Taking events beyond the expected enhances attendee experiences and leaves them with lasting memories
Meeting Notes
Take meetings from drab to fab with the help of these products, places, and inspiring ideas
14 Destination
Grand Rapids’ slew of recent accolades speaks to its abundance of business and leisure opportunities
20 Trend Report
Explore an insider’s look at attracting and hosting the NFL draft in Detroit
26 Meet + Eat Food halls and markets around the state invite attendees to connect and share a meal
34 Industry Update
Discover the latest updates through our Michigan news
38 Snapshots
The first-ever Agritourism Summit in Michigan focused on the importance of farming and travel trends
40 People Profile
Linda Hoath is living her dream at the Sault Ste. Marie Convention & Visitors Bureau
The Grand Rapids riverfront skyline at sunset in autumn
Digital projection onto building facades by Display Group during the NFL draft in Detroit 30
Group dining spread at Detroit Shipping Co. 26
Ideas Flow at Meetings Expo
» BACK IN JUNE, I had an opportunity to drop in on the Michigan Meetings Expo at Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi for a few hours. As it happened, I got to be there for a roundtable where attendees—which included meeting planners, vendors, destinations, hotels, and others—were asked to share ideas and strategies for designing a “Gold Medal” event. That angle tied in with the theme of the day, which was “Olympic-sized inspiration, education, and networking excellence.”
It was fun to hear some of the ideas they shared. One speaker talked about holding a gathering in downtown Detroit with portions held at multiple venues and attendees moving between them via the city’s 2.9-mile elevated, automated People Mover transit system.
meetingsmags.com/michigan meetingsmags
Keri Douglass of The Henry Ford museum talked about an event where roller derby women on skates passed desserts to attendees. Sarah Gelinas of Rock Events discussed how showstopping audiovisuals can make an event immersive, complete with bird sounds for a jungle-themed vibe.
Detroit-based Yvette Campbell of Meetings Made Easy (with headquarters in Grosse Pointe) had just returned from attending a Global Wellness Summit at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada, where she and other participants experienced a series of wellness activities the hotel now offers to individuals and groups. They included yoga, tai chi, guided outdoor hikes, a sound bath, wellness education, a curated dining menu that draws on fresh ingredients to support health, and other elements planners might want to offer attendees when building a health focus into meeting offerings.
Other examples of ideas people mentioned included holding a virtual trade show in lieu of a live one and making a recording at a conference that later becomes a podcast. I always come away from events like this inspired by the creativity and enthusiasm so clearly on display. This time was no different.
KATHY GIBBONS
Editor kgibbons@greenspring.com
meetingsmags.com/michigan
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STEFAN WANCZYK PRESIDENT JOHN BALARDO
PHOTO John Robert Williams
Center of Attention
Mount Pleasant lays its cards on the table to draw memorable meetings and events
BY DIANNA STAMPFLER
Mention Mount Pleasant and most people think one of two things: Central Michigan University (CMU) and Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort, opened by the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan in 1998—and yet the area boasts so much more.
TRANSPORTATION: Mount Pleasant is accessible via U.S. Route 10, U.S. Route 127, and state Route 20. The nearest airport is MBS International Airport, located 39 miles away in Freeland.
HOTELS: Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort is the largest venue in the county with more than 70,000 square feet of meeting space and 516 guest rooms. Other award-winning hotels with space for
groups include The Comfort Inn & Suites and Conference Center hotel; the Courtyard Mount Pleasant at Central Michigan University; and Holiday Inn & Suites Mount Pleasant, An IHG Hotel.
VENUES: The Ziibiwing Center of Anishinabe Culture & Lifeways is a premier museum that features both permanent and rotating exhibits, interactive displays, more than 500 rare artifacts, an on-site theater, and meeting space for up to 150 people. The art deco-style Broadway Theater downtown is available for gatherings as well.
RESTAURANTS: Mountain Town Station is an iconic local brewpub and steakhouse that opened in 1996 in the
former Ann Arbor Railroad Station and offers slots for full facility rentals. Other small group meeting spaces can be found at Woodshop Social Kitchen & Bar and Sumo Sushi & Steakhouse.
MUST-SEES AND -DOS: Attendees can stroll through the Mount Pleasant Downtown Historic District, take a float via inner tube or kayak down the Chippewa River, or tee up for a round of golf at the PohlCat. The newest attraction is Valhalla Indoor Axe Throwing, ideal for small groups. CMU Adventure Seminars feature team-building programs, and Art Reach of Mid Michigan offers classes, workshops, and events, as well as meeting spaces.
meetmtp.com
Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort; Left: Mountain Town Station
Storefronts along East Broadway Street in downtown Mount Pleasant
PAY IT FORWARD WITH FILL IT FORWARD
» FILL IT FORWARD of Guelph, Ontario, provides more than 30 different products for events—typically reusable bottles, cups, and bags—that help planners and attendees reduce environmental impact.
“Every bottle and every product we sell comes with an app experience tied to it,” says Director of Global Giving and Communications Allan Babor.
Pickleball Adds to Group Fun
Groups looking to add a little pickleball action to their itinerary will likely find it available no matter where in Michigan they elect to meet. Wolverine Pickleball in Ann Arbor offers opportunities for private events. Groups can hold team-building outings or throw a pickleball party renting out a few courts or the whole facility.
In Grand Rapids, Zachary Verhulst and Blaine Westerlund plan to open Pickle and Pin in October. Westerlund says the 6,400-square-foot “social athletic facility” will include three pickleball courts and four golf simulator spaces that will be complemented by a small bar and lounge.
“Both Zach and I noticed an overlap in individuals who played both pickleball and golf,” Westerlund explains. “Also, with our climate, opportunities are limited five to six months out of the
“The idea is every time you reuse, you scan our bottle with your phone [using the Fill it Forward app]. And every time you do that, we track the environmental footprint, and we unlock a donation to charity.” Meeting planners commonly order customized Fill it Forward bottles to give to attendees.
fillitforward.com
year to play. Indoor spaces are limited in the downtown area for both sports. We saw an opportunity with a building in our neighborhood that wasn’t very well cared for and thought it was unique enough to do something cool with.”
And of course, the rooftop pickleball courts at the Amway Grand Plaza, Curio Collection by Hilton, in downtown Grand Rapids continue to attract hotel guests as well as other visitors and locals. Up in Acme near Traverse City, Pickle U has opened in a long-vacant former Kmart building. Co-owner Dave Sexton says groups can arrange to rent multiple courts, and it’s possible to create a gathering space by moving a net off a court.
