Developments are coming fast and furious to communities across Michigan. In cities and towns from the farthest corners of Southwest Michigan to the top of the Upper Peninsula, options for meeting and event planners keep expanding.
There are new venues in eclectic, historic settings in places like Brighton and Marquette. Sports-themed facilities offer possibilities for large group gatherings and team building in Adrian, Flint, and Okemos. Multiple Mackinac Island properties opened for the 2026 season with renovations and new amenities. The infrastructure groups seek out—trails, arts, and culture—are a focus in Clare. Convention and visitors bureaus in Petoskey and Port Huron have rebranded to enhance their destination marketing efforts. Here is a sampling of what’s happening around the state.
Ada
Ada Hotel began offering Village Valet, a traditional hotel valet service for its guests. In addition, its on-site restaurant, RIX Common House, rolled out new menus and offers live music every Wednesday evening.
Adrian
The $11 million Sweebe Family Indoor Athletic Center opened at Adrian College in August 2025. The facility’s centerpiece is a 131,000-square-foot, air-supported dome. John Kolasinski, dome facility manager, says campus needs take priority, with openings for large events—including trade shows, tournaments, and camps—more likely from spring to early fall.
Ann Arbor
The new AC Hotel Ann Arbor Downtown welcomed its first guests in February 2026. The six-story boutique hotel features 139 guest rooms and meeting spaces that include a conference room that holds up to 30, a rooftop terrace suite that can be used for private events, and a cocktail bar with tapas-style bites.
Brighton/Howell Area
Le Clink Events opened on the second floor of Allor on Main in Brighton in February 2026. Owner Christina Renas says Le Clink offers space for 120 seated or 150 strolling. Planners can hire caterers or choose from a list of preferred partners. Le Clink is working on getting a liquor license, meaning bar service will eventually be handled in-house.
Clare
The Michigan Department of Transportation—in partnership with the city of Clare and area trail supporters—succeeded in funding the fixing of a 2.3-mile gap in the Pere Marquette Rail Trail in Clare. Now, sections that run from Midland to Clare and from Clare to Reed City are connected by the new paved trail section. Plans are advancing to build public restrooms at the Clare Union Railroad Depot, which sits at the trailhead and houses the Clare Area Chamber of Commerce, Clare County Arts Council, and Railroad Artifact Museum, says Lori Schuh, executive director of the Clare County Convention & Visitors Bureau. Now in its fifth year, the Destination Clare Art Sculpture Walk spawned the installation of 10 new sculptures along McEwan Street, which are on display through April 2027.
Detroit
The new Michelin Guide American Great Lakes Edition will include Detroit. The guide’s anonymous inspectors have been scouting the Detroit region for culinary gems, with the full restaurant selection to be revealed in 2027 at the Michelin Guide American Great Lakes Ceremony—the date and host city will be announced later. Visit Detroit President and CEO Claude Molinari says Detroit’s inclusion in the guide “signals to the world that our culinary scene has reached a level of excellence that’s worth traveling for.”
East Lansing
Michigan State University (MSU) opened its Student Recreation and Wellness Center in April 2026. With some 280,784 square feet of recreational space, the center features multiple fitness facilities, a turf arena, indoor pool, and basketball and volleyball courts. While primarily designed for MSU student health and wellness, the center offers rentals to planners outside the university based on availability.
Flint/Genesee
Having traditionally hosted sports-related events, Flint’s Mundy Sportsplex expanded the types of functions it hosts in its two 32,000-square-foot structures, according to Flint & Genesee Group Senior Communications Manager Sav Turbett. The indoor complex is now available for corporate events, expos, meetings, and retreats.
Gaylord
Treetops Resort in Gaylord completed a $500,000 renovation to its convention center. The refresh of the 10,000-square-foot facility that accommodates between 600 and 700 attendees includes new flooring, wall coverings, lighting, and furniture. The project follows an earlier remodel that included extensive upgrades to guest rooms, lobbies, and its indoor pool. Other expected improvements include a terrace with chairs, tables, lighting, and heating to create outdoor space for meetings, along with state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment. In total, Treetops has 25,000 square feet of meeting space.
Hickory Corners
The Gilmore Car Museum opened The Summer House, a seasonal open-air event venue designed to create a relaxed, yet elevated atmosphere for gatherings and celebrations. The museum’s Director of Special Events Ashley Wendland says The Summer House, with its proximity to the museum’s classic car collections, offers planners a memorable venue option.
Kalamazoo
Greenleaf Hospitality Group will operate the Kalamazoo Event Center, slated to open in fall 2027. The state-of-the-art event center will feature 20,000 square feet of flexible floor space for conferences, trade shows, banquets, entertainment events, and other gatherings. Greenleaf also oversees the Radisson Plaza Hotel & Suites Kalamazoo, located two blocks away and offering upscale accommodations, dining, and 50,000 square feet of versatile meeting space.
Mackinac Island
Celebrating its 140th season, Grand Hotel opened for 2026 with 25 newly renovated guest suites and a redesigned lobby level with an expanded retail corridor. The Grand Hotel-owned Gate House tavern, with space for private events, debuted an outdoor bar hosting live entertainment.
Also on Mackinac Island, Mission Point Resort opened Adirondacks Pizza. Open to the public as well as resort guests, Adirondacks offers pizza by the slice to take away and enjoy on Mission Point’s Great Lawn with expansive views of the Straits of Mackinac.
About a half mile away, Chippewa Hotel Waterfront recently unveiled select room remodels, along with updates to its Pink Pony dining room.
Marquette
Bluff Street Station is a newly restored historic event venue in downtown Marquette. Originally built as an auto service station, the building has been transformed using a combination of vintage architecture and upscale, flexible design. The venue accommodates up to 210 attendees.
