Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/187632
•pg_42-55__BMT_pg3-58 9/25/13 12:27 AM Page 44 IT'S SO AMAZING THE INFLUENCE ONE LITTLE HOUSE OF MUSIC HAS ON PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD. – ALLEN RAWLS CEO, MOTOWN MUSEUM The Motown Museum preserves the birthplace of a musical legacy and the story of a Detroit entrepreneur who — with a dream, an $800 family loan and homegrown talent — created "The Sound of Young America." Detroit holds many more stories of influence, like the Rosa Parks bus at The Henry Ford, honoring the heritage of the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History; and other cultural influences from the Arab American National Museum to Mexicantown, Greektown and beyond. Be part of America's great comeback city. View Allen's whole story at MeetDetroit.com/ Comeback-Stories Wright Museum of African American History line, Macomb is ideal for boating, skiing, fishing, hiking and golfing. The area has lots of sports bars, restaurants and the Macomb Performing Arts Center. The Oakland area features a wonderful café scene along its tree-lined streets, the Detroit Zoo and numerous venues like the DTE Energy Music Theater and The Palace at Auburn Hills, home to the Detroit Pistons and year-round concerts. Cobo Center anchors the city's meeting infrastructure in downtown Detroit. The state-of-the-art facility boasts 2,400,000 gross sq. ft. including 723,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space, 623,000 of which is contiguous. About 4,000 hotel rooms are within walking distance of the center. MINNESOTA The Land of 10,000 Lakes is easily one of the best outdoor recreation areas in America. Jet skiing, fishing, boating, canoeing, paddleboat riding on the Mighty Mississippi and biking doesn't begin to tell the story of this outdoor wonderland. Try your hand a snowshoeing and snowmobiling, ice skating and skiing – it is all here for the taking. Nickelodeon Universe in Bloomington is the country's largest indoor amusement park featuring 30 rides on seven acres. The park is located inside Mall of the America. Bloomington is also home to the 14,000-acre Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. St. Paul, Minnesota's capital city features the Saint Paul RiverCentre. It's the city's premiere convention, entertainment and events center. The 250,000 sq. ft. RiverCentre hosts meetings, tradeshows, galas and intimate gatherings. The RiverCentre is connected to the 5,500 seat Roy Wilkins Auditorium as well as the 18,000-seat Xcel Energy Center. MINNEAPOLIS Minneapolis is the perfect blend of natural beauty, urban sophistication and a thriving business sector. No other American city has a chain of lakes, the mighty Mississippi, and 200 miles of walking/biking trails literally steps from the most vibrant arts and music scene outside New York City. The city has some of the finest museums in the nation and Fortune 500 companies including Target Corporation, 3M, Best Buy and General Mills. From the boardroom to snowboarding, Muskie to Monet, outdoor enthusiast to African artist, Minneapolis is the American city where natural and urban drama share a single stage. 44 B M & T ••• September/October 2013 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com