Rooftop pickleball courts at Amway Grand Plaza, Curio Collection by Hilton
Golf Makes the Meeting
» GOLF RESORTS AND COURSES offer a variety of options for groups. It’s exercise. It’s team building. It’s a break from the work of business. Across Michigan, meeting planners are building the sport into itineraries.
“It’s getting people outdoors in an organized activity,” says Paul Beachnau, executive director of the Gaylord Area Convention and Tourism Bureau. The Gaylord Golf Mecca features eight properties with 16 courses. “It offers everyone an opportunity to become involved even if they haven’t played a lot of golf.”
The Grand Traverse Resort and Spa near Traverse City hosts corporate outings, nonprofit groups, and other business golfers, says the resort’s Communications Manager Caroline Rizzo.
“Including a golf outing or time out on the course together brings a new level of camaraderie. It’s a relaxed and fun way for coworkers to spend time together,” she says. “Playing a round of golf also can be good for business if vendors are hosting clients.”
Having little or no golf experience isn’t an obstacle, says Judy Booth, vice president of sales for Boyne Resorts in northern Lower Michigan. Boyne Mountain Resort, the Highlands at Harbor Springs, and Bay Harbor Golf Club collectively offer 10 courses— all with lodging. “We have so many pros who can teach you how to golf,” says Booth. “We actually have done a lot of golf for beginners. It becomes a part of our spousal program or team building.” Some groups ramp up the experience by bringing in special touches like charcuterie, bourbon tastings, and live music on the course, Booth adds.
Crystal Mountain Director of Communications Brittney Primeau says it’s typical for groups staying at the Thompsonville resort to meet in the morning and play golf in the afternoon. “It breaks up what could be multiple meetings across a couple days,” she says, adding that attendees who don’t want to golf could select alternatives like time in the on-site spa or pools.
Tracey Ramsey, vice president of lodging and sales for Shanty Creek Resort in Bellaire, says with five 18-hole courses, groups can stay in its Lakeview Hotel & Conference Center at Summit Village or The Lodge at Cedar River and find golf just steps from
their rooms. “In addition to traditional tee times and outings, evening glow-golf or perhaps FootGolf [a combination of golf and soccer where players kick larger balls into holes] events are available for a less-serious crowd,” she says.
The Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest offers lodging, event spaces, and the 18-hole Eagle Crest Golf Club championship course for those gathering on-site. Set against the backdrop of Ford Lake, it features a variety of options for outings of all sizes.
Eagle Eye Golf & Banquet Center near Lansing doesn’t offer lodging but works with area hotels for groups hosting at the center that need overnight lodging for attendees. “Our stay-and-play groups are a one-stop-shop type of arrangement,” says Jennifer Geiger, director of sales and marketing. “We work with local hotels and restaurants, coordinate multiple days/courses for golf, and more.”
Grand Traverse Resort and Spa; Below: Crystal Mountain
AND
Welcome to the Petoskey Area, the Land of More.
THOMPSONVILLE, MI
LINDSAY KRAUSE is chief operating officer for Special D Events in Detroit.
FINDING INSPIRATION TOGETHER
Every
event tells a story and inspires industry professionals
BY LINDSAY KRAUSE
» IF YOU ARE IN
the meetings and events industry, it’s likely you have seen and heard things that those in other professions might not understand. I have witnessed some scary things, like the attendee who choked on a piece of steak (he’s OK), the woman who accidentally set off a fire alarm at a conference (she was just a little embarrassed), and the executive who fell off the stage during an awards ceremony (she’s OK, too). I have worked with astronauts, singers, actors, poets, beatboxers, stuntpeople, shadow dancers, storytellers, presidents, dignitaries, magicians, comedians, CEOs, Olympians, chefs—and the list goes on, with each having different needs and challenges.
Yes, as planners, we see it all: the good, the bad, the ugly, and the unbelievable. It’s easy to find inspiration among all these unique experiences. It could be a thoughtful centerpiece that tells a story or a keynote speaker who has overcome diversity that inspires you most. Here are a few of the things I am galvanized by as I weave and jab my way through this wild industry.
BUILD ENERGY
conversations never would have happened without this event. Witnessing the myriad emotions and the resulting connections motivates me to come up with new and exciting ways to bring people together.
IMPACTFUL STORYTELLING
As a journalism undergrad at Michigan State University, I was told everyone has a story, you just have to look for it. I have heard some incredible, life-changing stories on stages. I have watched presenters captivate a full room telling their personal story. The power of knowing your story and then sharing it with the world can truly change the course of one’s path. Storytelling can be done through art, dance, spoken word, and, especially, through experience. I often remind myself to focus on goals and objectives and mind my budget, but most of all, be sure to tell (some of) my story.
“For me, every event is a gift of inspiration, reminding me that we all want wto connect, feel, learn, and grow.”
–LINDSAY KRAUSE, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, SPECIAL D EVENTS
When people gather, it creates energy. There are the pre-event and early-arrival jitters. The first-to-arrive attendees easily smile and nervously say their hellos. After settling in, the introverts hide from the extroverts as the cocktail reception wine works magic to impart a little extra courage in the quiet-natured people. Once the food arrives, the energy gains strength as attendees uncover connections and begin to loosen up. If it’s a late-night event, a planner might even see a goodtime peak, resulting in dancing and singing to the DJ’s tunes. This energy that did not previously exist is something to appreciate. These connections and
SUPERB RESULTS
I recently had the opportunity to work alongside some exceptional planners whose job it was to advance an event for a former U.S. president. This team was young and smart and beyond professional in all they did. From the Secret Service to the advance team, they were discreet and intentional. I was incredibly inspired to watch how they worked the event like a thoughtful game of chess, anticipating each move before it happened. And I was reminded that although our events may seem like rinse and repeat at times, we can always strive to think through the perfect course of action to set ourselves up for success. For me, every event is a gift of inspiration, reminding me that we all want to connect, feel, learn, and grow. If we are lucky, we might even inspire. specialdevents.com
A Grand Adventure
Michigan’s second-largest city is a mecca of arts and culture for attendees to explore
BY WENSDY VON BUSKIRK
» GRAND RAPIDS is having a moment. At the end of June, CNN named it one of “America’s Best Towns to Visit” in 2024, citing its vibrant arts scene, thriving beer culture, and family-friendly recreation. And that’s just the latest in a string of accolades that has been coming Grand Rapids’ way for years. The Right Place, an economic development organization based in Grand Rapids, keeps track of all the recognitions—from WalletHub’s “Best Cities for Jobs” to U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Places to Live for Quality of Life.”
