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» PETOSKEY INSTANTLY CAME TO MIND as a destination for an early winter getaway. I had just written the Meet + Eat article, “Eat Like a Michigander,” for this issue that highlights Petoskey’s historic Terrace Inn, an eatery that also offers overnight accomodations, among the places covered.
The inn is situated in the heart of the iconic Bay View settlement with its hundreds of Victorian homes. The photographs of the inn’s decorated hotel rooms and 1911 Restaurant that features details original to the space were fresh in my mind after preparing the story.
Although my family once lived in Petoskey for a few years, we had never been to the inn, so I decided to book it for a night. What unfolded was a full weekend with much to do. The Petoskey area has a vibrant winery scene. Amid the scene is Spare Key Winery, where it was also puppy weekend at the time of our visit. A litter of adorable Bernese mountain dogs, available for adoption, scurried around the winery—spending more time in the arms of guests than in their pen.
We also shopped downtown, had dinner at Mitchell Street Pub—home to peanut shell-covered floors and a giant moose head that presides over the whole scene—and shared a nightcap at The Perry Hotel. Afterward, we bundled up to sit around a convivial campfire with other guests on the expansive Terrace Inn porch. The following morning, there was a delicious breakfast buffet in the 1911 Restaurant that was hot, fresh, and anything but ordinary.
It struck me that groups coming for an event can enjoy similar experiences—in Petoskey or elsewhere in the Great Lakes State. Beyond scheduled commitments, plentiful opportunities for exploration await. There’s nothing like being able to venture out and experience the local flavor when you’re away from home.
As for resisting the urge to bring home a puppy? We have—so far, anyway.
KATHY GIBBONS Editor kgibbons@greenspring.com
meetingsmags.com/michigan
PRESIDENT TAMMY GALVIN
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER – NATIONAL SALES LAURIE BURGER 586-416-4195 | LBURGER@GREENSPRING.COM
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR ALESHA TAYLOR
GROUP EDITOR KATELYN BLOOMQUIST
SENIOR EDITOR TODD R. BERGER
MANAGING EDITOR AVA DIAZ
EDITOR KATHY GIBBONS
ASSOCIATE EDITOR AMANDA CHRISTENSEN
GOLF GUIDE EDITOR ELIZABETH ROUBIK
EDITORIAL INTERNS ELIANA KINZER, KATE LINGGI, KYRIN STURDIVANT
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD
David Buckenberger, Greater Lansing Convention & Visitors Bureau
| Kim Corcoran, Destination Michigan/Meetings Michigan | Larisa
Draves, Michigan Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus
| Susan Estler, Travel Marquette | Linda Hoath, Sault Convention & Visitors Bureau | Mary Chris Hotchkiss, Petoskey Area Visitors
Bureau | Mike Kent, Traverse City Tourism | Lindsay Krause, Special D
Events | Mary Manier, Experience Grand Rapids | Jennifer Miller, Visit
Detroit | Julie Oatman, Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort | Kristy Poore, Destination Ann Arbor | Mandi VanOoteghem, Go Great Lakes Bay
CREATIVE DIRECTOR TONYA SUTFIN
ART DIRECTORS MICAH EDEL, TRACI ZELLMANN
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR LY NGUYEN
DIGITAL PRODUCTION DIRECTOR DEIDRA ANDERSON
ADVERTISING COORDINATOR MIKAYLA SNYDER
SALES+MARKETING SPECIALIST TAUSHA MARTINSON-BRIGHT
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER + DIRECTOR OF MARKETING, EVENTS + PARTNERSHIPS ARTHUR MORRISSEY
EVENT + OFFICE MANAGER RICK KRUEGER
COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST TEGHAN MURPHY
MARKETING + EVENTS COORDINATOR EMMA ENEBAK
DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS OPERATIONS KATHIE GORECKI
ACCOUNTING ASSOCIATE AUSTIN SCHMELZLE
AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR GERI WILSON
AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER CINDY FISH
REPRINTS
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» THE COVID-19 pandemic brought myriad meetings and events that were months in the making to a grinding halt. Days turned into weeks, and the weeks turned into years. Many hospitality providers were forced to modify their operations. Some closed shop. For those of us still here, the landscape has changed dramatically. Without minimizing the pandemic’s heartbreaking personal toll, I feel immense gratitude for the opportunities we now have to redefine ourselves as an industry and as humans showing up for each other. My friend and industry colleague, Rachel Benedick, executive vice president of sales and services at Visit Denver, calls it a “return to different.”
One silver lining is that organizations have a new level of empathy for the human experience. We saw that as companies considered their return-to-the-office strategies. By having to step back from the busyness of pre-pandemic work routines, we can now be more prescriptive about how we want to work, lead, and live.
One of the areas where I see this newfound empathy is in how we work together as hospitality providers. Before the pandemic, we were all fighting for what each of our individual stakeholders needed. We have now spent nearly three years learning to fight for our industry, and we have seen the development of new associations such as the Live Events Coalition, which represents over 12 million hospitality professionals.
The timing of this new level of cooperation couldn’t be better given the dramatic shift in industry dynamics. Look at the two biggest cost components of live destination events: hotels and transportation. Today, it’s a hoteliers’ market, and the same is true for the airlines where every flight
is filled. These shifts are forcing our industry—and our clients— to completely rethink how we plan and manage live events.
Here’s the current reality: We are in an incredibly competitive market where transient travel is filling the hotels, not groups. People are willing and able to pay a tremendous amount of money to be there, so how will the group travel business provide value? While corporate business is typically more lucrative in terms of food and beverage costs, supply chain and labor challenges might limit that opportunity for negotiating leverage.
One of our best opportunities for success is to gain a better understanding of the breadth and economic drivers of our industry, including global trends for oil and gas, supply chain, and labor. How can we better demonstrate the value of group events to our hotel partners? What can we learn about airline financial practices so we can budget travel costs more accurately in this time of highly volatile fuel prices? We owe it to our clients to develop this understanding. Only then can we adequately plan and negotiate on their behalf.
» Continue to bring about a new level of awareness and partnership across the industry
» Double down on education and collaboration
» Work to u nderstand our vendors and partners, including their business objectives
» Be more flexible and creative in our planning
» Measure and articulate the value we bring to our partners
The good news is our industry is talking about these topics with a new level of transparency and openness. We are setting egos aside and seizing opportunities to shape our future together in our return to different. The results, I believe, will change meetings, incentives, events, and travel for the better and help us all come back stronger in the true spirit of hospitality. bespokeconnects.com
“By having to step back from the busyness of pre-pandemic work routines, we can now be more prescriptive about how we want to work, lead, and live.”
» THE GREAT LAKES REGION celebrated a record-breaking 2022 cruise ship season. “It was a tremendous year,” says Mark Schrupp, executive director of the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority. “There were twice as many dockings than we have had in any previous year. We saw nine different ships and almost 10,000 passengers—this is in Detroit alone.”
Figures released by the port authority and Cruise the Great Lakes indicate that there were nearly 150,000 passenger visits to Great Lakes ports including Sault Ste. Marie, Houghton, Muskegon, Holland, and Mackinac Island in addition to Detroit. That’s an increase of more than 25% from the last cruising season.
Officials predict this year will be even busier in terms of the number of ships and passenger traffic. Nearly 170,000 cruise passenger visits are anticipated, and two new ships are joining the Great Lakes cruise fleet, bringing the total to 11. Cruise lines operating on the Great Lakes in 2023 include Pearl Seas Cruises, American Queen Voyages, Viking Cruises, Ponant, Vantage, Hapag-Lloyd, and Plantours Cruises. The vessels will offer luxurious accomodations for guests alongside breathtaking views of the lakes.
“We don’t have all of the bookings in yet, but they are coming in at maybe a 15% to 20% increase,” Schrupp says. “We are expecting another strong year.” cruisethegreatlakes.com
» SOME OTTAWA COUNTY amateur astronomers achieved their dream of bringing a public observatory to life.
About a decade ago, members of the Shoreline Amateur Astronomical Association began discussing the possibility of creating an observatory that would be available for community use, as other similar societies around the world have done. Until then, members conducted lectures and used their own smaller instruments to provide community education, says Frank Roldan, observatory director.
The association launched a fundraising campaign that included a $5,000 donation from Ottawa County, which also agreed to let the observatory be built at Hemlock Crossing County Park.
“They changed all the lighting in the park so we can turn off the white lights because, of course, artificial lights are kind of our enemy,” he says.
The $100,000 raised wasn’t enough to cover the cost of the original architectural plan, however. Roldan says the group opted instead for a prefab-type design that was assembled on a concrete foundation last year and officially dedicated in October. Now the Hemlock Crossing Public Observatory will be open to the public during designated hours, with private group tours by appointment. The observatory is about 30 minutes from Grand Rapids.
“You can show people pictures—and pictures are fine—but the fact [that] they are actually looking at the planet or the surface of the moon in a good magnification?” Roldan says. “They are amazed.”
holland-saaa.org
A hot spot for meetings and events entices with fresh restaurants, antique stores, and a warm-hearted welcome.
