To:Midwest Archives Conference--Council
Tanya Zanish-Belcher, President
Douglas Bicknese, VicePresident
From:Portia Vescio, Michigan State University
Nancy Richard, Grand Valley State University
Mary L. Mainer, Grand Rapids/Kent County Convention & Visitors Bureau
Date:June 5, 2009
Subject:Proposal to host the Spring 2012 Midwest Archives Conference meetingin Grand Rapids, Michigan
Why Grand Rapids?
Picture yourself in a city that combines urban sophistication with small-town warmth. This is Grand Rapids – the city that Partners for Livable Communities calls oneof “America’s Best Places to Live, Work and Play.” In Grand Rapids there is a vibrant downtown that bustles with dining, entertainment, shopping and cultural options. The big city amenities and a lower cost of living mean Midwest Archives Conference attendees can enjoy a first-class convention experience without paying premium prices.
One of the most appealing qualities for visitors is convenience. Grand Rapids iseasy to get around in, so you can fit more fun into less time – even if it’s just an hour ortwo during a conference break. Look at all you can do within a five-minute walk of De-Vos Place, our downtown convention center: stroll 2.5 miles of riverwalk, visit four museums,work out at a deluxe new YMCA, picnic in a lush green park, catch a hockeygame or stage show, cast a line into a salmon-rich river or browse more than 50 outdoorsculptures. Sidewalks are wide and uncrowded, and covered skywalks protectfrom inclement weather. Grand Rapids provides access to hotels, museums and restaurants all within the downtown area.
Local arrangements support:
Michigan has an active archival community that is led by the Michigan Archival Association. In addition to Portia Vescio from Michigan State University and Nancy Richard from
Grand Valley State University, the following individuals have agreed to assist with local
arrangements should MAC come to Grand Rapids: Heidi Butler, College Archivist, Kalamazoo College; Sharon Carlson, Director, Archives and Regional History Collection, Western Michigan
University; Marian Matyn of Central Michigan University; Bobbie Minier and Pam Berrington from Alticor; Geoffrey Reynolds, Director of the Joint Archives of Holland, Hope College; Lori Vargo, Assistant Librarian, Spectrum Health; Cynthia Ghering, Director, Michigan State University Archives & Historical Collections; and Mary L Manier, Grand Rapids/Kent County Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Potential Hotels:
There are several hotels in the downtown Grand Rapids area. We would recommend following the Amway Grand Plaza hotel for the conference. ( The Amway Grand Plaza Hotel is the heart of this great city, a premiere location downtown within walking distance to all legal, financial, governmental and cultural institutes. Our 12,000 seat VanAndel Arena, connected to the Amway by a skywalk, is home to the Grand Rapids Griffins Hockey team as well as various concerts and shows. The Amway Grand Plaza Hotel is located right across the river from the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum and the Public Museum of Grand Rapids. Choose from 42 individually decorated rooms and reception areas within the hotel, including our impressive and distinctive ballrooms, or host your convention in the generous facilities in the attached DeVos Place Convention Center.
Reception:
Our suggestion for a reception location would be the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. ( The Museum generously hosted the reception for the 2005 Michigan Archival Association Meeting in Grand Rapids and we believe that they would offer the same service to MAC. Attractions in the museum include reproductions of the Oval Office and Cabinet Room. The museum also contains the original Watergate burglar tools.
Tours:
In addition to the Ford Presidential Museum, Grand Rapids offers a wide variety of cultural attractions that would provide excellent tours for MAC members. The Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Parkwas just listed in Delta Airlines’Sky Magazine as one of the top 30 must-see museums in the world. ( In addition there is also potential for a behind-the-scenes tour of the Public Museum. ( Other area museums include the Grand Rapids Art Museum ( or the Children’s Museum ( There are also several historical houses in Grand Rapids that might make good tours; these include the Meyer May House and the Voight House Victorian Museum. With several outdoor sculpture pieces and a rich history, Grand Rapids would be an ideal location for a walking tour. Other possible tour options include a tour of the Heritage Hill Historic District or a tour of the Furniture Factories.
Local restaurants:
Downtown Grand Rapids alone boasts more than 60 restaurants – steakhouses, pizzerias, seafood bistros, hamburger joints, and much more. The 1913 Room in downtown’sAmway Grand Plaza is the state’s only five-diamond AAA restaurant. The B.O.B. (Big Old Building) in the heart of downtown is a four-story renovated warehouse that hosts three different restaurants, microbrewery, comedy club, dance club, billiards hall, and a wine cellar. One of America’s 50 best Hispanic restaurants is right down the street. San Chez, A TapasBistro, offers an authentic taste of Spain, with an extensive menu of paella and tapas.
Sponsors:
In addition to the regular sponsors and supporters of MAC conferences, we believe that we could solicit additional support from the following organizations:
Alticor, Inc.
Cascade Winery
Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum
Grand Rapids Public Library
Grand Rapids/Kent County Convention & Visitors Bureau
The Henry Ford
Ilitch Holdings, Inc.
Meijer, Inc.
Michigan Archival Association
ProQuest
Public Museum of Grand Rapids
Steelcase
Travel/Location:
Grand Rapids is easy to get to – wherever the Midwest Archives Conference attendees are coming from. Gerald R. Ford International Airport, the state’s second busiest, has direct air service to many cities throughout the country. ( Air service at Gerald R. Ford International Airport is provided by nine airlines serving 18 major market destinations with nonstop flights.
Driving to Grand Rapids is equally hassle-free – because the city is located at the intersection of two major expressway systems. Drive time from Detroit is 2-1/2 hours;it’s 3 hours from Chicago. Amtrak also services Grand Rapids from Chicago.
Weather:
Michigan is a northern state, so spring comes a little later to Grand Rapids than to cities south of it. We would suggest holding the conference in late April or early May to get the best weather conditions.