Grand Rapids also has long been known as Beer City, USA, being named just that by USA Today multiple years in a row— including 2024, when it beat out sudsy cities like Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
A WEST-SIDE HUB
Grand Rapids is the seat of Kent County and serves as the economic and cultural hub of West Michigan. Originally home to the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Bodéwadmi tribes, it became a fur-trading post for European settlers in 1806. Grand Rapids grew alongside gypsum mining, and later, timber harvesting, which laid the foundation for its other nickname, “Furniture City.” Today, headquarters for Steelcase, Meijer, Amway, and many more large corporations are located there. There are also seven universities, the largest being Grand Valley State University.
The city is always bustling with activity, from sports games and outdoor concerts to
festivals and fun runs. It is known internationally as the home of ArtPrize, an annual art competition that draws hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world and leaves in its wake a trail of public art throughout the city.
“There are lots of really cool art all the time in downtown Grand Rapids, and a lot of that is attributed to ArtPrize,” says Kate Lieto, associate vice president of marketing for Experience Grand Rapids.
GETTING AROUND
Grand Rapids is smack dab in between Detroit and Chicago, Illinois; it is a twoand-a-half-hour drive from each city. There’s no need for meeting and convention attendees to drive, though, with the Gerald R. Ford International Airport providing more than 100 daily flights. The airport is a 20-minute shuttle or Uber ride from downtown Grand Rapids.
Once attendees arrive, they don’t always need a car due to the area’s walkability and
ample public transportation, including the bright pink Dash shuttle with free service throughout downtown. For more casual rides and team-building opportunities, consider a bike/scooter share program and the lively Great Lakes Pub Cruiser.
Clockwise: The DeVos Place convention center in downtown Grand Rapids along the Grand River; An event on the Gillett Bridge; The earth-toned lobby at the Sheraton Grand Rapids Airport Hotel
A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT
Grand Rapids is known for its burgeoning arts scene, cultural attractions, craft breweries, and outdoor recreation. It’s less than an hour from the sandy beaches and quaint towns near Lake Michigan, and its vibrant downtown runs alongside the banks of the Grand River, creating a dynamic setting for meetings and events of all sizes.
The river is what drew the Joint Aquatic Sciences Meeting in May 2022, says Amy Young, owner of Grand Rapids-based Destination Consultants. The weeklong conference of 3,000 used meeting spaces at DeVos Place and Amway Grand Plaza, Curio Collection by Hilton, with outings that reflected the group’s aquatic mission. Guests took a 3-mile Grand River walking tour, went kayaking, and enjoyed a sunset cruise on the Grand Lady riverboat. They also had a large dinner on the historic Gillett Bridge.
According to Lieto, the bridge is a very popular gathering spot. “Groups set up tents,
catering, and tables right on the bridge,” she says. “It’s a cool, nice touch in warmer weather—something a little bit different.”
CONVENTION NEIGHBORHOOD
Grand Rapids is so meeting-friendly that it boasts a designated “Convention Neighborhood” encompassing an expo center, 2,500 hotel rooms, restaurants, shopping, and entertainment within a 10-minute stroll. The area is anchored by DeVos Place, featuring a 162,000-square-foot exhibit hall, 26 meeting rooms, a 40,000-squarefoot ballroom, and an adjoining 2,500-seat performance arena.
The 12,000-seat Van Andel Arena, known for hosting big-name concerts and sporting events, also accommodates meetings and conventions. A climatecontrolled SkyWalk connects DeVos Place and Van Andel Arena, with three hotels— the Amway Grand Plaza, JW Marriott Grand Rapids, and Courtyard Grand Rapids Downtown—in between.
UNCONVENTIONAL SPACES
Nontraditional meeting spaces also abound in Grand Rapids. Many planners are familiar with “The B.O.B.,” a historic landmark restored as a “big old building of fun” with a comedy club, entertainment, pizzeria, brewery, and outdoor beer garden. At The B.O.B., planners can arrange anything from an intimate gathering for 20 to a full buyout for 2,000. “It’s a much more casual feel, perfect for an opening or closing party,” Lieto says.
Adjacent to The B.O.B. is GLC Live at 20 Monroe, an art deco-inspired concert hall that accommodates groups of up to 2,600 with state-of-the art lighting and sound, custom menus, and mixology. “It has a really large open floor plan that’s great for events,” Lieto says.
WHERE TO STAY
There are many hotels in downtown Grand Rapids, with CityFlatsHotel and The
Finnley Hotel offering boutique experiences. “We have over a hundred hotels in Kent County, so there are lots of options for every price point,” says Lieto. Planners also will find hotels along 28th Street, a 7-mile stretch of lodging, dining, shopping, and entertainment options outside the city center. Among them is the newly renovated Sheraton Grand Rapids Airport Hotel with minimalist, modern rooms; an outdoor pool and a hot tub; and the on-site 28th Street Bistro Restaurant and Bar.
OUT AND ABOUT
Booking exciting activities, tours, and outings is easy in Grand Rapids. The Grand Rapids Art Museum—known as GRAM—houses a world-class collection in a building with beautiful architecture and stunning views of the city. The Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, named the best sculpture park in the country this year by USA Today, displays
impressive works of art complemented by botanical gardens inside and out.
Additionally, there’s a reason Grand Rapids is known as Beer City, USA. More than 40 craft breweries are located within a 30-minute drive, with beer tours available for planners to book.
When it comes to dining, Real Seafood Co., Leo’s Seafood, and Ruth’s Chris Steak House are classic favorites, while Monsoon is newly popular with its elevated Vietnamese cuisine. “Diverse cuisine is popping up around all of Kent County, which has been a really nice addition to our food and dining scene,” Lieto says.
Doug Small, Experience Grand Rapids president and CEO, says the region is in the “second-richest agricultural area in the U.S. outside of California,” noting that Grand Rapids-area restaurants capitalize on that. “A lot of our local restaurants have really used that to their advantage by bringing the—I think it’s an overused
PHOTO Experience Grand Rapids/Leigh Ann Cobb
The LEED Gold-certified Grand Rapids Art Museum
term—farm-to-table,” he says. “I always tell people it’s earth-to-table because of the Great Lakes and fish.”
And the local food scene only continues to explode. Small says it’s a rare week that goes by without a new eatery opening. “What we currently have continues to get better,” Small says. “We’re thought of by our visitors as being a great town for cuisine.”
He also can’t say enough about the Grand Rapids Downtown Market, which features a collection of indoor food merchants and restaurants, event spaces, a nearly 5,000-square-foot commercial kitchen, and more. “Not a person calls who I won’t tell to go to the market,” he says. “It’s a great lunch spot. Anybody can grab anything they want.”
