Investing in Grand Rapids is Key to a Strong West MI Economy

For decades, game-changing building and revitalization projects driven by strong public-private partnerships have been the hallmark of the Kent County region. Grand Action 2.0 – and its earlier iteration, Grand Action – is the private sector organization behind many of these pivotal partnerships. In downtown Grand Rapids – in the heart of Kent County – it’s impossible to walk a block or two without standing in the shadow of a project that began as a Grand Action vision.

Van Andel Arena, DeVos Place Convention Center, the Grand Rapids Downtown Market and the revitalization of the Grand Rapids Civic Theater were all envisioned and seeded by this group of business and community leaders. The group was also a key player in attracting the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine to Grand Rapids’ Medical Mile.

In 2016, at the urging of Experience Grand Rapids, Grand Action commissioned CSL International to conduct a city-wide Grand Rapids Destination Asset Study. The study’s findings were released in December of that year and included recommendations for infrastructure investments that could elevate Grand Rapids and Kent County as a top-tier visitor destination. Proposed investments included a downtown amphitheater, Amway soccer stadium and assets to leverage the ongoing Grand River restoration project. 

Planning for a stronger future

Grand Action took a hiatus after the release of the 2016 report and returned in 2020 as Grand Action 2.0. With renewed focus, they engaged CSL International to conduct a Venue and Attraction Development study focused on the feasibility of three recommendations from the 2016 study:

• Long-term investment in DeVos Place Convention Center to maintain and enhance its competitive position in the industry.
• Development of a new professional soccer and entertainment event stadium.
• Development of a new concert and entertainment outdoor event amphitheater.

Experience Grand Rapids, along with dozens of community stakeholders, participated in the study. On behalf of Grand Action 2.0, CSL presented their study findings and recommendations in November 2020, forecasting that convention center enhancements, a new soccer stadium and new amphitheater will be some of the most impactful projects ever for our community. As the Experience Grand Rapids team looks to the future of the convention and visitor industry, we could not agree more.

Adapting to new ways of meeting

As Grand Rapids has grown in population, reputation and vibrancy over the years, so has its convention and meetings sector. Though as this sector grows, the available space necessary to house it needs to as well. Opened in 2004, the DeVos Place Convention Center (DPCC) has hosted a wide array of local, regional and national conventions and tradeshows, and its success has become a point of pride for many stakeholders in the community. To maintain and enhance market capture, the CSL study outlined zero to five-year and five-to-10-year investments that focus on various initiatives to address post-COVID-19 conditions and other industry trends.

In the first five years, investments, such as expanded meeting space of 10,000 square feet, would improve DPCC’s ranking among its competitive set from fifteenth to sixth. Additionally, enhancing broadcast, streaming and other new technologies will be important as virtual meetings continue to grow during and after the pandemic. CSL also identified a need to expand create open spaces, including lobbies, concourses and an outdoor event area adjacent to DPCC. The latter recommendation was fulfilled in 2024 with the re-imagining of Lyon Square, a public plaza along the Grand River between DPCC and the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel. The new Lyon Square features accessible pathways, heated pavements, dynamic lighting, a scenic river overlook and greenspace.

In years five to 10, CSL recommends the launching of 550 or more new hotel rooms in and around the downtown area to support any future large-scale DPCC expansion, with 300 to 500 of these rooms being attached or adjacent to the facility. In years six through 10, finalization of program targets and expansion of the DPCC could take place, provided market demand and overall occupancies warrant this increase in event space.

Bolstering the economy through professional sports

The Grand Rapids market currently supports three minor league sports teams (Grand Rapids Gold basketball, Grand Rapids Griffins hockey, West Michigan Whitecaps baseball) and one major league franchise (Grand Rapids Rise women’s volleyball). The skyrocketing popularity of soccer in the U.S., especially amongst Millennials, makes it a perfect complement to the city’s sports roster.

In 2023, Grand Action 2.0 signed an agreement with the Grand Rapids-Kent County Convention/Arena Authority (CAA) to pursue the development, funding and construction of a soccer venue. Within a year, plans for a $175 million, 8,500-seat soccer arena were unveiled, a site was chosen in downtown Grand Rapids and naming rights were purchased by Amway, a global health & beauty company headquartered in Grand Rapids. Construction of the “Amway Stadium” is set to begin in early 2025 and be completed in early 2027.

Even before ground was broken on the stadium, it was announced that the future Grand Rapids soccer team will be part of MLS Next Pro, a men’s professional soccer league that provides a pathway for young players to develop into Major League Soccer first-team players. While Next Pro features a high level of competition, its ticket prices compare favorably with our other teams, which are known for affordable family fun.

The stadium is projected to host roughly 17 professional matches a year along with 56 other events, and draw upwards of 164,000 visitors per season. It is expected to be used year-round, including as an additional venue for such annual city celebrations as ArtPrize, the world’s most attended public art event, and World of Winter, America’s largest winter festival.

Bringing outdoor events and entertainment to Kent County

As Grand Rapids increasingly attracts touring artists and promoters to premier venues including the Van Andel Arena, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, and DeVos Performance Hall, local stakeholders have noticed a gap in the local live performance venue infrastructure. This has forced large outdoor-specific tours to bypass the market due to the lack of a large, modern amphitheater venue.

A comprehensive market research study estimated that a new amphitheater in downtown Grand Rapids could attract dozens of major concerts and other events and draw many thousands of visitors from a large regional area. Other uses for the space could include community events, comedy shows and performances. Events would cater to a broad audience, reflective of the diverse cultures, ages and musical tastes of the entire community.

Grand Action 2.0 partnered with the local convention authority to move forward on developing  a downtown amphitheater. In summer of 2023, they announced plans to acquire 31 acres of city-owned property along the Grand River and revealed their vision for the site. With an overall capacity of 12,000 seats – 7,000 fixed and 5,000 on the lawn – the new state-of-the-art amphitheater is projected to host 54 ticketed events and 300,000 visitors every season, generating $490 million new economic impact over the net 30 years.

The amphitheater will be surrounded by dining and retail options, with outdoor seating in a public park setting, making it ideal for formal and informal gatherings and uses throughout the year. All of these amenities will be located less than a 10-minute walk from Grand Rapids’ downtown convention neighborhood.

In September 2023, it was announced that the facility will be known as “Acrisure Amphitheater” after local financial tech company Acrisure LLC purchased naming rights for $30 million – more than half the total project goal for private donations.

Construction began in 2024, with completion anticipated in 2026.

Ambitious development leads to economic prosperity

Just like Grand Action 2.0, we’re confident in West Michigan’s bright future and see long-term, visionary investments as a key to ensuring our region continues to grow and thrive. Our community must look forward to the future of arts, conventions and entertainment to best maximize the potential of Grand Rapids’ tourism and event industry.

The development of these key recommendations will enhance the quality of life for West Michigan residents and workers, create jobs and attract business and talent to the region. As with anything Grand Action 2.0 does, public-private partnerships are key to these developments. While the organization identifies opportunities and secures private investment up front, each of the projects will require public sector leadership and investment.

Our community’s continued economic momentum will be dependent, in large part, on the public and private sector’s readiness to take bold steps that stimulate growth, investment and employment. Fortunately, Grand Action 2.0 has outlined an ambitious path to follow. Experience Grand Rapids looks forward to supporting this journey, and we are confident it will elevate Grand Rapids as a national and international destination.

Grand Action 2.0 isn’t the only organization investing in the future of Grand Rapids. Click here to browse other significant developments.