BY BECKY KALAJIANear Michigan’s southernmost border is a small region with many things to do. Coldwater Country— encompassing Branch, St. Joseph, and Hillsdale counties—is a melting pot of 150,000 diverse year-round residents as well as resorters who come to enjoy cottage life in the warmer months.
VIBE: With more than 100 freshwater lakes, a host of attractions, and more experiences than one can pack into a short getaway, the Coldwater region is a hot spot for meetings and events, says Debra Prater, vice chair of the Coldwater Area Chamber of Commerce.
TRANSPORTATION: Located along the historic U.S. Highway 12 Heritage Corridor halfway between Detroit and Chicago, the area is at the intersection of Interstate 69 and U.S. 12, north of Interstate 90 and south of Interstate 94. Meeting planners can fly their attendees into nearby Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport, which is about an hour northwest.
HOTELS: Guests can stay at one of four major chain hotel properties including Best Western Plus (82 guest rooms; 20-person meeting room); Hampton Inn (66 guest rooms; 75-person meeting room); Holiday Inn Express and Suites (73 guest rooms; 12-person meeting space); and Quality
Inn (94 guest rooms; 120-person meeting space), Prater says. There are also several family-owned lodging options along with cottages and campgrounds.
VENUES: Beyond the hotels, meeting and banquet spaces are available at several venues, including the 14,635-square-foot Dearth Community Center event and performance facility, which seats up to 800 classroom-style. The beautiful Tibbits Opera House, built in 1882 and the second-oldest opera house in Michigan, seats up to 500 theater-style. For more conventional seating, Bella Vista Golf Course accommodates up to 200 people and has a dance floor.
RESTAURANTS: When guests get hungry, restaurants in Coldwater Country offer fresh cuisine with locally sourced ingredients. Prater recommends area favorites such as home cooking at Jeannie’s Diner, burritos at El Cerrito, bloody marys and pizza at Broadway, and fish tacos at Oscar Brown’s Tavern.
MUST-SEES AND -DOS: Several antique stores in nearby Allen, a town of 200 that Prater calls Michigan’s antique capital, are a big attraction. “This area is amazing,” she says. “It boasts over 800 booths in five huge, well-kept malls.”
With the malls and additional antique stores lining historic U.S. Highway 12, visitors can enjoy hours—even days, says Prater—of browsing. In mid-August, the area is host to Michigan’s Longest Garage Sale, a three-day event showcasing vendors from New Buffalo to Detroit.
The area’s festivals make the perfect day trip for groups, who can see ice sculptures at Winter Fest in January, eat sweet treats at the Strawberry Fest in June, or raise a glass at Pints in the Park in September. Other attractions include movies under the stars at the twin-screen Capri DriveIn Theater, which accomodates 1,000 vehicles. You can also ride the rails in an authentic 100-year-old steam train with the nonprofit Little River Railroad.
Coldwater Country’s warm-hearted welcome extends from an authentic love of its residents and business owners for where they live, says Prater.
“People who live and work here love the abundant quaint communities with their hometown festivals, boutique shops, freshwater lakes, and family-friendly events—all of which make this area a great place to escape to,” she says. “If that’s what you’re looking for, the Coldwater Country CVB is here to help you come, stay, and enjoy any way we can.”
» TRAVERSE AREA
and Transportation Trails (TART) can be a happy surprise for those who love to get outdoors and explore. The crosstown bike route runs from the east in Acme near the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa through downtown Traverse City to the west in Greilickville. From there, it’s on to the 17-mile Leelanau Trail that connects to Suttons Bay.
Last October, TART opened a new 2-mile connector that links the TART’s previous end at Bunker Hill Road to the intersection of state Route 72 and U.S. Highway 31 in Acme; a section of the connector also heads east toward the Meijer in Acme.
Caroline Rizzo, public relations manager at Grand Traverse Resort and Spa, says the new connector makes it easy for resort guests to access the nearby trail. “Driving across M-72 to the back corner of the Meijer parking lot is the best way to access and enjoy the trail,” she says.
The connector is the first segment of the Nakwema Trailway, a pathway that will continue north to Elk Rapids and eventually lead all the way to Charlevoix—this is where the Little Traverse Wheelway connects to Petoskey and continues to Harbor Springs.
When the Nakwema Trailway is completed—and it will take years—the result will be a 415-plus-mile trail network spanning more than 25 protected natural areas through three counties.
“We’re talking 400 miles of nonmotorized pathway in northern Lower Michigan, which is of national significance,” says Brian Beauchamp, TART communications and policy director. “It’s really, when you look across the country, pretty unparalleled. You would be hard pressed to find anything quite like it, not to mention access to all of northern Michigan’s abundance of natural resources.”
TART also recently completed the new Boardman Lake Loop, which is a 4-mile trail around Boardman Lake in the heart of Traverse City.
“When you include the stretch that goes up to Suttons Bay and just north of Suttons Bay now … and also include the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail and Vasa Pathway (a series of loops in the Pere Marquette State Forest), we have under the TART Trail umbrella over 100 miles,” Beauchamp says.
traversetrails.org
» IN 2022, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (U.P.) opened The Shore to Shore Birding Trail, an attraction for bird lovers boasting 40 stops along a self-driving route in four eastern U.P. counties. Visitors are directed to locations where they can see up to 10 species of owls, three of grouse, multiple warblers, and a variety of perching birds.
“Outdoor recreation has increased, and birding offers a fantastic opportunity for families to get outside, travel to new places, and to learn more about various bird species, habitat requirements, and connect them to conservation,” says Jayne Roohr, wildlife technician with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Division at Newberry.
The trail’s website offers an interactive map with detailed information on stops, birding tips, and links to resources, including a checklist of U.P. bird species as well as local travel and tourism organizations.
In addition to the new trail, the eastern U.P. is also home to the Superior Birding Trail and North Huron Birding Trail, which hold appeal at any time of year. “Many birders will travel around the state during different seasons and to specific areas to catch glimpses of local, migratory, or rare birds,” Roohr says.
shoretoshorebirdingtrail.org
Meeting-goers have come to know the Gaylord area for its iconic Alpine theme and abundance of golf courses. Lesser known but intriguing features of the region are the sinkhole lakes in the Pigeon River Country State Forest. In areas like Otsego County, soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum can be dissolved by water over time. These structurally compromised areas can collapse, resulting in sinkholes. No water sources flow into these sinkhole lakes; they simply fill up over time, with depths that range from 10 to as much as 60 feet.
It so happens that Christy Walcott, director of marketing and communications for the Gaylord Area Convention & Tourism Bureau, loves to discuss these small forest lakes and is a treasure trove of information when it comes to finding out more about them.
“I have lived in Gaylord my entire life and only learned of the sinkhole lakes maybe 10 years ago,” she says.
With the Pigeon River Country State Forest being a vast tract—more than 114,000 acres—of wilderness, the sinkhole lakes tend to be hidden away in the maze of unmarked dirt roads and hiking and equestrian trails.
“They were simply too hard for the average person to stumble across,” she says. “At some point, the DNR [Michigan Department of Natural Resources] created a map of several of the lakes that also gave details on how they formed and proper use.”
Using this map, they are easier to find. And a few are off main roads with accessible entry. However you choose to reach them, it is worth the effort, Walcott says. About the size of an average pond, these forest lakes are the perfect oasis.
“On days with blue sky, these lakes turn the most stunning turquoise color,” she continues, “inviting anyone adventurous enough to jump in for a quick dip.”
» IT’S HARD TO FIND a more accessible location to hold a meeting or other event than Lansing. “Being centrally located in Michigan, the Greater Lansing area is convenient for just about everyone,” says Stephanie Wohlfert, senior sales manager for the Greater Lansing Convention and Visitors Bureau (GLCVB). “Lansing is 90 minutes away from 90% of the state’s population.”
Getting there is easy. Motorists can drive via U.S. Highway 127, Interstate 96, and Interstate 69. The Capital Region International Airport is just 3 miles northwest of downtown Lansing. Other options include Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, which is a 90-minute drive to the east.
Flint’s Bishop and Grand Rapids’ Gerald R. Ford international airports are both a quick, 50-minute car ride away. Amtrak’s Blue Water Special stops in East Lansing.
And once you are there, there are many options for where to stay and what to do with its vibrant mix of cultures, arts, nature, dining, attractions, and a host of meeting spaces.
Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham counties: just 90 minutes away from 90% of Michigan’s population BY BECKY KALAJIAN Lansing offers a rich selection of attractions, from exquisite dining options and outdoor entertainment to historical landmarks.
“Greater Lansing offers an abundance of big-city amenities with small-town charm,” says Wohlfert, whose organization has more than 500 Certified Tourism Ambassadors working in area hotels, restaurants, and attractions. “Their friendly hospitality makes our visitors feel right at home,” she says.
Greater Lansing counts more than 5,000 hotel rooms and facilities that can accommodate a variety of group sizes. The newest hotels include the Courtyard by Marriott Lansing Downtown (122 guest rooms), located within walking distance to the Lansing Center, and the boutique-style Graduate East Lansing (194 rooms) overlooking the Michigan State University campus.