For ambitious meeting planners like Young, day trips to small towns on Lake Michigan’s shoreline offer many options. She has taken groups shopping in Holland and Grand Haven, dune riding and boating in Saugatuck, and wine tasting along the coast.
Beyond those nearby attractions, there’s so much to do in the city itself. And with Grand Action 2.0 developing 31 acres along the Grand River, that’s only going to become truer with a new riverfront amphitheater and professional soccer stadium slated for completion in 2026. Grand Action 2.0 Executive Director Kara Wood says the two developments will spur
economic growth in the form of housing, attractions for visitors, employment opportunities, culinary outlets, retail, and various other investments. “Looking at the riverfront improvements just with the amphitheater project, it’s going to be remarkable,” she says.
experiencegr.com
Entrance to the Amway Grand Plaza, Curio Collection by Hilton, in downtown Grand Rapids;
Above: The Ambassador Ballroom at Amway Grand Plaza
Fall for Sleeping Bear
Northern Michigan is famed for its glorious autumn colors, with the leaves of maples, aspens, birches, and oaks painted in bold strokes of red, orange, and yellow. That’s especially true of the 71,000 acres of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore along Lake Michigan.
Start your travels in Frankfort, where history, enticing shops, and one of the state’s premier brewpubs welcome visitors.
Head north to Point Betsie Lighthouse, the most popular landmark in Benzie County—it guided intrepid sailors starting
in 1858. Today, the lighthouse, keeper’s residence, and Boathouse Museum are open to the public.
Empire is home to the Sleeping Bear Visitor Center. Here, guests can learn about the park’s origins, the hundreds of different plants and animals that call it home, the Anishinaabe people, and the stories surrounding it all.
Visitors can follow the signs to Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive, which features several stops and overlooks with stunning views of Lake Michigan, the Glen Lakes, and the famed Sleeping Bear Dunes themselves—the panorama
of autumn colors and sparkling waters is breathtaking.
Travel through Glen Arbor, home to charming shops and taverns, as well as The Homestead, which boasts championship golf, several restaurants, four unique meeting centers, and many lodging options. Guests might finish their explorations in Leland, where Fishtown’s shops and shanties attract visitors and history buffs alike.
It’s no wonder the viewers of ABC’s “Good Morning America” named Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore “The Most Beautiful Place in America.”
The NFL Draft: Behind the Scenes
Detroit prioritized economic impact when bringing the big event to the Motor City
BY KATHY GIBBONS
» EVEN BEFORE THE DUST SETTLED after Detroit hosted the NFL draft April 25-27, it was clear that the event was a resounding success. It shattered the previous NFL draft attendance record of 600,000, attracting 775,000-plus fans during the three days. East Lansing-based Anderson Economic Group LLC calculated it was likely to exceed $160 million in economic impact. That total accounts for expenditures inside and outside of the event, including hotel stays, spending at restaurants and bars, and merchandise purchases.
Such outcomes don’t happen by chance. They result from years of hard work and planning. And it all paid off, according to those who were part of it.
QUARTERBACK THE PLAN
The Detroit Sports Commission helped manage the bid effort that caught the NFL’s eye in the first place. “A big part of our pitch to the NFL in bringing this event to Detroit was the draft would have a significant impact on our community,” says Marty Dobek, deputy director of the Detroit Sports Commission, who unofficially became the “quarterback” by serving as primary liaison between the NFL and local stakeholders. “And we set out to deliver on that promise, not only through the economic impact that would come
with hosting the draft but also the community impact through legacy programming, through small business management, through supplier diversity, and through really ensuring at the end of the day that the residents of the city of Detroit were prioritized in hosting this event.”
The Detroit Sports Commission, Visit Detroit, City of Detroit, State of Michigan, Detroit Lions, Downtown Detroit Partnership, Rocket Cos., and Wayne County were key stakeholders in planning. An organizing committee was established early on to shape the event in a way that was pure Detroit.
“Someone with the NFL said it’s like a Broadway play and your city is the main character,” Dobek says. “We wanted to make sure that Detroit was lifted up and shined its brightest.” One of the Detroit Sports Commission initiatives involved launching an “On the Clock Tour” in January to reach out to residents in each of the city’s seven districts, surrounding suburbs, and other cities statewide. Running through the weekend before the draft, the tour was designed to inform and get people excited.
Dobek estimates some 30 different experiences or parties were held between the NFL and local leaders. Area nonprofits benefited from a “community impact draft” the sports commission held to kick off draft week. Night one draft picks partnered with
Attendees of an NFL draft experience at Rocket Mortgage’s Hospitality Suite
Special Olympics of Michigan and other nonprofits to present a clinic for young athletes.
“Someone with the NFL said it’s like a Broadway play and your city is the main character. … We wanted to make sure that Detroit was lifted up and shined its brightest.”
Dobek is proud that the NFL OnePass—a free app that provided access to the NFL Draft Experience as well as information about events and the city— became one of the most downloaded sports apps, ahead of ESPN, at the time. “It really says a lot and is proof of just how Detroit delivered with hosting this event,” he says.
–MARTY DOBEK, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, DETROIT SPORTS COMMISSION
“It wasn’t just about what the NFL in a fenced-in area was doing,” she says. “Both Bedrock [a commercial real estate firm part of Rocket Cos.] and Rock took it upon themselves to work closely with the Downtown Detroit Partnership, the local organizing committee, and the sports commission, to say what’s it going to take to make it more than just that. It was a huge undertaking.”
And the success underscores a premise that Dobek says applies across the board when it comes to staging events. “Communication is so important, relationships are important,” he says. “It takes everybody, from our hospitality community, the hotels, the bars, the restaurants, the attractions, and obviously, working with your local partners—your city, your county, your state, and then the other partners who are involved.”
MULTIPLE ACTIVATIONS DOWNTOWN
Rock Events provides event services to associated Rocket Cos. and manages about a dozen iconic and cool venues downtown around Campus Martius and Hart Plaza, where the draft was centered. Lyn Gleasure, Rock Events senior manager of business development, says while the NFL was focused on the draft itself and how it would look on TV, local stakeholders were locked in on what Detroit itself could pull off.
Nine Rock Events venues were used for gatherings, including nontraditional and vacant spaces that are not normally part of such occasions. Rocket Mortgage—a national residential mortgage lender—threw its own party for clients, partners, and team members at The Qube, a 14-story Albert Kahn-designed tower. Some 250 people attended each day, with design highlights including a large platform built out over the front of the building covered with a tent and with a lounge for guests to watch the draft on TVs.
“It was about a two-week installation and three-day activation,” Gleasure says, noting that interactive food stations, photo opportunities, and custom cocktails were key features. “And we really used a lot of local vendors as much as we could in everything we did.”
