kalamazoo
Ninety minutes southwest of Lansing is the vibrant city of Kalamazoo. The metro is known for its richness of art, says Greg Ayers, president of Discover Kalamazoo.
“We have more than 40,000 college students in our community—from Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo College and Kalamazoo Community College—and they all bring in a ton of creativity,” he says. “We also have a ton of creative venues, which make for an artsy destination.”
Leading the pack is the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, which is located downtown and adjacent to Bronson Park. The museum attracts major exhibits (Dale Chihuly in 2005), and groups can enjoy the surroundings by scheduling receptions in the lobby, 175-person auditorium or smaller classroom area with floor-to-ceiling windows.
Air Zoo is another fun Kalamazoo attraction where visitors can learn about the history of aviation and space travel.
“Groups love going to Air Zoo because it is an interesting space and there are lots of places to meet—from an exhibit hall to a boardroom to a mezzanine,” Ayers says.
When not enjoying a Kalamazoo attraction, meeting delegates can stroll down Michigan Avenue, the city’s main drag, and enjoy peeking into one-of-a-kind shops and restaurants.
“Groups love going down to Michigan Ave. because the area is so pedestrian-friendly,” Ayers says. “The street is anchored by the Kalamazoo Mall, and at the end of the mall is our primary hotel, the Radisson Plaza. It has 341 guest rooms and more than 40,000 square feet of meeting space.”
The hotel will soon undergo a renovation that will include the redesign of rooms, meeting spaces and lounges. The project is scheduled for completion in November 2012.
The other two major meetings hotels are located a little outside of downtown: the Holiday Inn West and the Clarion, which is undergoing a cosmetic renovation and will change flags in early 2012, according to Ayers.
In addition to its well-appointed meeting space, Kalamazoo is nicely situated about 140 miles from both Chicago and Detroit. The city is served by the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport, which Ayers says will welcome a new terminal next spring.
Just 30 minutes west of K-Zoo (as it is referred to by locals) is Battle Creek, also known as “Cereal City” because it is home to Kellogg Company.
The city is easy to reach—near the junction of interstates 94 and 69—and, according to Dawn Whitcomb, director of sales and services for the Calhoun County Visitors Bureau, it is increasingly attractive to visitors from around the region.
“We are going through a lot of changes,” she says. “In spring, we launched a $9 million downtown transformation project. The project is scheduled to finish by the fall of next year and will include new streets, sidewalks and a pocket park with an interactive performance wall and fire pit. Right now, we have free wireless Internet throughout all of our common areas in the city.
“It is very exciting and is bringing a lot more business to the city,” she adds. “It is great for planners because it gives them a campus-like feel to the downtown.”
Meetings-friendly hotels include the newly renovated, 239-room McCamly Plaza Hotel, which has 25,000 square feet of meeting space and is connected to the 30,000-square-foot Kellogg Arena.
Meanwhile, Firekeepers Casino is constructing a 242-room hotel that will have meeting space and an events center with 2,000 seats. It is scheduled to open in fall 2012.
Katie Morell is a Chicago-based freelance writer and former Meetings Focus editor. www.katiemorell.com
