Proposed 400 room Hotel at Devos Place

[joeDowntown]

2 hours ago, GRDadof3 said:

That's weird, I was just thinking about this hotel tower. Mainly because I was thinking the lot next to the 5/3 building would be a great spot for a new LMCU glass-tower headquarters. Which lead me to think of the convention center tower. 

LMCU bought Accrisure’s old headquarters out off M6. They have four big buildings in the suburbs and I don’t think they’d ever move downtown. 

Joe
 

[GRDadof3]

On 5/19/2021 at 7:43 PM, joeDowntown said:

LMCU bought Accrisure’s old headquarters out off M6. They have four big buildings in the suburbs and I don’t think they’d ever move downtown. 

Joe
 

Lame. 

[Cookin_peacocks]

I don't have a link, but another study on a hotel/convention center expansion is being conducted 

[Jonesey]

30 minutes ago, Cookin_peacocks said:

I don't have a link, but another study on a hotel/convention center expansion is being conducted 

I would think this would be just as "transformative" to the city as the amphitheater and soccer stadium.  It may not be as obvious, but it could bring in a lot more money to GR and Kent County.  Especially with the new hotel tax.  I'm pessimistic but hopeful on those spring 2024 starting dates

It sounds like AHC may be actually solidifying plans for their marker/fulton lot?

[Cookin_peacocks]

1 hour ago, Jonesey said:

I would think this would be just as "transformative" to the city as the amphitheater and soccer stadium.  It may not be as obvious, but it could bring in a lot more money to GR and Kent County.  Especially with the new hotel tax.  I'm pessimistic but hopeful on those spring 2024 starting dates

It sounds like AHC may be actually solidifying plans for their marker/fulton lot?

I really really hope so. I am getting the impression downtown Grand Rapids may look very different soon.

 

The amphitheatre is starting. Soon. If it doesn't start by July, I'll give up my prized hat collection.

Edited December 1, 2023 by Cookin_peacocks

[Jonesey]

14 hours ago, Cookin_peacocks said:

I really really hope so. I am getting the impression downtown Grand Rapids may look very different soon.

 

The amphitheatre is starting. Soon. If it doesn't start by July, I'll give up my prized hat collection.

I really think a spring start is actually going to happen.  The city approved the rental of trailer bathrooms, offices, and vehicle wash stations to move employees and vehicles off of the property and the county building is empty.  I feel like this will be on a right deadline, if it's not ready by May 2026, they could potentially miss out on a ton of revenue.

Edited December 2, 2023 by Jonesey

[Cookin_peacocks]

The more I think about about a hotel tour attached to the convention center, the more I love it. It breaks up the incredibly boring height blob of north downtown. It also places more people in north downtown outside the 9-5 weekday hours that may require more bars and restaurants and spur more street life in an incredibly boring part of town. 

 

Let's go.

[joeDowntown]

Here’s an article about the study. A couple of interesting points:

- they should get results pretty quickly as they’re using the same company/looking at new market conditions

- they think the hotel will need 600-800 rooms instead of the 400-500 the first study recommended

- still looking at ways to expand DeVos Place. I hope they can move USPS off their land (finally). Expanding east seems like a logistical nightmare and decades long endeavor (city and county have to move, federal court house as well? Gives me a headache thinking of all of the red tape involved in that). 

https://www.crainsgrandrapids.com/news/hospitality-tourism/caa-board-to-launch-new-feasibility-study-for-convention-center-hotel-expansion/

Joe

[Jonesey]

On 12/3/2023 at 9:17 AM, joeDowntown said:

Here’s an article about the study. A couple of interesting points:

- they should get results pretty quickly as they’re using the same company/looking at new market conditions

- they think the hotel will need 600-800 rooms instead of the 400-500 the first study recommended

- still looking at ways to expand DeVos Place. I hope they can move USPS off their land (finally). Expanding east seems like a logistical nightmare and decades long endeavor (city and county have to move, federal court house as well? Gives me a headache thinking of all of the red tape involved in that). 

https://www.crainsgrandrapids.com/news/hospitality-tourism/caa-board-to-launch-new-feasibility-study-for-convention-center-hotel-expansion/

Joe

Well that's exciting and encouraging.  So possibly 36-48 stories (I know, I know, but I can dream)

I feel like GR has a ton to offer for convention goers.  If I was a business traveller, I'd much rather go to a city like GR than Vegas, Atlanta or Chicago

[MJLO]

11 minutes ago, Jonesey said:

Well that's exciting and encouraging.  So possibly 36-48 stories (I know, I know, but I can dream)

I feel like GR has a ton to offer for convention goers.  If I was a business traveller, I'd much rather go to a city like GR than Vegas, Atlanta or Chicago

Me too, but I'm biased because GR is my favorite city and I think it's great.  My time on other websites has taught me that most people who come from major markets, prefer other major markets for the most part.  The good news is most folks who come to GR for conventions have pretty low expectations.  They are almost always very pleasantly surprised with what they get.   Increasing convention space and adding more rooms definitely helps this cause.  The powers that be have been wanting to add this capacity for a while now. 

[GR8scott]

On 12/4/2023 at 3:48 PM, MJLO said:

Me too, but I'm biased because GR is my favorite city and I think it's great.  My time on other websites has taught me that most people who come from major markets, prefer other major markets for the most part.  The good news is most folks who come to GR for conventions have pretty low expectations.  They are almost always very pleasantly surprised with what they get.   Increasing convention space and adding more rooms definitely helps this cause.  The powers that be have been wanting to add this capacity for a while now. 

Kind of reminds me of the movie Cedar Rapids lol. Seems like an attached full service hotel at the convention center should be a no-brainer. It boggles my mind how there’s no regular Marriott or Hilton property in the metro area, yes, there are JW and other affiliates. They named Columbus and Milwaukee as what they view as peri cities to compete against in the convention center and it looks like Columbus just built a 28 story <500 room regular Hilton at their convention center. Milwaukee has a 25 story 700 room art deco Hilton as well as a regular Hyatt (also don’t have one of those) across the street