Other Rock Events venues were used for private corporate gatherings, the NFL Madden Collegiate Championship Finals, and a broadcast of the Rich Eisen Show. Rocket Mortgage
Bedazzled football on display during the draft; Left: Rocket Mortgage’s NFL draft hospitality headquarters
headquarters doubled as home base for the NFL. “It has been a long road,” Gleasure says. “So, to just see it evolve from a small working group to the initial request for proposal for it, to seeing it come to life, was amazing.”
EXECUTING THE PLAN
The Shinola Hotel is located on Woodward Avenue in the heart of where all the draft action was. Director of Events and Catering Mary-Catherine Moore says staff expected to be busy that week, and they were. The hotel was the site of multiple private gatherings. Its American beer hall, The Brakeman, opens into Parker’s Alley, where Shinola partnered with Bedrock that week to activate a popup bar.
“We have been talking about the draft for three years,” Moore says. “We were prepping for probably three months before in terms of internal operations, stocking up on supplies, and revising menus to make sure they were streamlined and available for longer hours just so we could accommodate as many people as possible. We checked it off as a really successful weekend. It was awesome.”
GETTING FROM HERE TO THERE
Kristina’s Catering of Shelby Township was one of the vendors that worked the draft, handling catering for six events including
one that hosted the University of Michigan football team at a Rock Events property. Business Manager Liz Bakunovich says getting around the city during the draft, especially as a vendor trying to get employees back and forth on time was, in a word, nuts.
“One of our team members was in a minivan doing pickup and drop-off,” she explains. “That’s all she did 12 hours a day, picking up staff at a parking lot just outside the city and taking them to their shift, then at the end of the day taking them back to their cars.”
While they anticipated road closures in planning for transporting food, supplies, and staff to venues, sometimes others popped up unexpectedly. And there were times, like after fireworks, that they were delayed about 90 minutes in being able to load back up following events. Security checkpoints also slowed progress, although Bakunovich commends security professionals for the work they did.
“Some of us in our company lived through the Super Bowl in 2006,” Bakunovich says. “Detroit did not have the huge event footprint in 2006 that it does now. There are so many more venues, so many more hotels, so many more outdoor venues. It was so cool to see it come together. They did it.”
detroitsports.com kristinascatering.com nfl.com
rockevents.com shinolahotel.com
The Shinola Hotel and its San Morello restaurant experienced high visitation during the NFL draft.
Bavarian Inn Lodge & Conference Center Meet, Stay, Repeat!
ANN ARBOR: MEET
easons are changing, and there is no better time to switch up the approach to meetings, conferences, and events. Getting more from meetings means doing things differently—and that’s what Ann Arbor is all about. Here, attendees are free to think outside the boardroom and enjoy the very best of fall, whatever that means to them. The seven destinations in the Ann Arbor area have it all, from downtown experiences to some of America’s most striking fall foliage.
There is a reason Destination Ann Arbor was named one of the best mid-American destination marketing organizations by Meetings Today in both 2022 and 2023—and it all starts with outstanding facilities. The area features over 150 meeting spaces, from smaller venues to “The Big House,” home to the 2024 college football national champions: the University of Michigan Wolverines. With more than 5,000 guest rooms, Ann Arbor has space for any kind of event.
When work is wrapping up, the day is only getting started. Attendees can stop by one of the 400-plus restaurants, pubs, and breweries that dot the Ann Arbor area after a long day of meetings. Altogether, there are three words to describe the area’s eats and drinks: fresh, seasonal, and local. Sit down for a fall beer somewhere like Homes Brewery, where the ales change with the colors of the season.
Perhaps the most famous Ann Arbor eatery is Zingerman’s Deli. Since opening in 1982, this internationally known sandwich shop has branched out into new dining concepts, including a bakery, coffee shop, and creamery. A newer restaurant, Miss Kim, is where attendees can find Korean dishes rooted in tradition and prepared with only the freshest local ingredients.
As a college town, Ann Arbor’s youthful energy fuels its one-of-a-kind culture. The area is home to several art museums, including the University of Michigan Museum of Art, known locally as the UMMA. The State Theatre and Michigan Theater are pillars of the performing arts scene, bringing concerts, live performances, and more to downtown Ann Arbor.
No trip to Ann Arbor is complete without spending time in the great outdoors. Attendees can hike along the Huron River or Border-to-Border Trail to experience the best leaf-peeping opportunities in the Midwest. For team building, planners can take advantage of the area’s many golf courses or take groups to the nearby Dexter Cider Mill.
In Ann Arbor, attendees can do it all, and the Destination Ann Arbor expert planning team makes it easy. They will help you secure the location, plan transportation, arrange networking opportunities, schedule post-meeting activities, select catering options, and more.
Start planning an event to remember by visiting annarbor.org/meetings—or contact destination professionals at 800-888-9487 or sales@annarbor.org.
T h i n k o u t s i d e
t h e b o a r d r o om .
When the meeting ends, autumn awaits around Ann Arbor. Ditch the same-old happy hour and try something new – whether it’s out in nature or around the dinner table. Our seven destinations are your invitation to break the traditional meetings mold and embrace a different kind of different.
Aventura Restaurant
Beyond the Ordinary
Food halls and markets offer one-of-a-kind experiences for attendees
BY KATHY GIBBONS
» WHEN THE U.S. Travel Association brought its Travel Works for America roadshow to Detroit last fall, one of the stops Visit Detroit arranged for the entourage—which consisted of federal, state, and local officials along with Michigan and national travel leaders—was at the Dearborn Meat Market.
“It felt like we were in another country,” Visit Detroit President and CEO Claude Molinari says. “It was so amazing.”
The Dearborn Meat Market is among a variety of food halls and markets across the state that welcomes visitors to congregate and share a meal. The venue offers a cultural experience with guests partaking in kabobs and sides that can be traced directly to the owners’ Lebanese roots, in a setting that is much like any market you might find in Lebanon.
Food halls provide multiple cuisines with one common area for people to dine and get social. Such venues align with what Andrea Cadotto, director of sales at Visit Detroit, says meeting planners are looking for. “A trend we’re seeing is food is always a very important topic,” she says. “People are looking for ways to spice up their food experiences.”
