Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1546515
Center delivers 286,000 square feet of flexible event space anchored by a 28,800-square- foot grand ball- room that divides into four sections and 37 break- out rooms. A temperature- controlled skywalk con- nects to 4,000-plus downtown hotel rooms, with the 4-star Hilton Des Moines Downtown offering 330 guest rooms and the 3-star Marriott Des Moines Downtown offering 413 guest rooms anchoring the connected hotel corridor. Once the agenda clears, the Fort Des Moines Museum and Education Center, a bookable National Historic Landmark, opens for private events and heritage tours - the Black Iowa Network and Urban Dreams extend that reach to Black-owned vendors and local pro- gramming citywide. Noce Jazz Club owns the after- hours, and Fat Tuesday and G.G.'s Chicken & Waffles cover every dining moment from Creole dinners to morning gatherings. Des Moines delivers far beyond its reputation. MICHIGAN Michigan runs deeper than most people expect from a Midwest state. Detroit opens the story wide – sMotown born, river-kissed, and carrying a Black cultural legacy that still shapes American music, art, and resilience. Just 45 minutes west, Ann Arbor pulses with a creative, academic energy that draws thinkers and doers in equal measure. Further west, Grand Rapids has quietly become one of the region's most dependable mid-size markets, the kind of city that delivers without drama. At the state's center, Lansing sits easy and central, the kind of city where people show up without the fuss and leave feeling like it was exactly right. Woven across all five cities, Michigan's Black-owned busi- ness community runs generational and proud, from Detroit's historic corridors to Grand Rapids' emerging creative districts. Michigan's peak season runs late May through September, stretching into October as autumn color draws a second wave across the state. Michigan doesn't just host events. It leaves an impression. C Ann Arbor B Ann Arbor carries university roots, Underground Railroad history, and a live music scene that earns its place on any meeting planner's shortlist. The University of Michigan delivers premium breakout spaces alongside historic academic halls and athletic venues. The Graduate by Hilton Ann Arbor fea- tures 204 guest rooms, boutique suites, and 11,000 square feet of meeting space steps from campus. The Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest offers 243 guest rooms, 5 luxury suites, and 40,000 square feet of event space anchored by an 18-hole champi- onship golf course. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport sits 25 minutes east. The African American Cultural and Historical Museum offers private group viewings tracing Black Michigan's Underground Railroad story. Blue Llama Jazz Club takes the night. Ann Arbor earns its place and leaves room for the culture. C Detroit B Detroit arrives with weight. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport connects to 160-plus nonstop destinations, 25 minutes south. Huntington Place holds 723,000 square feet of riverfront exhibit space, 100 meeting rooms, and a 40,000-square-foot ballroom. The Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center crowns the riverfront with 1,328 guest rooms. The Detroit Marriott connects directly to the Renaissance Center's six-tower complex, giving groups a self- contained meeting and hospitality campus on the riverfront. The Godfrey Hotel Detroit, Curio Collection by Hilton, features 227 guest rooms, including a 926-square-foot Presidential Suite, and over 6,200 square feet of event space anchored by a 5,100-square-foot grand ballroom. MGM Grand Detroit offers 401 guest rooms and suites along- side 30,000 square feet of meeting space. The Cochrane House Luxury Inn - a Black-owned 1870 mansion - carries three executive suites. The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American Ann Arbor pedestrianised Main Sreet International Riverwalk, Detroit 21 B M & T ••• September/October 2026 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com