Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1152980
Wright Museum of African American History to Greektown, Mexicantown and Corktown, you'll find worldwide wonders waiting around every corner. Discover Detroit, America's great comeback city. CVB President/CEO Larry Alexander and his team at the Metro Detroit CVB are eager to make your event in the Motor City your best meeting yet! Planning a meet- ing in Detroit places you close to you and your attendees — only a 90-minute flight from 60 percent of the nation's pop- ulation via the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW). Grand Rapids, Michigan boasts an unprecedented level of cooperation between public, private, nonprofit and philanthropic sectors. Fueled by an inno- vative, pioneering spirit, this collaboration has helped the city achieve one of America's strongest economies – and it can help you deliver one of your most effective and memorable meetings. Nightlife is booming with over 50 restau- rants in the downtown area alone and the fastest growing entertainment district in the state. The city offers top-notch per- forming arts and award-winning hotels and B & B's. The Grand Rapids/Kent County area is also becoming known as a golf mecca with premier championship golf courses and it is located only minutes from the sandy beaches of Lake Michigan. Anchored by DeVos Place Convention Center and Van Andel Arena , the down- town convention campus is compact and easy to navigate. Yet it encompasses an impressive array of amenities and attrac- tions for your attendees to enjoy – includ- ing seven hotels, six museums, 100+ shops and restaurants, and a bustling nightlife scene. The Convention Center features a 162,000-sq. ft., column free exhibit hall, a 40,000-sq. ft. ballroom and 26 individual meeting rooms (32,000 sq. ft.). Few African-Americans came to West Michigan until after the Civil War, fleeing Jim Crow discrimination in the southern states. Even then, the numbers were rel- atively small. It wasn't until the Great Migration from the rural south, in the years between World Wars I and II, that their African-American population swelled. Well-paying factory work beck- oned families, who settled primarily in the southeast section of the city. Since 1971, the year Lyman Parks was voted in as the city's first African- American mayor, the African-American community has become more tightly woven into the fabric of the city while still maintaining its own unique identity. According to the 2010 census, one out of every five Grand Rapids residents is an African-American, and one in every seven area businesses is owned by an African-American. • • LANSING • • Location for your next big event can mean absolutely everything. From the amenities you need to all the extras atten- dees demand, there is no better choice than Greater Lansing. Greater Lansing is 90 minutes away from 90 percent of the state's population, making it easily acces- sible for attendees, exhibitors and speak- ers. This community is also in the heart of the Midwest, making Michigan's Capital City a prime destination for regional and national events of all kinds. Lansing Center is a state-of-the-art convention facility located in the heart of Lansing's entertainment district, featuring panoramic views of the scenic downtown area. Situated among beautiful rain gar- dens and fountains along Michigan Avenue, Mid-Michigan's premier meeting and banquet location has over 175,000 sq. ft. of contemporary space including nearly 72,000 sq. ft. of column-free exhib- it halls and 20 breakout rooms. Located on the banks of the Grand River, it is con- veniently connected to abundant parking options and the Radisson Hotel via a cov- ered pedway. WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Great Lansing Michigan CVB (888) 252-6746 (u)https://www.lansing.org(eu) B M & T ••• July/August 2019 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 52 AREA GUIDES • • • STATS • • • HOTEL ROOMS JW Marriott Grand Rapids 333 Amway Grand Plaza, Curio Collection by Hilton 681 DoubleTree by Hilton Grand Rapids Airport 226 Embassy Suites – Downtown Grand Rapids 250 Crowne Plaza Grand Rapids Airport 320 EXHIBITION FACILITIES DeVos Place Convention Center Total Exhibit Space 162,000 sq. ft. Meeting Rooms 26 Largest Ballroom 40,000 sq. ft. WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Experience Grand Rapids (800) 678-9859 http://www.experiencegr.com Devos_Place_Convention_Center photo credit: DeVos C.C