DINING IN
Spice is the name of the game at the Dearborn Meat Market. Abe Saad, who co-owns the business with his father, Sam Saad, says it started out as a classic, old-school butcher shop. Then Abe Saad, who had a corporate job he didn’t find particularly fulfilling anymore, decided to come into the business in 2015. That’s when the business transitioned to just selling kabobs—around
10 different varieties either raw to-go for cooking later or grilled right there in front of you with sides like hummus, baba ganoush, and a tabouli-like parsley salad. There’s room for about 20 people to dine on-site for those looking to bring a group. That includes seating in the back room where staff does the grilling. “The grill is in the same room with the customer, with no barrier,” Abe says. “It’s very organic. When you’re eating in the back, you’re literally in the kitchen. You don’t feel like you’re a customer. You feel like you’re family.”
Willow Market & Meats in Cadillac operates The Greenhouse with 3,000 square feet of event space and authentic Texas-style barbecue available from Primos BBQ, which bought Willow Market in 2020. “The Greenhouse has a very open and airy, casual environment,” says owner Tracy Towers. “We have a combination of large and small tables. We also have audiovisual equipment available.”
Planners can hire full service with a bartender and staff, or rent the space and handle details themselves. There’s room for 99 attendees.
Grand Rapids Downtown Market
Continued from page 26
FOOD HALL FUN
Traditional food halls offer a different kind of group experience. At Grand Rapids Downtown Market, it’s common for organizations staying for a meeting or event at a downtown hotel or conference center to visit the market for an off-site outing.
“We do welcome parties, you can just have a cocktail hour and dinner here,” says Events and Beverage Manager Katie Clark. The market is set up to accommodate groups of all sizes, and has facilities ranging from small conference rooms that seat a dozen to other spaces that can accommodate 50 to 180 for a banquet. “We do so many different kinds of events,” Clark says.
Attendees can opt to order from food outlets that are among the nearly 17 vendors in the market. In that case, an option is to issue gift cards to attendees to purchase their meals. Everyone can gather back in a private room that has been prepped for the occasion if they like.
Groups also can be served seated meals from in-house catering options that include Cafe de Miro Mediterranean specialties, Juju Bird with buttermilk fried chicken and sides, and Tacos El Cuñado’s Mexican street food, among others.
“Everything comes from in-house,” Clark explains. “We will help with logistics, take care of setup and teardown, and, also, the food’s downstairs. Having everything come from the same spot is very convenient for planners.”
Detroit Shipping Co., a food hall and beer garden, features six food stalls, three bars, and a couple of retailers. Built out of 21 shipping containers in downtown Detroit, it’s a two-story, 12,000-squarefoot facility that includes three common areas, a dedicated dining space, an outdoor area, and more.
“We have multiple rooms, multiple sizes, office takeovers, weddings, rehearsal dinners, and a lot of corporate buyouts for
groups of four up to 300,” says Jon Hartzell, one of the owners. “There’s a lot of different ways to do it, whether a strolling concept or banquet-style.”
Hartzell is also a partner in Lansing Shuffle in Michigan’s capital city, which features seven food concepts and two bars in a 12,000-square-foot building along with a 4,000-square-foot pavilion for visitors to play shuffleboard.
“We did a good job again of getting the right chefs and good-quality cuisine,” Hartzell says. “And it’s all the same story: lots of events, lots of experiences. Being the capital, a lot of groups come through and do experiences here. We’re constantly in some sort of buyout: a single table, a whole room, the whole place, or just the patio.”
Clockwise from left: Delectable group dining spread at Detroit Shipping Co.; Shuffleboard courts at Lansing Shuffle; An evening at Detroit Shipping Co.’s open-air food market
NEXT-LEVEL EVEN TS
PLANNERS CAN FIND AN ABUNDANCE OF WAYS TO ELEVATE ATTENDEES’ EXPERIENCES
BY KATHY GIBBONS
Colorful stage design by Display Group
Most events have common elements: the venue, program, flow, decor, food, lighting, and technology among them. How the creative minds behind the planning execute those details and more is what can lift a gathering from run of the mill to out of the park.
“People want flashy,” says Michelle Yurcak, owner of Ann Arbor-based Premium Event Services. “They want something that they walk in the room and it’s completely unexpected, almost like a Hollywood production—something like that as opposed to more static elements. You could do a country-western event and have hay bales and split-rail fencing, but what if you have a live horse for photo opportunities, line dance instruction, make-your-owncowboy-hat station, or be custom-fitted for boots? People are coming up with the budgets for those things.”
Live horse notwithstanding, there are lots of special touches planners can incorporate to make events a cut above the rest.
PICTURE-PERFECT
Yurcak says her clients want “Instagramworthy” settings for gatherings. “They want events that look good,” she says.
David Grossman, owner of the Oak land Expo Center in Waterford Township and Pegasus Entertainment in South field, shared that at a recent gala for 200 people, designers created a lounge area so when guests walked in for the reception, they couldn’t see the dining room yet. “The reception area was lit in a kind of clubbish way. We gave them lots of seat ing—sofas, high tops, a piano player, and a 20-foot round bar that was the focal point of that area. There was also a stage with a large video wall.”
Lighting is key to creating ambience, Yurcak says. Angela Butorac of Butorac Events in Clinton Township special izes in celebrations and says LED dance floors that change colors with the music are big right now. She also likes to use LED marquee letters as tall as 4 feet
PEOPLE WANT FLASHY “ . ”
that might feature the company’s logo or otherwise reflect the event’s mission.
Linens, chargers, and the furniture itself can help set the tone for the entire room, says Colleen M. Galacz of Luxe Event Linen in Troy. “Some of our newest offerings are printed linens and napkins, textured and printed chargers, and chair designs that are unique and work with different genres of designs,” she says. She also recommends nontraditional table setups in traditional settings by using different shapes and sizes of tables. Or, rent an atypical space and give it a fresh look. “Draping large warehouse spaces to create an intimate affair again suggests the unexpected,” Galacz says.
Display Group of Detroit President Mike McConnell says the company is bringing in several new modular furniture lines. “The colors and fabric styles for cushions are endless,” he says, noting that furniture covers can be custom-branded in as little as 48 hours. “And it’s the same with our bars. We have dozens of styles in our own stock. You can use the exact same bar frame but can skin it in a full-grain mahogany or velvet or mirrored finish.”
Or, consider a 20-foot bar made entirely of ice. “The bar has the company logo in it and shelves to keep the glasses cold,” Yurcak says. “I have had clients spend $8,000 on an ice bar. … People were talking about it. You want to provide them with something they are going to talk about and say, ‘Wow, I had no idea you could do such a thing.’”
Kelly Van Dyke, director of events at the Amway Grand Plaza, Curio Collection by Hilton, in Grand Rapids, says evergreens are used in lieu of flowers in some cases. Not only does it yield a more natural and organic look but she also says, “This trend aligns with the growing preferences for sustainable and eco-friendly.”
