Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/770139
B M & T ••• September/October 2016 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 25 MICHIGAN Grand Rapids is known for fantastic art, farm-to-fork foods, lots of outdoor recreation and beer. Known as Beer City USA and one of the Top 10 Best Vacation Cities for Beer Lovers, the city prides itself on its Midwestern values. Try ice-skating at the Rosa Parks Circle, walk the Riverfront or visit the Gerald R. Ford Museum. Lansing, Michigan's capital city features wonderful attractions such as All Around the African World Museum and Resource Center, Impressions 5 Science Center, Michigan International Speedway and the State Capitol Building. The Lansing Center is a state-of-the-art facility with 175,000 sq. ft. of meeting space including 75,000 sq. ft. of column free exhibit halls and 20 breakout rooms. Mackinac Island located between Michigan's upper and lower peninsulas has the Grand Hotel and the Mission Point Resort – two great properties for hiking, biking, water activities, weddings and music festivals. DETROIT Detroit is America's great comeback story, a city on the upturn and ready for anything. A complete package desti- nation that will make any conference, convention or meet- ing a success. Detroit is also a musical mecca; the undis- puted owner of the Motown sound and the place where techno beats first erupted. A host of world-recognized musical festivals and events take place every year, too, attracting celebrated artists from a variety of genres. Planners will be impressed with Cobo Center's new Grand Riverview Ballroom and Atrium, which recently opened. The 12,000-seat Cobo Arena has been trans- formed into the new, glass-enclosed events spaces that open up the facility to floor-to-ceiling views of the Detroit River and Windsor, Ontario. The new 40,000-sq. ft. Grand Riverview Ballroom has a capacity of 3,500 for theater-style and 2,250 for banquets and offers 21,000 sq. ft. of meeting space directly below Cobo. Directly across the street from Cobo Center is the new Crowne Plaza Detroit Downtown Convention Center Hotel. The upscale property is a 25-story, 371-room hotel that caters to business travelers and the meetings and conventions market. Detroit is divided into five distinct districts, perfect for planning your travel, tourism, meeting and conventions needs. Visitors to Detroit can enjoy three pro-sports teams, upscale casinos, theaters, a thriving arts district and live enter- tainment sure to keep you up all night. Downtown is home to the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History and The Carr Center, dedicated to the promotion and preservation of the African and African-American cultur- al arts tradition. MINNESOTA The Land of 10,000 Lakes is easily one of the best out- door recreation areas in America. Jet skiing, fishing, boat- ing, 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 snowmo- biling, 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. Detroit's Renaissance Center and People Mover Rosa Parks Bus Exhibit at Henry Ford Museum Scenic Lake Superior Photo Credit: John Brueske