Nearby, dual-brand accommodations feature the 156-room AC Hotel with a restaurant and lounge and the 139-room Hyatt House, with apartment-style kitchens and the H bar. Both will offer several meeting rooms, fitness centers, and indoor pools.
“This new development will be perfect for overflow guest rooms, whether the conference is in Lansing or East Lansing,” Wohlfert says.
The largest convention facility in the city is the Lansing Center, with 71,760 square feet of column-free exhibit area, plus 12,000 square feet of meeting space spread across 12 rooms, 27,000 square feet for registration, and 13,320 square feet of ballroom space. The center is connected via a covered skybridge to the Radisson Hotel Lansing at the Capitol, which offers additional versatile space in its 10,000-square-foot conference center.
Centrally located on Michigan State University’s campus, the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center has more than 35,000 square feet of flexible space with 32 event rooms for up to 1,200 guests, an upscale restaurant, a 1,000-spot parking garage, and shuttle service to Capital Region International Airport. Nearby and attached to the 128-room Candlewood Suites hotel, The James B. Henry Center for Executive Development has 29 executive-style meeting rooms.
Off campus, the elegant Eagle Eye Golf Club offers seven banquet rooms for allday meetings, trade shows, and corporate retreats. The banquet rooms at Eagle Eye and nearby Hawk Hollow can host up to 500 guests with free on-site parking.
Three nature centers, a manor, and various arts facilities round out the venue choices in the Greater Lansing area, says Wohlfert. “For planners seeking one-ofa-kind opportunities, there are several spaces that will leave a lasting impression on attendees,” she says.
Fenner Nature Center, Woldumar Nature Center, and Michigan Wildlife Conservancy/Bengel Wildlife Center all offer team-building activities in addition to space for meetings and events. For a special small-group experience, Wohlfert suggests The English Inn, a 1927 Tudor mansion with its own fine-dining restaurant and 18 overnight rooms, in Eaton Rapids. “The banquet and convention facilities service up to 200 people,” she says.
Other unique opportunities include a tour of the Grand River on the doubledecked Michigan Princess Riverboat, which accommodates up to 500; craft beer tasting at Lansing Brewing Co.; or getting artsy at Urban Beat in Old Town. Up to 25 attendees can meet and then ogle antique automobiles at R.E. Olds Transportation Museum.
The restaurant scene is as diverse as the region’s population. Two upscale eateries to experience are Envie and Capital Prime. Soup Spoon Cafe and People’s
Kitchen are known for having original and creative menus. In Old Town Lansing, barbecue fans flock to Meat Southern BBQ & Carnivore Cuisine or the Creole Burger Bar & Southern Kitchen for its trifecta of burgers, beignets, and bourbon. More than 15 craft brewpubs help to slake visitors’ thirst, including Midtown Brewing Co. in downtown Lansing and Jolly Pumpkin, HopCat, and Ellison Brewing in East Lansing.
“A tour through the majestic and historic Michigan State Capitol building
should not be missed,” says Wohlfert. She recommends the new Heritage Hall that features a 40,000-square-foot entrance with views of the building’s dome as well as history exhibits, an artifact conservation space, a large meeting area, and ample restroom facilities. There are also tours of the circa 1879 building, restoration demonstrations, and spaces for legislative events.
For sports fans, nothing beats an MSU Spartan Big 10 college sporting match, whether it is football, basketball, volleyball, or hockey, says Wohlfert, noting that “Just about year-round, you can find a great sporting event for your group.”
Lansing is known as the festival capital of Michigan for good reason, says Wohlfert, adding that more than 60 festivals and events occur year-round. Vermontville Township’s Maple Syrup Festival is in April. The East Lansing Art Festival follows in May, with the Michigan Chicken Wing Festival over Labor Day weekend and Silver Bells in the City in November. “Visitors can find area festivals celebrating just about everything,” she says.
Lansing is a 24/7 kind of town with events, music, and exhibits featuring everything from Broadway tours to niche art shows. The Wharton Center for Performing Arts draws in touring Broadway shows, theater, music, and other entertainment. Contemporary art lovers will want to visit the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum. During warmer months, groups can enjoy Lansing Symphony Orchestra outdoor concerts and the Lansing Community College Downtown Sculpture Walk.
More than 20 seasonal and year-round farmers markets supply the area with fresh, local produce, says Wohlfert. “The Lansing region has an abundance of both seasonal and year-round farmers markets,” she says. A few to note include Horrock’s Farm Market, which includes a beer garden; the East Lansing Farmers Market; and the year-round, award-winning Allen Farmers Market, open every Wednesday.
Greater Lansing likes to have a good time, says Wohlfert. “Just about anything goes here—take your group high-speed
go-karting, ax throwing, laser tag, or bowling,” she says. Three options include High Caliber Karting (go-karts), Spare Time Entertainment Center (arcade, laser tag, bowling, and escape rooms), and Zap Zone (interactive, hightech gaming). For other team-building events, Wohlfert recommends Le Chat Gourmet or Sweet Encounter Bakery & Cafe for group cooking and baking classes. In addition, Wohlfert says the GLCVB can connect groups with numerous charitable organizations for volunteer opportunities, such as eradicating invasive species at area parks.
An abundance of trails, rivers, and woodsy walks for nature lovers are also hallmarks of this region. The Fenner Nature Center, Woldumar Nature Center, and Michigan Wildlife Conservancy/Bengel Wildlife Center offer walking trails. Wohlfert also recommends the Lansing River Trail, a 20-mile paved path that follows the Grand and Red Cedar rivers, and Michigan State University’s Horticulture Gardens are “well worth a visit.”
For shopping, Wohlfert says to head to Old Town on Lansing’s north side for “unique boutiques, galleries, and great eating options.” Downtown Lansing’s shopping area includes REO Marketplace with a curated collection of artisan and vintage goods, among other spots. In the mood for a snack? Check out The Peanut Shop, which has offered fresh-roasted nuts and popcorn since 1937 in downtown Lansing. Downtown East Lansing is known for a collection of shops that range from MSU apparel to mountaineering gear, boutique clothing, and jewelry. Nearby is Eastwood Towne Center with retail shopping, dining, and movie theaters.
Centrally located Frandor Shopping Center, along with Meridian Mall to the east and Lansing Mall to the west, have been longtime destinations for shoppers. Downtown Charlotte and St. Johns are among outlying communities with shopping districts with eclectic offerings.
lansing.org
Bring your team together and inspire better ideas along Lake Michigan’s shores. After your day of brainstorming or learning, play golf, paddle on scenic rivers or tour craft beverage makers. Our charming countryside and mesmerizing sunsets are the breath of fresh air you all need.
SWMICHIGAN.ORG/MEETINGS
BY KATHY GIBBONS
» TABLES MADE FROM AN OAK tree grown on the property. Waterfront views. Historic surroundings. An old train station. A working farm. A winery villa. Original, local cuisine. These are just some of the features that characterize purely Michigan dining spots where groups can gather.
As meeting planners strive to arrange events that include memorable food and drink experiences, locations around the state oblige by providing distinctive—not cookie cutter—cuisine and backdrops.
Take The Terrace Inn in Petoskey, located in the heart of the historic Bay View Association community with its hundreds of Victorian homes near Little Traverse Bay. Built in 1911, the inn doesn’t appear to have changed much since.
“It is substantially the same,” says Mo Rave, who with his wife, Patty Rasmussen, has operated the inn since 2004. “There is a lot of natural woodwork and vintage wallpaper. The chandeliers are not original, but you have to ask to know they are not. It’s the elegance of a bygone era.”
Its 1911 Restaurant is a charm itself with an original maple floor, chandeliers, and lace curtains. It can accommodate up to 100 for the entire dining room, or smaller groups can occupy parts of the room.
The typical menu is resort-style, threecourse, and fixed-price with guests choosing from multiple selections for a soup or salad, entree, and dessert. A sampling of recent offerings includes Great Lakes Walleye, Maple-Planked Whitefish, Shrimp and Scallop Linguine, and Squash Ravioli. The Terrace Inn also offers lodging, with additional options for overnight stays in the surrounding community.
Two restaurants in nearby Bay Harbor—Nomad and Maple + Batter—also feature dining options for groups.
“Our main concept for the restaurant is shareables,” says Laura Morrison,
86,500 square feet of remodeled space
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New look, long history. For over 30 years, Grand Traverse Resort and Spa has been Northern Michigan’s premier meeting destination. With our nearly $3 million renovation, including upgraded technology, services, and design, we’re bringing the future of meetings to life. Learn more at grandtraverseresort.com/meet.
who represents both restaurants. Nomad offers an array of small plates like Chicken Parmesan Bao Buns, Buffalo Chicken Lollipops, and Smashed Sweet Potatoes; and full plates like Italian Sausage and Veal Ragu Bucatini and Faroe Islands Salmon Carbonara—along with desserts and craft cocktails.
