Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1503289
The experience is a museum tour unlike any other, so be ready to sing and dance while you learn about the Motown greats. From the second you walk through the front door, you'll be greeted with the voic- es of Motown, and you won't want to leave without stopping in the gift shop to buy a greatest hits CD. Guests will walk through the actual recording studio where Motown artists recorded some of the greatest songs of all time. Associate Director of Sales Sheila Neal and the rest of the team at the Visit Detroit are eager to make your event in the Motor City your best meeting yet! With one of the world's busiest air t r a n s p o r t a t i o n hubs, Detroit offers nonstop flights to 150 destinations in the world. And when talking about what's happening once on the ground, the Motor City is known for having one of the most efficient road systems around. • • GRAND REPIDS • • Because Grand Rapids is a destination crafted for meetings all the elements come together here to offer meeting plan- ners and attendees a one-of-a-kind expe- rience. This includes an unprecedented level of cooperation between the public, private and nonprofit sectors to support your event. The entire community is invested in your success! This destination can accommodate groups of all sizes and needs in the down- town convention neighborhood. The DeVos Place Convention Center is well equipped with a 162,000 sq. ft. exhibit hall, a 40,000 sq. ft. ballroom and 26 meeting rooms. There are 3 hotels (1,200+ rooms) connected to the conven- tion center by skywalk as well as 11 addi- tional downtown hotels offering 1,300+ rooms. Hundreds more hotels and meet- ing spaces throughout Kent County give you additional planning flexibility. Options for smaller groups, breakout sessions and special events run the gamut from Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculptures Park and LMCU Ballpark to Blandford Nature Center and the Grand Lady Riverboat. Whatever the size, wher- ever the venue, every group is accorded the same level of personal attention and hospitality. After work is complete conference attendees can visit the Grand Rapids African American Museum and Archives, and pay respects at downtown's memorial statues of civil rights icon Rosa Parks, Grand Rapids Mayor Lyman Parks (the first African American to hold that posi- tion) and Helen Claytor (African American president of both the Grand Rapids YWCA and national YWCA). Download a smartphone app to take a self-guided Black History Tour of Downtown. Then treat yourself to some delicious food and drink at one of the area's Black-owned restaurants. The award-winning Gerald R. Ford International Airport is served by six carri- ers with non-stop flights to 30+ destina- tions, located just 20 minutes from down- town. WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Experience Grand Rapids (616) 258-7388 www.experiencegr.com • • LANSING • • Greater Lansing, Michigan offers meeting spaces, hotel accommodations and plenty of activities and events for all ages and group sizes. The right location will set the tone for your event. Lucky for you, Greater Lansing has plenty of differ- ent kinds of event space for you to choose from. The Lansing Center is a state-of-the- art convention facility located in the heart of Lansing's entertainment district featur- ing panoramic views of the scenic down- town area. Situated among beautiful rain gardens 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. While Black History has traditionally been celebrated during the month of February, in Michigan's Capital region vis- itors can find the history and valuable benefactions that African-Americans have contributed (and still do) throughout the region each and every day. The All Around the African World Museum and Resource Center through pictures, artifacts, printed material and displays, shows the African presence in Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia, and the Americas. Displays are supplemented by guided tours on request. WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Greater Lansing Michigan (800) 648-6630 www.lansing.org B M & T ••• July/August 2023 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 58 AREA GUIDES DeVos Place Convention Center