Black Meetings and Tourism

Black Meetings & Tourism June/July 2009: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 60 LAKESIDE MEETINGS BY STANLEY BRANCH For business or pleasure, Michigan has what you are looking for. With thou- sands of miles of lakeshore beaches, vis- itors can discover all manner of water fun such as kayaking, canoeing, fishing, and sailing. Michigan's cities offer a variety of cultural experiences from museums and art galleries to historic sites and festivals. Modern meeting facilities and exceptional hotels only add to the allure of this great state. DETROIT Detroit has played a major part in the creation of the American way of life contributing to everything from car cul- ture to the sound of popular music. The region is currently undergoing a renais- sance with new developments and attractions. Downtown Detroit's devel- opment boom is unparalleled in the country. The Detroit River, one of our most important resources, is now open for a quiet walk thanks to the creation of the Detroit International Riverfront, which has miles of pathway in the downtown area. Campus Martius Park is the center- piece of revitalization in downtown Detroit. Modeled after the best urban public parks in the country, Campus Martius Park is Detroit's new "Gathering Place." A beautiful big city oasis, the park provides a place where people can walk, sit, relax, eat, meet friends and enjoy year-round entertain- ment and activities downtown. The park includes extensive horticultural plant- ings, lawn areas, a seasonal outdoor ice rink, a spectacular fountain, outdoor eating areas, seating and water walls. During the warmer months, it offers lunchtime concerts, special evening con- certs and strolling performers. The newest addition to metro Detroit's art scene is also one of the most anticipated. MOCAD brings what it promises to the city: contemporary art. Rather than exhibiting a perma- nent collection, The Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD) acts as a revolving showcase for both local and international artists. The Detroit Institute of Arts is considered one of the finest art museums in the nation. And now it's considered even finer, thanks to a multi-year restoration and renovation effort. The project afforded the DIA a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to rethink how it presents its collection to the public. And with more than 35,000 hotel rooms, there are a wide variety of properties to choose from. In fact the city's largest hotel, the Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center, is a meeting planners dream with 1,298 rooms and 115,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. Cobo Conference/Exhibition Center is Detroit's primary first-class meeting facility with 2.4 million sq. ft. of space. Detroit Wayne County Metropolitan Airport is the world's 19th busiest air- port and 10th busiest airport in North America in passenger traffic. WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Detroit Metro CVB - (313) 202-1800 www.visitdetroit.com LANSING The Lansing area is a hot spot for creative energy and visitors have their pick of innovative art galleries, talent- ed local theater groups and topnotch music acts. The centerpiece of meet- ings in Lansing is the Lansing Center. As Mid-Michigan's premier meeting and banquet facility, the Lansing Center offers over 125,000 sq. ft. of state-of-the-art space. The features of the center include 71,760 sq. ft. of prime column free exhibit space with 30- and 40-ft. ceilings, 12,038 sq. ft. of meeting space in a total of 12 breakout rooms, more than 27,000 sq. ft. of reg- istration space and 13,320 sq. ft. of ballroom space. In addition to the top-notch meet- ings venues, Lansing offers over 4,300 hotel rooms, many with additional meetings facilities. Reliable options include the 257-room Radisson Hotel Lansing with its 10,000 sq. ft. confer- ence center and the 160-room Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center with 35,000 sq. ft. of space including a 300- seat auditorium and a 50-seat tiered lecture hall. WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Greater Lansing CVB – (888) 252-6746 www.lansing.org MICHIGAN AREA GUIDES The Detroit skyline with stadiums side by side in foreground Photo Credit: Detroit CVB

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