Maple + Batter, open seven days a week during brunch hours, has an assortment of upscale breakfast choices including build-your-own omelets and quiche, and lunch items like a roasted beet salad and spicy tuna melt.
Nomad recently opened a private dining room that can seat up to 12, and also rents out the main dining room for semiprivate events for up to 45 guests. Alternatively, buyouts of the entire restaurant are available for larger groups. Morrison says group events lend themselves to food stations, with limited family-style menus being another option.
Maple + Batter, which is also available for full buyouts, offers outdoor space for up to 50 guests in the spring, summer, and fall. Here, limited menus are tailored based on guest count, Morrison adds.
About an hour south of Petoskey on the Old Mission Peninsula, Chateau Chantal Winery and Inn is a hilltop villa with
sweeping views of East and West Grand Traverse bays. With 12 rooms, including a luxury apartment, it provides cozy on-site lodging. Nearby Traverse City has plenty of additional options for overnight stays.
Meanwhile, the winery can accommodate seated dinners for up to 68 and standing events for as many as 100, says Marie-Chantal Dalese, president and CEO of the winery.
“Tasting wine and cuisine from grapes and crops grown right outside the window provides a connection to the land and people that make these delicious creations,” Dalese says. Wine dinners include tours that give guests a behind-the-scenes look at winery operations.
Several menus and tiers are available for appetizers, salads, entrees, and desserts. A sampling of offerings includes Zucchini Fritters and Lemongrass Chicken Skewers as appetizers, SteakFrites and a Pan-Seared Chicken Breast with wild mushroom and leek cream sauce for entrees, and Dark Chocolate Mousse and Chocolate Pecan Tartlets for dessert, with many other options on the list.
Bay Pointe Bar & Grille in Shelbyville on the shores of Gun Lake can accommodate groups as small as 20 and as large as 300, says Marketing Manager Marlee Meads. “We have our large table that seats roughly 20 in the center of the restaurant, our new Waterfront Room that can be reserved for private events, and our Fireside Room that is great for showers, receptions, and corporate events [for] up
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It’s not business as usual in Ann Arbor. It’s way better. Enjoy state-of-the-art meeting spaces with stunning views and friendly concierges who are happy to help you discover world-class restaurants, museums and green spaces. Destination Ann Arbor was even named one of the best MidAmerica CVBs/DMOs by Meetings Today.
It’s time to challenge everything you thought a meeting could be. Simply collaborate and create your next meeting or event in Ann Arbor.
VISIT ANNARBOR.ORG/MEETINGS TO LEARN MORE.
to 70 guests,” Meads says. “Additionally, we have our Boathouse Villa, Lakefront Pavilion, and Bay Pointe Woods available for larger group dining options.”
Events can be designed to feature plated or buffet options ranging from casual to upscale dining. Signature dishes feature options from Lake Perch or Carnitas Tacos to Miso-Glazed Salmon and a creamy Tuscan Chicken with white cheddar risotto. Bay Pointe also has lodging with its inn, cottages, and villa.
In Traverse City, The Hagerty Center at Northwestern Michigan College has six room configurations that make it possible to host groups from 25 to 300 people. Offering a full menu for each meal of the day, Director Chad Schenkelberger says, “Our event planner and chef are also willing to work with clients to customize their menu.” Food options are plentiful, with appetizer offerings including Smoked Whitefish Pâté, Pot Stickers, and Spanakopita; entrees such as Pesto-Crusted Salmon and HerbRoasted Chicken Thighs; and desserts like Chocolate Torte and Key Lime Pie.
“We like to encourage our clients to experience the downtown Traverse
City area. [And] one of our most exciting features is being located right on West Grand Traverse Bay. Our guests are able to explore the waterfront area after events or during breaks,” Schenkelberger says.
Robin Hills Farm, located just outside of Chelsea, hosts groups of all sizes and configurations, says Adam Kovsky, managing director.
“We can accommodate 250 seated and more if it’s a strolling event,” he says. “Some of our events have [made use of] the entire campus, so depending on the nature of the event, nothing is too big or too small.”
That campus is a 129-acre education and event center with a working farm. There are miles of walking trails, ponds, and diverse landscapes. Robin Hills’ Prairie House features the Nest cocktail
bar serving local beer and handcrafted cocktails with a focus on fresh ingredients.
Kovsky notes that Robin Hills works with chefs to create menus for its events. Themes are “upbeat and exciting, casual fare with great drinks and made-fromscratch ingredients,” he says. A Nest kitchen with a menu of farm-inspired comfort food is set to open later this year.
The Barracks Room at Thompson & Co. in Ypsilanti serves Southern-inspired comfort food in a cozy setting. Its menu features savory bites like skillet corn bread, fried okra, pizzas with smoked brisket or fried chicken, and entrees like bayou pasta and shrimp and grits.
Built in 1861, the building started as a hotel and storefront before it became barracks for Civil War enlistees—hence its name. Aside from the building itself, its most unique feature might be its tables.
“All of our tables were made from an oak tree that needed to be cut down for construction,” comments General Manager Disa Brown. “There is also an art piece that was made from the same wood and various other wood by a local artist and woodworker.”
The Barracks Room can accommodate up to 45 people, with a variety of dining options that range from plated and limited menus to buffets. Up to 150 can fit in the whiskey bar, Mash, for a buffet-style feast.
Nearby in Detroit, Grand Trunk Pub is housed in a historic building that was home to a Grand Trunk Railroad ticketing station for several decades in the early 1900s. The interior pays homage to its history, with the old rail trunks found abandoned in upstairs storage and office areas now adorning the upstairs Whisky Parlor. The long and elegant main-floor ticket counter serves as the bar. Grand Trunk features semiprivate
spaces including a dining room for up to 60 people seated or 80 standing, and a balcony that can accommodate up to 25 seated or 30 standing.
“Our food is approachable and eclectic with a nod to our Irish roots, reaching back to when the bar used to be Foran’s Irish Pub,” says Emily Sweeney Handy, reservations and event coordinator, adding that the menu focuses on Detroit and Michiganmade products. Groups can choose from regular, limited, or buffet-style menus. The regular menu includes appetizers like corned beef and Swiss cheese eggrolls, entrees such as chicken and waffles and fish and chips, an array of desserts, and a variety of brunch items.
The Detroit Beer Co. is in another piece of Detroit history, located on the first two floors of the iconic Hartz Building and built in the early 1900s. Its central
location makes it an easy walk to Comerica Park and Ford Field, with a People Mover stop nearby. Groups of up to 100 people can rent the second-floor dining room for a private event. A buyout of the entire space is an option as well.
Detroit Beer Co.’s extensive menu is available for event planners to select from appetizer-style trays and buffet options with bites like hummus platters, artichoke dip, shrimp cocktail, and chicken or beef skewers.
baypointeinn.com
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mapleandbatter.com
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Across the United States, golf resorts provide planners with an array of world-class facilities in breathtaking settings.
GOLF GOES BEYOND just green grass and on-target putts that drop in the hole—it’s a game that brings people together in the great outdoors. With a variety of globally recognized course styles to choose from, it is important to know the difference between them, how they impact play, and the obstacles each presents—from sandy deserts and breezy waterfronts to forest-lined grassy stretches.
To better understand the role landscapes have in the way people play around the world, we explored the different categories of golf courses across varying topographies.
As courses designed to host tournaments, championship courses are defined by their 18 holes of challenging play. The Omni PGA Frisco Resort in Texas, set to open this May, will offer the chance to play two 18-hole championship courses—Fields Ranch East and Fields Ranch West. If your skill set isn’t up to par to master a championship course quite yet, the resort also features simulation and coaching experiences, as well as a 10-hole course, a par-3 course, and a 2-acre putting area. omnihotels.com
With only the playing corridors—the fairways, putting greens, and tee box—consisting of grass, desert courses are a green oasis in dry, sandy landscapes. Using the natural surroundings to their advantage, the sand dunes and rugged terrain provide a formidable set of natural obstacles on the course.
By Ava Diaz
Ranked as Arizona’s No. 1 public course, the Saguaro at the We-Ko-Pa Golf Club is a year-round escape for golfers who reside in colder regions. The Saguaro—which features a oneof-a-kind course design that follows the natural contours of the land—is also prideful of its efforts toward preserving the native soil of the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation. wekopa.com
PHOTOS: ADOBE STOCK/DAVID A. LITMAN; OPPOSITE: ADOBE STOCK/VLADIMIR BYCHKOVSKY; ADOBE STOCK/JOHNA simple guide to the topographically distinct varieties of golf courses worldwide
A heath is an extensive area of uncultivated land. Although it is inland, a heathland course contains very few obstructions, and typically contains coarser soil and a spread of heather, or evergreen perennials with woody stems that either support needlelike leaves or small flowers. Heathland courses are usually less manicured and do not require as much maintenance.