Viviano Flower Shop in St. Clair Shores does a lot with plants, says Hilary Gil more, assistant manager of weddings and events. “We’re bringing in a lot of naturalistic design. … We do a ton of plant rentals for
Modular furniture from Display Group
Ice bar setup by Emerald City Designs
corporate events,” Gilmore says. “We add in fruit or moss or other textures, kind of drawing the eye to the flowers, herbs, and branches.” Gilmore describes creating a setting at the North American International Auto Show using plants and mounds that made it look like the car was driving outdoors. For another event, they hung Christmas trees from the ceiling over the stage.
Flowers themselves are used in big, bold ways to create striking installations, she says. Think floral walls or arrangements suspended from above—“that ‘bigger is better’ kind of look,” she adds.
LEADING WITH LED
Display Group is incorporating the use of LED lighting more into decor and for other artistic uses. “We don’t just use it for
presentation screens, which for a long time is what LED tiles were used for,” McConnell explains. “It’s still great for that, but we’re also using them as entryways on a stage, or into a room, or surrounding an entry door in LED panels—allowing you to create an immersive experience.”
He also mentions building columns covered in LED panels that also feature video content. “The opportunities are endless with LED panels.”
APPETITE FOR CREATIVITY
Lori Wilmes, executive assistant to the director at Gilmore Catering in Grand Rapids, says innovative presentation of food always stands out. “When guests walk into an event, they want to see a colorful display of food and charcuterie—[placing
the concept] at the top of the list,” Wilmes says. “[Examples are] food stations, mashed potato bars, and flambe stations. Guests can watch our chefs put something together or have something like a taco bar where they have the freedom to create their own plate.”
Wilmes says a dessert grazing table that might include everything from cookies, tarts, and pastries to candy bars, cookies, and gummy worms has been a big hit with attendees. “It’s like you would think with a charcuterie table, but with a massive variety of desserts,” she says.
Display Group builds custom facades for food stations, McConnell says. “People walk up and get their food from the window of a building or a takeaway spot,” he says. “There’s a fabricated piece around the actual food station.”
ACTIVE—NOT PASSIVE
Drawing in attendees as involved participants versus simply being observers can be crucial to the success of an event.
Ann Owens, director of sales and planning for Emerald City Designs in Farmington Hills, suggests that strolling events with chef-attended food stations instead of a plated meal can help create a more casual, fun vibe for an event. Grossman concurs, adding, “Sometimes you don’t need a sit-down dinner; you need stations and heavy hors d’oeuvres.”
Yurcak points to 360-degree photo and video booths that capture subjects from all sides as involving attendees versus
Colorful event design and decor by Pegasus Entertainment
From left: Digital logo projection by Display Group; EMSculpt event by Premium Event Services at the Westin Book Cadillac in Detroit; Floral arrangement at the North American International Auto Show by Viviano Flower Shop
“SPENDING IS DEFINITELY BACK.”
having a photographer snap photos. “With the 360-degree photo booth, people get their photo and can post it instantly. It’s so Instagram-worthy that you want to post it immediately for all of your family and friends to see,” she says.
Digital and audio guestbooks get attendees involved by creating a personalized audio message or video recording that might be incorporated into a compilation from the event. “I have seen it for galas. … If this is a gala you love and patronize every year, leaving a message for them is also a piece of testimony for marketing the event in the future,” Butorac says.
For the grand opening of the newly renovated Michigan Central Station in Detroit, McConnell’s fabrication team created display cases with artifacts along with a giant timeline that people could follow. “It wasn’t just a plaque on the wall,” he says. “It was also something you walked down and interacted with.” When the NFL draft was recently hosted in Detroit, Display
–ANGELA BUTORAC, OWNER, BUTORAC EVENTS
Group worked with Bedrock and the Downtown Detroit Partnership to create a projection map on Woodward Avenue that reflected what was happening on stage in the NFL draft theater in real time. “Projection mapping is literally taking an unconventional canvas and projecting on it,” he explains. “It was creating that visual excitement and appeal in an unconventional way.”
PUT ON A SHOW
Yurcak has hired nationally known comedians and says performers who competed on TV shows like “America’s Got Talent” are also a hit. Live bands are in vogue, and DJs often have a large screen showing videos that go with songs. “It’s kind of like you’re at a nightclub and getting the lights, the DJ, and all that interaction,” Yurcak says. “It takes your DJ experience to a new level.”
Some DJs take music requests in advance, Butorac says. “They will have a link months ahead of time and people can
put in all of their songs so the music is all planned out,” she explains.
Owens likes to feature novel entertainment additions like strolling magicians, dueling pianos, and emcees/auctioneers who engage with the crowd.
Of course, the devil in so many of the details of an event can be the price. But Butorac says, “Spending is definitely back. The trend is budgets are larger, but the cost of having an event has certainly gone up from the past.”
A stage setup made from recycled and recyclable materials by Display Group for the TED Climate Summit
Tablescape by Emerald City Designs
SAINT JOHN’S REVAMPS GOLF COURSES
» THOSE PLANNING EVENTS at Saint John’s Resort in Plymouth will discover a new set of options with its recently launched golf courses—part of a larger $70 million multiyear comprehensive renovation and expansion project that’s not quite over yet.
New is The Cardinal, a Ray Hearn-designed 18-hole course that replaces the previous course. “We tore it down and rebuilt it as new—golfers say you can’t even compare the two,” says Eric Djordjevic, managing director at the resort. Also new is the sevenhole, par-3 short course named The Little Cardinal, along with a 2-acre Cardinal Putting Course.
Beyond the courses is The Monarch, a still-to-be-completed new wing of Saint John’s event center featuring a huge ballroom that Djordjevic expects will be finished in mid-2025. “It will be just south of 17,000 square feet, pillar-free with 28-foot ceilings, a front-facing wall, and all the glass opens up into this beautiful courtyard,” he says. Saint John’s also recently debuted an Irish-themed pub.
New Bus Service at DTW
Anew Regional Transit Authority (RTA) of Southeast Michigan express bus pilot service is providing direct transportation between downtown Detroit and Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW).
“The Detroit Air Xpress (DAX) pilot route is a result of RTA’s continuous work to develop programming and secure funding for services that respond to regional travel demands and fill existing travel gaps within Southeast Michigan,” says Ben Stupka, RTA executive director. “Based on our surveys, one of the most common destinations that people want to reach from Detroit is the airport.”
