Gathering on the Grand

More than 23,000 Velveteen Lops, Belgian Hares, and Flemish Giants will take over DeVos Place next week as Grand Rapids hosts the 84^th convention of the American Rabbit Breeders Association. No one is certain how many of the prolifically reproductive animals will leave town. But in many ways the event exemplifies how West Michigan's reputation as a gathering place for a wide variety of organizations and expos is increasingly fertile and continues to grow at a rapid rate.

Just a few years ago, metropolitan Grand Rapids competed against Midwest cities like Detroit, Lansing, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, and Louisville for convention business, says Steve Wilson, president of the Grand Rapids/Kent County Convention and Visitor Bureau (CVB).

But today, after several years of incredibly intense investment in the region's image and urban assets – including the $220 million state-of-the-art DeVos Place convention center – Wilson says Michigan's second largest city is more and more in contention with much larger cities from across the nation, including San Antonio, TX and Portland, OR.

“We have won (against) each,” Wilson says. “We are proud and encouraged by our early success.”

Seeing is Believing
The numbers back him up. The overall convention business filled about 28,000 hotel rooms annually in 2003 when DeVos Place opened. By the end of this year, convention goers are expected to fill approximately 78,000 rooms, nearly triple the pre-DeVos Place activity.

One reason why is that Grand Rapids has begun to draw much larger and more diverse conventions from much further away. The average number of delegates at a single conference has doubled to 2,000. And the number of events sponsored by regional or national groups is on the rise, too. Currently, organizations from outside Michigan sponsor 44 percent of all conferences while state-based organizations schedule about 56 percent of all events, Wilson says.

Convention business also continues to increase in the summer months, typically the down season on the circuit. But who can resist the lure of Lake Michigan sugar sand beaches and waterfront resort towns? The National Rural Letter Carriers Association, for instance, which is based in Alexandria, VA, brought several thousand delegates and family members to Grand Rapids in early August 2007.

All in all, by 2015 the CVB is expected to generate $100 million dollars in new business from conventions that have never before been to Grand Rapids.

So the local convention industry is poised to explode. But it's not necessarily a turnkey business. Wilson says one of his primary challenges is convincing a national and international audience that greater Grand Rapids, still a relative unknown globally, is a prime convention destination. So he strives to bring prospective customers to town for a first-hand look.

“Once they see it, they are visibly impressed,” Wilson says. “It’s about getting them to take that initial leap.”

Something for Everyone
The American Rabbit Breeders Association considered much more than the ultra plush and modern accommodations of DeVos Place in the decision to bring their annual event to Grand Rapids. The group also took surrounding restaurants, entertainment options, and other cultural activities into serious consideration. Richard Gehr, the former general chair of the ARBA, which is based in Bloomington, IL, said the board of directors actively sought out cities that offered tours and points of interest outside of the convention.

“For most members, it’s the family vacation for the year,” Gehr says. “One person may show rabbits, but the rest of the family goes along, too. Grand Rapids has quite a bit to offer from that perspective. It’s very attractive to tourism.”

Grand Rapids scored well, Gehr says, because the city offered a variety of convenient venues like the Civic Theatre, DeVos Performance Hall, and Van Andel Arena, as well as a growing number of culinary options, pubs, and vibrant neighborhood business district with a unique local flare.

"Grand Rapids' overall bid simply was more acceptable than other bids," Gehr says.

The National Association for County Engineers, based in Washington, D.C., held its annual convention in Grand Rapids in April 2007. Jon Rice, the former director of the group's Michigan affiliate, says he proposed the host city because it's pedestrian friendly, with a revitalizing downtown, and the Amway Grand is a "jewel" that convention participants could stay at a "for an affordable price."

Rice says Grand Rapids is "a hidden secret" when it comes to convention planning. And the county engineers took advantage of an unusually warm and sunny stretch of April weather to visit the Frederick Meijer Gardens and host a wine tasting at Camp Blodgett.

“They (participants) were blown away,” Rice says. “They never expected something like that.”

That's a two-way street. Convention goers are pleasantly surprised by West Michigan's hospitality just as area residents might be amazed by the sheer number of curious and unique associations, expos, and trade shows now coming to town.

The Federation of Historic Bottle Collectors was here in 2005. The National Stereoscopic Association, a group of 3-D photography enthusiasts, will bring their annual convention to GR in January 2008. And the National Model Railroad Association comes in for a week in August 2012.

Indeed, like species of rabbits, there are all kinds of clubs, unions, and exhibitions catering to a wide range of specific hobbies, issues, and industries. More and more groups are coming online all the time. (The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher education established in 2005 comes to mind.) And West Michigan apparently is positioning itself as a distinct gathering place for each and every one.