While this type of course is most popular in Britain, a well-known course in the United States is the Legends Golf Resort in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. This heathland course, with its lack of dense vegetation, is inspired by courses in the British Isles. legendsgolf.com
Known as the oldest style of golf course, links courses were developed in Scotland—the birthplace of modern golf. Being one with nature, this type of course relies heavily on the surrounding terrain to create ideal play following the contours of the land. Typically built along or near a coastline, links courses are often amid a series of natural hills, ridges, and dunes with very little water or vegetation to obstruct shots.
One of the most well-known links courses in the United States is in Pebble Beach, California. Overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the Pebble Beach Golf Links is arguably one of the best public courses in the country. Golfers play a stunning course that showcases the diversity of its surroundings with its steep bluffs and expansive seaside views. This acclaimed course has hosted six U.S. Opens and is set to host eight more major championships into 2044.
For a midwestern feel with freshwater serenity, try for one of Boyne Golf’s 10 courses spanning three resorts—Boyne Mountain, the Inn at Bay Harbor, and The Highlands—in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. This group of resorts is also part of a diverse lineup of seven resort properties in Michigan including a collection of 22 golf courses in America’s Summer Golf Capital. (Other resorts in the capital collection include A-Ga-Ming Golf Resort, Crystal Mountain, Grand Traverse Resort and Spa, and Treetops Resort.) The golf club at the Inn at Bay Harbor provides a links experience like no other along the shores of Lake Michigan. With a rugged quarry landscape and a preserve that hosts the first half of a round amid a hardwood forest, the challenging course has breathtaking views. pebblebeach.com; boynegolf.com; americassummergolfcapital.com
Built inland and away from the coastline, parkland courses tend to be greener with more trees and dense grass. The well-manicured and partially constructed details like ponds and bunkers create the feeling of playing in a neighborhood park—hence its name—and provide players with a course that is suitable to various climates.
One of the most famous versions of this course is the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. As host to the Masters Tournament, the course is most well known for its impeccable appearance for optimal play. Magnolia Lane, the road with overarching magnolia trees from the entrance to the clubhouse, leads visitors to a place that accentuates the natural beauty of its environment. To emphasize the role that trees play in the experience, each hole is named after a tree or shrub that can be found at that location of the course—honoring the land’s roots as a former fruit tree nursery. masters.com
This course is classified by the topography found near Melbourne, Australia. Home to sandy soil, this type of landscape makes for an ideal environment to play in because, to many people’s surprise, sand is a desired element due to its light weight and ability to drain excess moisture from the course. In addition, sand can also help level out the green to create a more consistent and smoother surface for year-round play.
Desert Course231-549-6012
boynegolf.com
WHEN YOU ARE PLANNING AN EVENT or conference, nothing is more important than knowing you have chosen the right location to help make it a success. With over 100 room types and more than 3,000 beds, the three extraordinary resorts at BOYNE Golf—Boyne Mountain, Inn at Bay Harbor, and The Highlands—have all the options to meet your needs and create a memorable event.
BOYNE Golf offers one of the top golf venues in the United States to play, boasting 10 championship-caliber courses. These courses include the 2019 National Golf Course of the Year, along with others identified by Golf Digest, Golfweek, Golf magazine, and Golf.com as “Best Courses You Can Play in America.” Designed by legendary architects like Arthur Hills, Robert Trent Jones Sr., and Donald Ross, these outstanding courses offer unexpected terrains, boundless visuals, and a golf experience that defies comparison.
While the golf is epic, the trip is easy. Boyne Resorts and courses are conveniently located near the interstate. Cherry Capital Airport in nearby Traverse City offers direct service from 17 United States cities, and the private airport at Boyne Mountain has recently undergone a $4 million upgrade to handle larger private aircraft.
Start planning your most memorable event ever at one of BOYNE Golf’s resorts today.
972-292-5250
visitfrisco.com
HOME TO SEVERAL PROFESSIONAL SPORTS ORGANIZATIONS, a growing museum district, and more than 9 million square feet of retail and dining space, Frisco, Texas, is the perfect destination for your next event. From world-class event facilities and full-service hotel properties such as Omni PGA Frisco Resort, Embassy Suites Hotel & Conference Center, Omni Frisco Hotel, The Westin Stonebriar Golf Resort & Spa, and Hyatt Regency Frisco, Frisco can accommodate both small and large events. The properties total 4,400 hotel rooms and 417,000 square feet of meeting space.
Located just 25 minutes north of Dallas, Frisco boasts an impressive golf selection. Dubbed Sports City USA, the city is home to PGA of America headquarters and the Omni PGA Frisco Resort, which opened in spring 2023. The resort features two 18-hole championship golf courses—Fields Ranch East by Gil Hanse and Fields Ranch West by Beau Welling—as well as a 2-acre putting course, entertainment area, and a 10-hole short course. There are also three public courses: Frisco Lakes Golf Club, The Trails of Frisco Golf Club, and Plantation Golf Course.
Choose one of the fastest growing cities in the United States and the home of PGA of America as the location for your next event.
Top-rated resorts and meeting spaces for all the ways you work, play, and stay.
Learn more at VISITFRISCO.COM/MEETINGS
americassummergolfcapital.com
TEE UP BEAUTIFUL MEMORIES at America’s Summer Golf Capital. America’s Summer Golf Capital is a collection of seven resort properties representing 22 golf courses. Located in a picturesque region of Northern Michigan known for its turquoise waters, sandy beaches, and small-town charm, it acts as the perfect combination of long summer days and comfortable weather—great for a round or two.
America’s Summer Golf Capital includes A-Ga-Ming Golf Resort, Crystal Mountain, Grand Traverse Resort and Spa, Treetops Resort, and Boyne Golf—The Highlands at Harbor Springs, Bay Harbor Golf Club, and Boyne Mountain Resort. Each property offers multiple courses to satisfy your group size, skill level, and interest, plus dining options on and off the course. Experience where passion meets perfection.
Get creative and be persistent when seeking sponsors in an increasingly crowded marketplace.
BY JULIE KENDRICKbefore a trade show, convention, or workshop takes place, there is serious effort put into the work of approaching, convincing, and signing sponsors to be the “face” of the entire event. When you walk into a trade show and notice the signage, swag, and promotional materials of brands, it may seem like those logos and taglines appeared by magic. But anyone who has ever tried to pursue a sponsorship knows that it is not easy to land a plum agreement with a major brand.
So then why do meeting planners and events professionals still hustle after those big deals? From the sponsor’s perspective, it can be an invaluable opportunity. “Yes, it’s a chance to build brand awareness,
but more importantly, it’s a way to engage prospects and clients more extensively than advertising or social media allow,” says Don Roy, a professor of marketing who researches sponsorship strategy and effectiveness at Middle Tennessee State University.
“For meeting organizers, sponsorships are invaluable in offsetting operating expenses,” he says. “And when events secure those high-profile sponsors, the brand equity can indirectly elevate the equity of the event through shared associations.”
With all those reasons to pursue brand sponsorships for your next event, what’s standing in your way? One of the biggest factors is time, some experts say. “Selling sponsorships is challenging, and it requires ample lead time,” says Michael Veley, Rhonda S. Falk endowed professor and chair of sport management, Syracuse University. “Corporations receive hundreds of proposals that must be reviewed and built into their budget planning, usually at least six to nine months in advance.”
You are also going to need to dig deeper and be persistent. “Stop offering logos and branding as if they have significant value on their own,” says Larry Weil, a sponsorship consultant and president and founder of The Sponsorship Guy. “You need to know your value proposition for each sponsor, which is not the same as it is for attendees.
And remember that your goal is to get them on the phone or in a meeting. No one buys from one email with a deck attached.”
As you are doing prospecting, Weil notes that you will most likely be hard-pressed to find a job title like “sponsorship buyer” on LinkedIn. Instead, he suggests looking for titles that include terms like the following: experiential marketing, integrated marketing, marketing communications, consumer engagement, marketing manager, marketing and activation, promotions, business development, field marketing, events, brand manager, product placement, sales, communications, and public relations. As for what to say when you finally reach someone, he suggests thinking of the event like a media organization. “Describe your audience, share insights about them,
Veley suggests doing your own internal review to get the following questions answered prior to reaching out to prospects:
1. What are your current goals, and what are you hoping to accomplish?
2. Who are your current stakeholders?
3. What’s the scope of your market?
4. How will attendees learn about the event?
5. Why would attendees choose this event over others?
6. How do you currently meet the needs of attendees?
7. How will the event be perceived by potential attendees?
and provide data on your reach and frequency with them year-round, not just during the event,” he says.
Discovering how you can be of service begins by listening to your prospect, says Peter Laatz, global managing director at Independent Evaluation Group, a sponsorship consulting firm. “You need to be collaborative and make their goals, your goals,” he says. “Make sure you customize sales materials to adequately connect the dots between their needs and the event’s offerings. Differentiate the event by articulating how it’s unique and better than any alternative. And measure your own performance
to optimize existing partnerships and demonstrate proof of impact to prospects.”
Your prospective sponsors’ marketing objectives should guide your proposal, says Justin Moore, sponsorship coach at Creator Wizard. “Often, they’ll be most interested in conversion, so they’ll want to walk away with a lead list of qualified sources to hand off to their inside sales reps,” he says, adding that there might be other objectives like repurposing the events to use as other forms of promotional content.