After launching it as a pilot in March, RTA is collecting data to better understand ridership demand while contemplating what long-term service could look like. In May alone, 5,400 people bought tickets to ride DAX. Cost is $6 in advance or $8 at time of use.
rtamichigan.org
DoubleTree Port Huron Gets Refresh
The DoubleTree by Hilton Port Huron hotel completed more than $2 million in renovations over the past year. General Manager Amber Graham says the 149-room waterfront hotel had been due for an update for a while, but plans were delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, all guest rooms have been refreshed with new carpet, desks, chairs, curtains, and updated
lighting. Meeting spaces have also gotten a new look with fresh wallpaper, carpet, window treatments, artwork, and chairs.
The hotel’s on-site Freighters restaurant received new chairs, tables, wraps on wood beams, carpet, wallpaper, outdoor seating, and menu.
“While a lot of the items were in good condition, it is nice having a more modern look,” Graham says, adding that a blue
NEW HOTEL NEAR HARBOR SPRINGS
» THE OTIS HARBOR SPRINGS hotel recently opened in the former Birchwood Inn building located along Michigan’s famed state Route 119 Tunnel of Trees.
The inn’s General Manager Kamron Bijeh-Apple says the hotel takes inspiration from boutique hotels in upstate New York, California, and the Southwest, decorated in what he describes as “a celebration of midcentury design.” Opening with 31 rooms, the Otis will expand in coming years with additional lodging and meeting areas.
“The idea of the property is to be a place to kind of reset your mind, get away, and enjoy nature and the environment,” Bijeh-Apple says.
otisharborsprings.com
and gray color scheme seen throughout the updated decor “plays into the nautical theme, seeing as we are right on the St. Clair River.”
The hotel has one large meeting space that can hold 175 people, along with three smaller breakout spaces. It’s attached to and coordinates meeting planning with the Blue Water Convention Center. bluewaterconventioncenter.com | hilton.com
GROWING A GARDEN (BUILDING) IN GRAND BLANC
Groups will soon have a new dining and entertainment destination to enjoy in Grand Blanc. Construction is underway on developer Erik Perkins’ $11 million Garden Building. When finished, it will present opportunities for hosting a variety of functions.
“The mixed-use building will include retail space, a full-service restaurant, entertainment, and events on the first floor,” says
Katey Peterson, development associate. “The second floor will feature office space, meeting rooms, and five residential units.”
The focal point of the 30,000-square-foot building will be a four-season, European-style Biergarten located directly adjacent to a park. The Garden Building is expected to open this fall.
grandblancgardenbuilding.com
PEOPLE NEWS
Destination Ann Arbor named Nick Anderson a national sales account executive. He previously worked at Destination Toledo in Ohio and will now manage nonassociation market segments focusing on national and international markets outside of Michigan.
The West Michigan Sports Commission appointed Barbara Benda as director of development.
A certified fundraising executive, she brings 25 years of fundraising experience to the role and most recently spent seven years at Ferris State University as executive director of leadership.
Destination Ann Arbor and the Ann Arbor Sports Commission appointed Zachary Buck as sports event manager to bring more amateur sports events to the area. Buck has worked with the NFL’s Detroit Lions and the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins.
Experience Grand Rapids Senior Vice President Janet Korn was presented the Communicator of the Year Award from the West Michigan Public Relations Society of America, which honors a community leader who has made outstanding public relations contributions to West Michigan.
Destination Ann Arbor welcomed the appointment of Jessica Lampl as a national sales account executive. She previously served as a Michiganbased account executive at InnRoads of New York City, and senior business development manager at TrustYou Inc. in California.
The West Michigan Sports Commission welcomed Courtney Miner as event coordinator of the Meijer State Games of Michigan. A Detroit native, Miner earned a bachelor’s degree in sport management and a master’s degree in communication from Grand Valley State University.
Boosting Agritourism
The first-ever Agritourism Summit in Michigan was held in May to focus on the importance of agritourism in the state’s economy. Events included a pre-summit farm tour along with a meeting at the Hagerty Center in Traverse City, where presenters representing state agencies, travel and tourism, small businesses, and others discussed trends, regulations, and the state of agritourism and farming in Michigan. With attractions that include farmto-table opportunities, breweries, wineries, cideries, distilleries, and other offshoots—attractive to meeting planners when choosing destinations for events that offer one-of-a-kind options for outings— agritourism is a significant driver of travel spending. Organizers of the summit said preserving the sustainability of farming in Michigan is key to continuing that trajectory.
1. Jacob’s Farm in Traverse City 2. Mike Witkop 3. Mike Witkop’s dog, Waldo 4. Erika Santini and Jenelle Jagmin 5. Nic Welty speaks at 9 Bean Rows in Suttons Bay 6. Laverna Witkop 7. Leelanau Cheese creamery in Suttons Bay 8. Joshua Hall
Living the Dream
For more than two decades, Linda Hoath has been Sault Ste. Marie’s cheerleader-in-chief
BY KATHY GIBBONS
When Linda Hoath was talking with a Sault Ste. Marie Convention & Visitors Bureau board member 22 years ago about the organization’s job opening for an executive director, she wasn’t initially interested. She already had a role she enjoyed with Kewadin Casinos, with the company’s main casino in Sault Ste. Marie. Plus, she says, she wasn’t even sure what it is that a convention and visitors bureau executive director does. “Now I know,” she says. “We do everything.”
And Hoath couldn’t be happier about that. Setting aside her initial hesitation, she took the leap and accepted the position. The journey has been a revelation, she notes, as the organization has grown, marketing tools have become more sophisticated, and the bureau’s role has expanded in multiple directions. “I can tell you it’s my dream job in my hometown,” Hoath says.
When she first started, there was one other employee in the whole organization. Now there are three full-time staffers, three part-timers, and one extra summer helper. She calls them her dream team. That includes the office manager who has been with her for 15 years, a part-time graphic designer, and a full-time director of marketing and communications—the latter of which has mostly relieved her of the job duty she likes the least: writing. What she does love, though, is working with the bureau’s board, and she says the community has a loyal core of businesses and volunteers that joins forces to get things done.
“We’re still a small convention and visitors bureau, but when we hit our goals, we can always do more,” she says. “We started off with very low revenue coming in, and last year we had the best budget year we ever had. The more people you have doing things, the more things you’re able to do.”
Hoath credits the organization’s longtime relationship with Pure Michigan for helping build the city’s brand as a meetings destination and desirable place to live. In the beginning, she says, “Every time I would say I was from Sault Ste. Marie, people would say, ‘Ontario?’ That doesn’t happen at all anymore. They know Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, and for that I give a lot of credit to Pure Michigan and all the organizations we belong to [Michigan Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus, Tourism Industry Coalition of Michigan, etc.].”
She adds, “We don’t just market the city anymore,” she says about her organization having a voice in future projects. “We can build it—it’s always about being progressive. You always have to look for change.”