A TownePlace Suites by Marriott property will open in Marquette in early September 2026. Adjoining the Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Marquette, the TownePlace Suites will have 53 guest rooms, a meeting space that holds up to 50 attendees, and an available outdoor deck.
Monroe
The Frenchtown Township Community and Event Center opened in Monroe, offering versatile space for business meetings, workshops, community programs, and other gatherings. It accommodates 580 people inside, with large bay doors that open to an outdoor gathering area. There’s also a large commercial kitchen.
Okemos
High Caliber Karting and Entertainment expanded its space for meetings and events after seeing growing demand from groups who want to mix meeting with play for team building or appreciation gatherings. Located in the Meridian Mall, High Caliber opened in 2021 with go-kart tracks and ax throwing, expanding to its current total of 105,000 square feet to add an arena for archery tag, Nerf wars, and other activities. Now, it designates up to 8,000 square feet for events, accommodating up to 500 people banquet-style or 1,292 for more casual gatherings. Parking is free and plentiful, and the parking area has space for buses.
Petoskey
The Petoskey Area Visitors Bureau debuted a revamped brand identity and destination marketing campaign. Known as “The Charm,” the organization’s new logo was inspired by the region’s most recognizable symbol: the Petoskey Stone. The campaign, titled “It’s Kinda Unreal,” showcases distinctive experiences available in the area, including walking across SkyBridge Michigan, mountain biking, downhill skiing, golfing the lakeside courses of Bay Harbor, and exploring and relaxing at the beach in Petoskey State Park.
Village Suites Bay Harbor updated its Elevation Conference Center with a new color scheme in the foyer, crisp black slipcovers for conference chairs, and new furniture. Elevation features more than 2,000 square feet, accommodating up to 100 attendees for a seated dinner or 150 for a cocktail-style or networking event. It partners with Vernales Restaurant in Harbor Springs for catering. Accommodations are steps away and include 33 suites, along with 11 vacation homes.
Port Huron
The Blue Water Area Convention & Visitors Bureau launched its new brand, “Discover Michigan’s Thumbcoast,” along with a refreshed logo. The brand capitalizes on the region’s biggest draw by focusing on its waterfront location at the confluence of Lake Huron and the St. Clair River. Along with the new branding and logo, Discover Michigan’s Thumbcoast now directs visitors to thumbcoast.org for information on attractions, events, hotels, restaurants, and more. “This identity helps us better tell our story and stand out in a competitive tourism landscape,” says Michael Hensley, the organization’s president and CEO.
Sault Ste. Marie
A $3 million project spearheaded by the Sault Convention & Visitors Bureau transformed The International 500 Snowmobile Race’s track in Sault Ste. Marie into a year-round meeting and event facility. Among the highlights are a pavilion that can be enclosed during the winter and serve as a venue for gatherings of up to 150 people year-round, and infrastructure improvements, including a paved access road, says Sault Convention & Visitors Bureau Executive Director Linda Hoath. She notes the city-owned property was previously usable just once a year for the race. Working with the city, the CVB procured a $2.5 million federal grant and raised $500,000 in matching funds from the state, Great Lakes Sports Commission, and a Patronicity crowd-funding campaign.
Southwest Michigan
The Inn at Harbor Shores in St. Joseph completed a propertywide update that included remodeling all guest rooms. Most recently, the inn’s main lobby was redone, and its on-site Plank’s Tavern on the Water restaurant received a makeover to transform into an open-concept eatery.
Blackbird Aerie Commons in Coloma opened, offering four separate indoor spaces for events totaling 7,900 square feet, plus a large garden patio suited for groups from 15 to 300. Nestled in a quiet neighborhood two blocks from Paw Paw Lake, Blackbird Aerie Commons is housed in a restored building that dates to 1931.
Traverse City
Cherry Capital Airport recently broke ground on a $120 million project that will include a new connecting concourse and four additional gates. The airport authority also approved an agreement with Traverse City-based Socks Construction to build an 89-room on-site hotel with 5,000 square feet of banquet space, a potential rooftop bar, and the possibility of expansion with more rooms. Both projects are expected to be operational in 2028.
Get Connected
Ada Hotel
adahotel.com / 616-803-8595
Choose Lansing
lansing.org / 800-648-6630
Clare County Convention & Visitors Bureau
clarecounty.com / 800-715-3550
Destination Ann Arbor
annarbor.org / 800-888-9487
Discover Michigan’s Thumbcoast
thumbcoast.org / 800-852-4242
Explore Brighton Howell Area
explorebrightonhowellarea.com / 800-686-8474
Explore Flint & Genesee
exploreflintandgenesee.org / 810-600-1404
Explore Monroe
exploremonroemi.com / 734-457-1030
Gilmore Car Museum
gilmorecarmuseum.org / 269-671–5089
High Caliber Karting and Entertainment
highcaliberkarting.com / 517-721–1790
Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau
mackinacisland.org / 906-847–3783
Petoskey Area Visitors Bureau
petoskeyarea.com / 231-348-2755
Radisson Plaza Hotel & Suites Kalamazoo
radissonkzoo.com / 269-343-3333
Sault Convention & Visitors Bureau
saultstemarie.com / 906-632-3366
Travel Marquette
travelmarquette.com / 906-228-7749
Traverse City Tourism
traversecity.com / 800-872-8377
Treetops Resort
treetops.com / 989-732-6711
Village Suites Bay Harbor
bayharbor.com / 888-229-4272
Visit Detroit
visitdetroit.com / 800-DETROIT
Visit Gaylord
gaylordmichigan.net / 800-345-8621
Visit Lenawee
visitlenawee.com / 517-263-7747
Visit Southwest Michigan
swmichigan.org / 269-925-6301