Whatever their objectives, Moore says, the next step after that initial meeting is to create a customized proposal that offers clear solutions. “It needs to be a document they can take right to their boss. And it needs to show them how you’ll be helping them accomplish their goals,” he says.
The key to landing sponsorships is offering clear solutions that meet your prospect’s goals.
“Describe your audience, share insights about them, and provide data on your reach and frequency with them year-round, not just during the event.”
–LARRY WEIL, FOUNDER, THE SPONSORSHIP GUYPHOTO: ADOBE/REESE/PEOPLEIMAGES.COM
in meetings and events for 2023, sustainability is at the top of the list.
According to the latest Global Meetings and Events Forecast from American Express, a survey of 580 meetings and events professionals from around the world, sustainability has become much more than a buzzword. Four out of five respondents reported that their organization takes sustainability into account when planning meetings and events. Attendees are also driving the trend. NielsenIQ survey data additionally shows that 48% of consumers are looking to brands to take the lead on creating sustainable change.
Sustainable events and venues are top of mind this year.
Hosting a sustainable event encompasses many components, from choosing a venue that takes steps to reduce its carbon footprint to using fewer disposable resources. And sustainability goes beyond ordering extra recycling bins, says Nicole LaPointe, CEO of the GatherPointe, a full-service event agency based in Detroit. “Clients want their event to be plastic- and paper-free. They also want it to be organic, locally sourced, healthy, and support a thriving environment,” she says. “Sustainability has a broad meaning.”
LaPointe sees clients shifting toward using apps, QR codes, and screens to share event information instead of print materials and signage that wind up in a landfill. Going digital also offers more flexibility for last-minute updates, she says.
There is a shift away from gifting bags with prestuffed swag and a move toward allowing guests to select the items they want from vendors.
For meal service, LaPointe sees demand for reusable silverware, along with biodegradable branded straws or no straws at all. In addition, as in-person meetings and events continue to surge, LaPointe says one of the biggest ways to emphasize sustainability is to select the right venue.
A central regional location can cut down on the amount of carbon emissions attendees will expend traveling, she says. Moreover, planners can select a venue with aligning values.
A longtime leader in the sustainable event space, Grand Valley State University (GVSU) features five primary event venues that have long prioritized reducing energy usage and water consumption. Many GVSU buildings are LEED certified, with integrated web-based temperature and light controls, low volatile organic compound fixtures, and energy-efficient HVAC systems.
Vendors are incentivized to buy fair-trade goods and locally sourced ingredients when possible, including produce from the university’s off-campus sustainable farm. In 2009, GVSU’s L.V. Eberhard Center was among the first to receive Green Venues Michigan Certification. David VanderSloot, director of conference planning and hospitality services at GVSU, says the designation attracts groups that align themselves with sustainable principles.
“We saw business generated more and more from that focus,” he says. “It might not be a [deciding factor], but it is something people see and appreciate.”
VanderSloot predicts that as groups are getting back into scheduling meetings and events, sustainability will become an even higher priority for planners.
“I think it will be top of mind for people once they get back into the swing of things,” he says. gvsu.edu
For a recent meeting at this family-owned and -operated property, hosts arranged the resort’s signature white Adirondack chairs in a U shape on the great lawn that overlooks Lake Huron.
According to Liz Ware, vice president of sales and marketing for the resort, the meeting’s “New U” theme reflected the resort’s core value of “caring for our bodies.”
“That encompasses our body of water, our body of land, and our own bodies,” Ware says. Helping guests appreciate nature encourages sustainability, while behind-the-scenes staff work hard to make sure energy-saving and waste reduction measures are in place.
Mission Point hosted 500 events in 2022 in its various flexible venues—from its Cypress Room accommodating up to 250 people with panoramic views of the water to the 350-person capacity Sound Stage, originally built to film “Somewhere in Time,” the 1980 Christopher Reeve movie set on the island.
Wherever guests choose, catering staff are taking steps to use “ferry-to-table” ingredients and reusable or biodegradable products. After dishes are cleared and guests check out, the resort
employs two full-time staff members to sort through every piece of trash, separating recyclables and channeling compostable scraps into dirt used to grow the thousands of tulips Mission Point is known for. It is worth the effort, Ware says.
“When you look at travel sentiment, sustainability is absolutely one of the key criteria people are looking at. It’s important for planners and the guests that they are bringing,” she says. “When you couple our sustainability efforts with a destination like Mackinac Island where you don’t have cars, it’s just getting back to the basics.” missionpoint.com
“When you look at travel sentiment, sustainability is absolutely one of the key criteria people are looking at. It’s important for planners and the guests that they are bringing.”
–LIZ WARE, VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES AND MARKETING, MISSION POINT RESORT
In the Upper Peninsula (U.P.), this historic wilderness resort operates on sustainable principles while celebrating the outdoors. It was built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps, and comprises 560 acres with 24 cabins, a dining room for private events, and a 4,000-square-foot conference room.
Owner John Mueller says the company divides sustainability into three categories—sustainable tourism, environmental sustainability, and financial sustainability. Sustainable tourism is knowing the optimal number of people who can be on the property and still feel close to nature, providing wilderness opportunities, and teaching people how to enjoy the outdoors while leaving no trace.
Environmental sustainability includes the resort’s efforts to develop the U.P.’s only internationally recognized Dark Sky Park, installing a fast-charging electric vehicle station on the grounds, and earning Audubon Sanctuary Golf Course and Green Lodging Certification.
Financial sustainability means all efforts and upgrades must make sense to the bottom line. “You need to be financially strong to continue to operate and go forward,” he says. keweenawmountainlodge.com
At this environmental center and biological field station, sustainability was built into the business plan. Located on 850 acres in rural Barry County halfway between Grand Rapids and Battle Creek, the complex houses a commons area, a veranda, classrooms, and an auditorium that accommodates up to 180 people for weddings, retreats, and corporate events.
According to Operations Manager Bob Gilbert, the buildings were designed to blend in with the landscape while being energy efficient and environmentally safe. They are partially earth bermed, which provides natural insulation, and feature native Michigan prairie species that process water runoff and provide a habitat for pollinators. A geothermal heating and cooling system takes advantage of temperatures deep within the soil that do not fluctuate. South-facing windows capture the sun’s energy, while a solar energy system generates power to the grid .
“Pierce Cedar Creek Institute relies on science, education, and public engagement to encourage all people to develop a sustainable and a mutually beneficial relationship with the natural world,” Gilbert says. cedarcreekinstitute.org
Keweenaw Mountain Lodge successfully established a Dark Sky Park in the Upper Peninsula.
On a larger scale is Huntington Place, formerly Cobo Center. Located on the Detroit riverfront, the venue hosts large consumer expos, sporting events, and trade shows within its four mainlevel exhibit halls that boast 623,000 square feet of contiguous space.
A $279 million renovation completed in 2013 resulted in a LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. In keeping with more corporations requiring event planners to measure event sustainability, Huntington Place provides post-event diversion reports.
“Huntington Place event managers work with show managers to create green event goals and objectives for each event,” says Mary Klida, senior marketing and communications manager. “Shows are given a post-event sustainability report on their goals and a certificate of accomplishment.” huntingtonplacedetroit.com
Trekkies know this phrase was never actually spoken by Captain Kirk in the beloved “Star Trek” TV series, but it has become so iconic as to be embedded in popular culture. Synonymous with this phrase is the image of members of the Starship Enterprise being turned into light particles and moved instantaneously onto faraway planets. When experiencing today’s tech breakthroughs for the meetings and events industries, Captain Kirk would surely say that tech has boldly gone where no person has gone before.
Whether it is VR, AR, holograms, contactless check-in, robots, or LED walls that transport, technology is now incorporated into all aspects of hospitality and group engagement. Although this might sound impersonal, it is the opposite. These innovative tools allow planners to be more creative and reach more guests while still producing that once-in-a-lifetime gathering.
Meeting and event planners can harness these tech breakthroughs to boost business. It is not just about that impressive moment of discovery, tech is how this industry will stay dynamic, inclusive, sustainable, and profitable.
Nothing conjures up a futuristic, space-age event element like hologrammed keynote speakers. Talk about a wow factor—audiences get to interact in real time with presenters who are in completely different parts of the world. Larry O’Reilly, CEO of ARHT Media, understands how potent hologrammed speakers are. His company created a hologram of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this summer for the Founders Forum in London last June, and three other simultaneous conferences. The reach was exponential and the lasting effect on viewers was powerful. “I remember when I saw a hologram for the first time,”
The future is now for tech breakthroughs in the meetings and events industry.
recalls O’Reilly. “I felt the same way as when I saw IMAX for the first time. It was as if my eyes and ears were deceiving me.”
Hologram technology has a strong appeal for event planners because it allows presenters to attend and participate in meetings and conferences that they couldn’t normally travel to. According to O’Reilly, the key factors and return on investment (ROI) are that “speakers can participate in the run of show, who normally couldn’t attend, therefore, reducing travel costs and carbon footprints, while making a higher impact than live speakers.”
