Upload
leque
View
214
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
April 2016 • $5.00
meetings
Arianna Huffington
SHE SLEEPS,SHE THRIVES
TRAVEL ADVOCATE IN CONGRESS
Dina TitusWILD AND WONDERFUL
FOUNDING FATHERSColorado
British Columbia
2016 INDUSTRY LEADERS
Smart WomenSan FranciscoBay AreaSUPER PLACE TO PARTY
ReportSpecial
WOMEN RISING UP
OAHU & KAUAI
1 2 8s m a r t m e e t i n g s . c o m A P R I L 2 0 1 6
At the height of the economic crisis in Detroit, the
city’s outlook had never seemed so bleak. De-
troit had suffered decades of population decline,
urban blight, political corruption and high crime
rates that left the former capital of the auto indus-
try in shambles. The city hit rock bottom, filing for
bankruptcy in 2013, as the rest of the world wondered how things
had gone so wrong.
But everyone loves a comeback story, and today, Motor City is
back on its feet and moving forward at a rapid pace. Investors
have raised more than $11 billion toward Detroit’s resurrection,
which has put the city back on the meetings map in a major way—
according to Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau, con-
vention bookings are up by a whopping 128 percent.
During the annual American Society of Association Executives
(ASAE) meeting and exposition held last year at Cobo Center, Josh
Linkner, a venture capitalist and Detroit native, gave the opening
speech. He praised the city’s radical transformation and great po-
tential for businesses to flourish from the ground up.
Linkner founded investment firm Detroit Venture Partners, and is
one of many entrepreneurs to have infused Detroit with a burst of
tech innovation. In addition, young talent and new projects have
Limmatschwimmen, the annual swim down the
Limmat River in Zurich
Detroit rolls up its sleeves to forge a bright futurepBY MEENA RAMAKRISHNAN
D t it ll it l t f b i htTHE COMEBACK KID
made this up-and-coming destination ready to reclaim its throne as
one of America’s great cities.
Renaissance CityDetroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau was instrumental in turning
the city’s image around through strategic advertising and key messag-
ing. The organization actively works to promote Detroit, through its latest
campaign, as a place of courage and true grit, where great ideas thrive
and success stories abound.
“Our staff consistently works…to help change perceptions and
spread the positive stories taking place in the city,” says Bill Bohde,
senior vice president of sales and marketing at Detroit Metro
Convention & Visitors Bureau. “[Our] campaign emphasizes the
pace of the new development and the transformation taking place,
which is now resonating around the world.”
Downtown Detroit has undergone a renaissance of sorts with The
Detroit International Riverfront at its core. The greenway encompasses
a marina, parks, restaurants, retail stores and skyscrapers. Million-dollar
investments are supporting riverfront development, which includes a
number of hotels facing the Detroit River.
Cobo Center also lines the waterway and recently wrapped up
the final phase of a $279 million expansion, bringing its total footprint
SNAPSHOT DETROIT
MUST SEE
Belle Isle Park
In the middle of the Detroit River lies an island oasis with several unique attrac-
tions. Belle Isle Park has its own aquarium, conservatory, zoo, municipal golf
course, historic monuments and a half-mile swimming beach.
Belle Island Aquarium is an iconic landmark that offers free admission to view
several species of fresh and salt-water fish. Belle Island Nature Zoo also offers
free admission for visitors to experience animal encoun-
ters, with deer feedings and bird ovservation windows.
Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory and Dossin
Great Lakes Museum also provide free admission and
nature-inspired settings for group offsites.
to 2.4 million sq. ft. New additions
to the convention center include
a 40,000-square-foot ballroom,
50,000-square-foot exterior plaza
and stunning 30,000-square-foot
glass-enclosed atrium with floor-to-ceil-
ing views of Windsor, Ontario, across the
river. The building also features a TV broadcast
studio with satellite capabilities and exterior high-tech
video walls located above the entrance.