The ramp up for this type of experience can take six weeks or longer, and the earlier in the process ARHT Media can collaborate, the better the result, O’Reilly says. Their partnership with WeWork, however, makes last-minute requests possible, with the same quality. At a conference where environmental
activist Erin Brockovich was to appear via Zoom, the event planners decided to pivot at the last minute due to the incredible audience reaction to a hologrammed speaker the day before. Enter WeWork, near Brockovich’s home in the Los Angeles area, and voila!—Brockovich was hologrammed in. The power of this technology can’t be overstated.
Event planners should note that this technology can be used for more than just worldwide conferences. Movie studios employ holograms to launch films and beam in actors from different time zones for premieres. The bride at a wedding received a pleasant surprise from her best friend, who appeared as a hologram at the reception because she couldn’t celebrate in person. Or consider the birthday party on a yacht in Antarctica, which hosted authors as holograms each night, encouraging passionate book club discussions.
Global experiential company Illuminarium Experiences is an innovative entertainment venue with immersive audiovisual experiences. Its locations in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Atlanta, Georgia, have vast, customizable settings where planners can create a dynamic and personalized environment sure to impress. A 4K laser projection system sweeps guests around the planet—to a Japanese night market, a luminous reef beneath the ocean, or a majestic African savanna.
Brian Allen, executive vice president of technology and content integration at Illuminarium Experiences, says it well: “Illuminarium is, as we say, ‘A place that can take you any place,’ and I believe that to be true when you look at the flexible and multimodal nature of our venues.
Using the latest technology platforms across the audio [and] visual world, Illuminarium has built a robust format that allows for flexible programming and future development.”
Mix in chef-driven cuisine and full bar accommodations with expert mixologists for a robust offering that will amaze attendees. Allen concurs, “Illuminarium can host completely virtual events or a blend of in-person and online. Looking toward the future, we are always looking for ways to improve upon the guest experience and deliver the best show possible. This may come in the form of augmented layers that expand the narrative or the way we interact with guests pre-, during, and post-experience,” he says. “We believe that our content starts as soon as a ticket is purchased, and finding ways to reduce friction and effort for our guests is always a priority.”
The hotel and resort industry also embraces the latest technology for out-of-this-galaxy group hospitality experiences The new Lake Nona Wave Hotel in Orlando, Florida, greets guests with a futuristic facade of curved glass inspired by a wavelength of energy, but inside is where the tech comes to life. R2D2, please meet the riveting Rosie the Robot Butler. This AI charmer serves drinks to groups during meeting breaks.
Suzie Yang, the general manager of Lake Nona Wave Hotel, reflects on the future of hotel technology for guests: “We have found that travelers—now more than ever—are looking to customize their trips, whether it’s for business or leisure. Technology is essential in making this a reality by allowing them to make choices they couldn’t before. For example, giving them the option of how they would like to check-in, how to customize their room upon arrival, and even envisioning their events on-site through VR [virtual reality] before they happen.”
As Yang points out, these tech enhancements all cater to the guest experience. “Our team carefully incorporated tech-forward features into the hotel that serve to enhance the guest experience. We see this approach as the future of travel, and I’m proud to be part of a team that is paving the way in that sector.”
Nona Wave Hotel is home to Well+ech by Wave, a collection of guest rooms equipped with inventions to perfect health and sleep. Groups can wear VR headsets for group meditation, site inspections, and strolling the Sculpture Garden to visualize future event setups. Top it off with contactless check-in, group agendas, and in-room iPads, and planners have access to the best of the next generation.
Long lines at the check-in counter leave less time to explore the hotels that resort guests have traveled to enjoy. Thompson Seattle and Thompson Denver offer the World of Hyatt app for contactless checkin that has a “Mobile Key” to unlock the room door. Thompson Seattle embraces hybrid events with The Owl, a voice-activated, advanced webcam that swivels to move the camera toward whomever is speaking, projecting the image of the person to virtual guests. Thompson Denver provides a text platform that allows communication in real-time
with guests. This way of answering questions is the new standard for service and hospitality.
Cassie Conching, director of group sales at Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina agrees, saying that “The Four Seasons App Chat is a valuable technology tool for planners and attendees, both in the planning stages and once the program is onsite. Attendees can connect in real time, directly with our team, to coordinate any special requests, from activity reservations and dining to jobs as simple as printing documents.” The property’s 360 and 3D models assist planners and make their jobs more efficient and accurate. Conching adds, “At Four Seasons Resort Oahu, our team understands how busy and time-consuming the meeting-planning process can be for our partners and clients. These in-depth visuals of the property’s various meeting spaces and guest rooms allow meeting planners and their clients [to see] a true representation and visualization of the event space through our advanced technology.”
Convention centers are also partaking in the breakthrough technology trend. Idaho’s Boise Centre has used LED walls up to 100 feet long for mesmerizing event design, to promote sponsors, and use as content screens. Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center in South Carolina draws on its SKYNAV platform for virtual tours of the destination. This technology is a meeting planner’s dream during the selection and planning processes and gives attendees a real look at the destination before arriving at the event. Seattle Convention Center’s new Summit building incorporates technology for sustainability. Summit’s kitchen and scullery include food waste dehydrators that rely on high heat recirculation to dehydrate the waste food, reducing the volume and weight by up to 90%. The output becomes fertilizer to use or to sell.
When President Zelenskyy spoke as a hologram to attendees at one conference in Europe, he wore a “Star Wars” T-shirt. He discussed the tech sector in Ukraine, its opportunities, and a borderless free trade zone for tech. Much like the movie “Star Wars”—and “Star Trek” before it—technology connects all walks of life, all over the planet. These tech breakthroughs might seem futuristic now, but advancements keep moving at the speed of light. One day, when talking about holograms, the discussion will begin with: “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.”
Gen Z embraces hospitality like no other generation.
Born between 1997 and 2012, Generation Z is not only the largest generation in the United States, but it is also the most diverse and digitally inclined. According to the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), as Gen Zers enter the workforce, many are interested in altruistic employers—a primary reason why the hospitality industry has caught the eye of 51% of the generation. This group brings with them unique insights into the digital landscape, along with an investment in social responsibility and professional altruism. If employers treat them well, they will be looking at the next band of well-informed, sociable, and committed industry professionals.
Gen Z is the demographic cohort succeeding millennials and preceding Generation Alpha.
The AHLA says they spend more time online than any other generation, providing a level of media literacy unique to this generation.
45% of Gen Zers are already working part- or full-time, reflecting an interest in good pay and benefits from employers.
The top three things this generation looks for in an employer are ethical and altruistic standards , a fun and friendly environment , and equitable leadership, according to the AHLA. These characteristics are prominent in the hospitality industry, thus making it an attractive career choice.
51% of Gen Zers are interested in hospitality careers. Events manager and hotel manager are the top desired job titles within the industry, the AHLA reports.
Gen Zers Care About
72% 81%
of Gen Zers learn about jobs from job websites (AHLA).
of Gen Zers prefer email to communicate with employers (AHLA).
» According to Salary.com, the average wage in hotel management with five years of experience is $112,966
» The median pay for a graduate with a hospitality management degree with less than a year of experience is $46,400, according to Business Management Degree.
» Glassdoor reports that the average wage for entry-level event managers is around $44,000
Pay and benefits
Engaging work
Opportunity for career growth
Flexible work hours
According to Data
USA, 17,825 degrees in hospitality management were awarded in 2020 in the U.S.
Public two- and four-year universities are the most common institutions to obtain hospitality degrees.
Bachelor’s degrees are the most frequently sought type of degree when pursuing hospitality management.
Median tuition for in-state public institutions is $6,429
The three institutions that awarded the highest number of hospitality management degrees in 2020 are Florida International University, University of Central Florida, and University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
» THE BAVARIAN INN Restaurant & Lodge in Frankenmuth is undergoing a considerable expansion that will dramatically enlarge its water park and family entertainment offerings.
The $80 million project includes the addition of a building to the Family Fun Center. Joanna Nelson, recently named general manager after 25 years with the lodge, says the additions encompass more than 20 new attractions that include water slides, a wave pool, and an adult swim-up bar. The company reports that the Bavarian Inn Restaurant & Lodge will become Michigan’s largest indoor water park and family entertainment center at 140,000-plus square feet after its completion in spring 2024. However, some of the new family fun center areas will open as soon as this fall.
“We were actually supposed to break ground in 2020, and we all know what happened. It seems like we have been waiting for this forever,” Nelson says. “We are just so excited to break ground and share it with the world.”
bavarianinn.com
» SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE joins Starbucks Reserve among other first-floor tenants of the newly renovated Westin Book Cadillac Hotel in downtown Detroit. Originally built in 1924, the hotel grew to become an iconic venue in the city, says Scott Stinebaugh, Book Cadillac Hotel director of sales and marketing.
“It operated as one of the finest luxury hotels in North America for the first 30 to 40 years of its existence,” Stinebaugh says. “Then it closed in 1984 and sat vacant until it was resurrected in 2006.”