Indie SpiritNext door, Midtown is one of the fastest-growing
neighborhoods in Detroit. Groups can experience
the cultural heart of the city in Midtown’s many live
music venues and theaters, world-class museums,
such as Detroit Institute of Arts, and boutique
shops and galleries. The neighborhood has helped
fuel the city’s growing culinary and brew pub scene.
Local microbreweries, such as HopCat, provide
intimate event spaces for up to 400.
“For smaller meetings, Detroit has dozens of
unique meeting spaces available, from historic to
recently rehabbed buildings, each with its own dis-
tinct charm,” Bohde adds.
Corktown is slightly off the beaten path, but well
worth a visit for its historic charm and beautifully
restored Victorian row houses. Detroit’s Irish popula-
tion founded the neighborhood in the 1830s. It later
received designation on the National Register of
Historic Places in 1978.
Although residential in nature,
more eateries, local bookstores
and quaint cafes are cropping up
on Corktown’s streets. Visitors can
glimpse some of the earliest dwellings
in Detroit’s oldest neighborhood during
this year’s annual Corktown Historic Home and
Garden Tour, which takes place in June.
Ultimate Fan ExperienceThe section between Downtown and Midtown was
previously underutilized, but that’s all about to
change with several multiuse entertainment venues
under construction near Woodward Avenue. Plans
for The District Detroit include six theaters and three
sports arenas that will be home to the NHL Detroit
Red Wings, MLB Detroit Tigers and NFL Detroit
Lions, making it the ultimate sports experience.
The $627 million Detroit Events Center is one of
the most anticipated venues to arrive at the new
district. The hockey arena will feature dramatic
bowl seating with great sight lines of all the action.
When it’s not crowded with Red Wings fans, the
center will serve as a concert venue with state-of-
the-art technology and fan amenities.
By summer 2017, The District Detroit will con-
nect the two neighborhoods with additional resi-
dential, office and retail developments that create a
vibrant urban setting for locals and visitors to enjoy.
IN 5 WORDS OR LESS…
Motor City is
cool again.
EXPLORE
Granite City Food & Brewery
A new brewery has arrived at Renaissance Center
complex. Granite City Food & Brewery opened in
February with private dining rooms, and an outdoor
patio joins the restaurant this spring. Groups can
sample signature pale ales, IPAs and lagers.
Henry Ford Museum
Visit the largest indoor-outdoor museum complex in
America, which pays tribute to Henry Ford, founder
of Ford Motor Company. His namesake muse-
um provides a historical timeline of the Industrial
Revolution and American transportation.
Construction of the area is expected to generate at
least $2.1 billion in total economic impacts.
“There is so much for meeting attendees to see
and do while in Detroit for their conferences,” Bohde
says. “While here, they will get to experience the
comeback, see all the major changes taking place,
and be an integral part of the comeback.”
Improvements in TransitTo keep on pace with the rest of the city’s improve-
ments, an upgrade to public transportation will come
via the M-1 Rail. As new buildings and city attractions
emerge along Woodward Corridor, the new streetcar
will be critical in connecting Midtown and Downtown
Detroit. Construction is well underway and will be up
and running by late 2016, just before The District is
officially complete.
“The M-1 Rail will fill a vital need to help con-
nect Downtown to Midtown, making it easier and
more affordable for meeting attendees to get around
Detroit,” Bohde says.
The 3.3-mile rail will traverse both sides of Wood-
ward Avenue, servicing 20 stations in 12 locations.
Original plans to expand metro transportation called
for a 10-mile fixed rail car, but it was ultimately de-
termined that a smaller system would better comple-
ment existing bus service and the Detroit People
Mover. The M-1 Rail will spur economic development
and provide a foundation for improved and expanded
public transit throughout the region.
Polk Penguin Conservation Center at Detroit Zoo
Detroit Zoo will soon have the world’s largest pen-
guin facility when Polk Penguin Conservation Center
opens April 18. The 33,000-square-foot center will
hold more than 80 penguins from four species:
Gentoo, Macaroni, Rockhopper and King.