That’s when the Ferchill Group out of Cleveland, Ohio, bought it and launched a $200 million renovation before reopening the hotel in 2008. In 2021, Oxford Capital Group of Chicago became its new owners and are behind the $20 million renovation that began in January and touches every space in the building. All 453 guest rooms and suites will receive a refreshed, contemporary look, as will 36,000 square feet of meeting and banquet space, and all public areas.
Renovations are expected to be completed this summer, when Sullivan’s Steakhouse is projected to open as well. Aside from the renovation of the 8,500-square-foot restaurant interior, an outdoor patio will also be added.
“Along with the hotel’s comprehensive strategic renovation and repositioning, the addition of Sullivan’s Steakhouse to The Westin Book Cadillac will further improve the overall guest experience and provide an exciting new venue in the growing downtown neighborhood,” says John W. Rutledge, Oxford Capital Group and Oxford Hotels & Resorts founder, chair, and CEO.
marriott.com
Downtown Port Huron welcomes spring with a new 30,000square-foot food hall and entertainment venue, Wrigley Hall in Wrigley Center. Founder Dan Dooley says he and his wife, Kim, were inspired by food halls that have been developed as part of revitalization districts in other cities in the nation.
“Ten years ago, there were about 10 food halls across the country; now it’s up to about 500,” Dooley says. “The concept is they are community places. It creates a lot of flexibility in the types of foods you can serve [and] the types of entertainment you can do.”
Dooley says the Wrigley is modeled after others, including The Garage in Indianapolis, Indiana.
“It used to be a terrible neighborhood, and they invested in this food hall concept and a lot of other things,” he says about The Garage. Formerly a Wrigley grocery store and subsequently serving as a car dealership and later a furniture store, the building was shuttered until Landmarks Port Huron manager, Larry Jones, bought and converted it into a multiuse residential and retail facility.
The Dooleys are developing Wrigley Hall to offer several bars, including a distillery. “One is an upstairs craft cocktail bar with a self-pour beer wall that’s connected to 4,400 square feet of rooftop space with beautiful views of the city,” Dooley explains. “The second bar is called the Stage Lounge, with more of a cocktail bar feel but a small stage in there for local acts in front of 100 people. Then there’s
an additional space that is turning into a game bar, so it’s multiple TVs in there, you will have golf and gaming simulators, cornhole, and we are going to do pickleball there on the weekend.”
Soundproofed retractable walls will separate the areas when needed and open so that the entire area can become a concert venue. In total, about 10,000 square feet is dedicated to events and entertainment. Groups will be able to rent various parts of the building for private events.
Multiple food concepts with the idea of supporting local food entrepreneurs will be offered. They will be backed by what Dooley describes as a “ghost kitchen.”
“We will have our own chef, our own staff to support the eateries,” he explains. “So as these entrepreneurs
come in and have a passion and a great food concept, we provide all the tools they need to learn to operate a business and do customer service appropriately. We will do all the bulk prep in the main commissary—the ghost kitchen—and the finish prep takes place by the individual stall owner in each stall. That operating model creates a lot of efficiencies.”
Jones says what the Dooleys are creating aligns with what he envisions for the Wrigley Center.
“This building is in the heart of our downtown and has the opportunity to bring many people to the downtown,” Jones says. “Dan has the ability to accomplish that vision.”
wrigleyhall.com
» A TINY HOME HOTEL DEVELOPMENT, Tiny Digs Lakeshore, is debuting in Muskegon. Owner Pam Westra says it was inspired by a similar operation her family built in Portland, Oregon, in 2016.
“Tiny house hotels were kind of popping up worldwide at that point in time and have kind of grown exponentially since then,” Westra says.
Her husband owns the construction company that is building the 10 tiny homes off-site and transporting them to the location in Muskegon’s Lakeside district. It’s across from a shoreline bike path and near a bike rental facility and boat launch. Westra expects the project to be fully completed in early 2024.
“It’s quite a newer concept for the Midwest,” she says. “We think it’s going to be a great concept for Muskegon.”
Sarah Miller is the new president and CEO of Destination Ann Arbor. Serving as interim president and CEO since last August, she follows Mary Kerr, who retired last July after 27 years with the organization. Miller first served as finance administrator from 2001 until 2009, going on to spend the next 10 years as vice president of finance and administration. She played an integral role in unifying the Ann Arbor Area Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Ypsilanti Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. She became chief operating officer in 2019.
Joanna Nelson, CMP, was recently promoted to the position of general manager of the Bavarian Inn Lodge in Frankenmuth. A past president of the Michigan Chapter of Meeting Professionals International, Nelson was previously the assistant general manager at the lodge and has also held various positions in sales and marketing there.
Karyn Thorr is the new chief operating officer at Crystal Mountain in Thompsonville. A 29-year employee, she replaces John Melcher, who was named CEO in December 2021. She has experience managing many different departments at the resort over the years including marketing, conference services, and skier services. As managing broker for Crystal Mountain Realty, she played a critical role in the successful development of the Inn Phase II, a $12 million project completed in 2017.
Why does the Mount Pleasant Area Convention & Visitors Bureau channel some of its revenue to support community projects? Because it pays off, says Executive Director Chris Rowley.
“It is part of the Mount Pleasant Area CVB’s strategic plan and [Michigan] Public Act 59 to invest back into our community,” she says. “Our goal is to encourage and fully support the branded development of the area’s attractions, events, amenities, hospitality services, and related tourism infrastructure.”
Not including 2022, the Mount Pleasant CVB has spent $67,500 on various improvements that include canoe launches and sports and recreation facilities. The CVB also helped fund bike-repair stations installed around the community.
“We look at partnerships that focus on sports tourism and outdoor recreation development as well as improving the community’s tourism needs,” Rowley says, adding, “The CVB doesn’t plan on fully funding projects, but to be a partner at the table on projects that improve tourism.”
As an example, she recalls helping to pay for lights at ballfields and
supporting the purchase of more volleyball equipment at the Morey Courts Recreation Center to expand the number of courts available for use at a time, which makes it possible to hold larger events, she explains. “For our community or general destination development, we have helped improve canoe launch sites with Isabella County Parks and Recreation along with other donors.”
Funding is sourced from the CVB’s annual budget, which relies on assessments paid by visitors staying in Mount Pleasant lodging properties. Nonprofit and governmental entities are eligible to apply for grants. “We look for projects that generate visitors, related new spending, or a higher community quality of life,” Rowley says.
Enhancing what’s available to guests can only help attract more interest in visiting the area from individuals and groups. “The more visitors we have staying in our community, the more [resources] we have to market the community to bring in more visitors, tournaments, meetings, etc.,” Rowley says. meetmtp.com
The Destination Michigan Showcase was back for an in-person gathering last November. Held in Lansing, the education-based trade show makes it possible for meeting planners to network; participate in a teambuilding luncheon; and meet up with representatives of destinations, venues, and other service providers during a trade show.
1. Amari Steward and Tammy Bagby
2. Stephanie Wohlfert and Ariel Backus
3. Sparty the Michigan State University mascot and Shawn Kohlhaas
4. Jen Moeckel and Rachelle Grockau
5. Ryan Shehu 6. Mike Concannon, Sparty, and Jameson Cook
7. Molly Celmer and Elizabeth Hacker
8. Tara Draper and Rex O’Connor
To have your meeting or event photos featured, contact kgibbons@greenspring.com
Kristy Poore laughs when she remembers how she came to her current position as the national sales account executive for Destination Ann Arbor.
“One of my former bosses was retiring [from the organization] and she said, ‘I think you would be a good fit doing sales,’” says Poore, a hospitality management graduate of Purdue University who previously worked in a variety of positions in hotels and restaurants.
That was 17 years ago. To say it has been a good fit is an understatement. Working primarily with associations and, more recently, weddings and social and fraternal organizations, she loves the opportunity her job brings to build relationships and demonstrate the advantages of working with a destination marketing organization (DMO).
“I’m always trying to educate people on the benefits of using a DMO to assist them in bringing their events into Washtenaw County—to find out what kind of experience they want to have,” says Poore, who has since added CMP (Certified Meeting Planner) to her credentials. “We have the connections and partnerships to cut through the red tape and be a one-stop shop for those coming into town.”
People gravitate to Ann Arbor, she says, with its vibrant downtown, walkability, art galleries, shopping, entertainment, and diverse restaurants fueled by a thriving University of Michigan community. It’s also centrally located to Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois, and near the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, she notes.
But the best part is rising to the challenge of meeting customer expectations. Poore cites the example of the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters, which has convened in Ann Arbor for decades. When a new training director started, he asked for help establishing a charity 5K race and associated events. Initially daunted, Poore investigated the mechanics of staging a race and worked with local authorities to make it come together. In 10 years, it has raised more than $750,000.
“I’m a salesperson, not an event person,” she says. “But you figure it out, work with your partners, and make it happen.”
100,000+ SQ. FT. of MEETING SPACE for EVENTS BIG OR SMALL
