Beep Beep!

Growing up in the middle of two boys, I found my play time to be equally distributed between dolls and cars. When we would play with toy cars, there was often a bus route involved that the little metal cars had to follow. What I didn’t know then was that I would be doing the same thing when I was a “grown up”.
During RCMA, we had shuttles taking attendees to and from the airport, to three different locations for a 3 hour event, to companies spread throughout GR, and to some of our biggest attractions.



Here’s what helped make this process work:

• Clear communication with the drivers. We told them about the group, why it was important to us, and what they were doing at the places they were going.
  
• A greeter. We had volunteers on each bus who acted as a host, answering any questions that the attendees might have and assisting when neededed
  
• The right amount of busses. Just because you can afford more busses, it doesn’t mean the process will necessarily go faster. Set the transportation schedule to rotate so that the shuttles are not overlapping each other and holding everything up


• Going the wrong way. Work with the city if you feel that a shuttle bus would be better off making a turn in a no left turn lane or parking in a metered zone. They can be flexible and make things easier!


• Communicate the shuttle schedule to riders effectively. They will thank you!

Hey There Stranger!

I was always taught not to talk to strangers, but in the case of this blog, I am encouraging everyone to ignore the rule. Yes, it has been a while, but I have a really good excuse! At the end of January, Grand Rapids hosted the largest conference for meeting planners of religious events – the Religious Conference Management Association’s 2009 World Conference and Exposition. This conference flexed all of our CVB and Convention Services muscle, and even developed more!

Now that the event is over, the wrap up is about wrapped up, and I have caught up on my sleep, I am ready to keep going on this adventure of a blog! For the next few postings, I plan on sharing different parts of the conference and how it can relate to your own planning.

First Topic: On Another Level...

For a preview of this, check out the video below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6-2AOxrsKc

See you on April 1st (no fooling)!

'Tis The Season

One thing I love about the Midwest is that we get to experience every season in full force. With that, optimism becomes a key part of any Mid-Westerners life – and GR is no exception. With the change in weather, you always want to look back and appreciate what is leaving (“But I just got comfortable!”). So, we find things to look forward to! Yes, my flip flops have been stored away, but walking past Rosa Parks Circle today, I realized the ice skates can come out for our city-center outdoor skating rink. The days may get dark faster, but that is great for GR, because the lights are up on the trees that line the streets for a beautiful scene. My favorite moment in the transition of fall to winter is the first snow. It’s a beautiful sight falling from the air, and then it disappears the moment it hits our heated sidewalks – a perfect combination for this outdoors-challenged girl. In GR, it seems like every season “Tis The Season” to look forward to something new!





Photo by: Balthazar Korab

Playing Dress Up

With Halloween approaching, I was thinking of different costumes that can surface this year. Since my giant pumpkin costume (worn ages 1-3) is packed away, I wondered what suggestions I might get for this years Halloween. Then I thought, what would someone wear if they dressed up like GR in the Fall? Here are some ideas:

1. Tree - cover yourself in Red, Orange, and Yellow Leaves, just like the tree lined roads people flock here to see.
2. Zombie – to fit right in with the Zombie Walk (it's exactly as it sounds; attendees dress up like Zombies and walk) at Rosa Parks Circle on 10/30
3. Couples Outfit Idea: A Doughnut and Cup of Apple Cider – cider made locally at Robinettes Apple Haus!
4. Pillow Case – For the early fall pillow fight in Calder Plaza that made national news!
5. Lion – We have new additions to our Zoo (open in the winter too)
6. Giant Crane Operator– The Medical Mile is constantly expanding with new education and research facilities, hospitals, hotels and a new Condo building
7. Tourist – someone has to take pictures of these things!

Things are always happening in Grand Rapids, which is part of the charm that entices so many to visit each year. You never know what great things you will experience, but I find it is safe to go with the motto of, "If you can't beat 'em, Join 'em!" – just remember your pillow case and face paint.

A mile a minute

Have you ever noticed that most people describe distances in time? I am an hour away, the mall is in about 15 minutes, I have 40 minutes until I am done running this mile.

In that spirit, I can proudly say that I live 25 minutes away from the beaches of West Michigan. They have won awards for the beauty, fun, and activities they provide visitors, but I want to recognize them for something greater – tradition.

Every year we walk to the end of the pier in Grand Haven, sit next to the picturesque light house, and watch the sun set. What I learned this year is that I am not the only one with this yearly task. Between weddings on the beach, campers taking their family vacations along the beachside campsites, and summertime festivals, there is much to see and do along Michigan’s West Coast. Unique shops, unforgettable dining experiences, and an upbeat atmosphere have drawn many visitors and convention goers to daytime excursions along the lakeshore year after year.

Why not show your group the Urban Beat of GR and the Lakeside Retreat of Michigan’s West Coast? It’s only 30 minutes away – and miles of memories to follow.

So Much For That New Car Smell...

On a sunny day here in GR, I am reminded of my first real “services” experience at the CVB. Last summer we had a large convention that provides youth activities for younger attendees. Tim Nelson, our Services Manager, noticed some changes in their program when they arrived and thought others in the community may have been in the dark on the new plans.

We discovered that the John Ball Park Zoo was not aware that 200 kids were coming to their facility - all with plans for buying lunch at their concession stands and meeting in a pavilion that was already reserved for another group! In about two days, with the help of the Zoo staff, a new pavilion was reserved and tickets were purchased and distributed ahead of time for a fast admission.

We had 400 hotdogs, two hundred bags of chips, and four giant lemonade dispensers ready for the kids to dive right in. Of course, the picnic feast was transported to the pavilion in my brand new car - I was craving hot dogs all week!

Can I Wear Pumps In This Operating Room?

I spent last Saturday giving a tour of GR’s attractions to a medical focused group – followed by a tour of one of the city’s newest buildings: Metro Health Hospital. We took the long route to the Hospital – driving through Heritage Hill, Uptown, past all four museums, the Entertainment District, and Medical Hill before reaching our destination.

On our tour, I learned that the construction of the Hospital was focused, like most new and refurbished structures in GR, on the environment. The hospital is joining several GR Buildings with LEED Certification, including the world’s first LEED Certified Museum, the GR Art Museum.

The tour ended by putting scrubs on and getting a sneak peak at the operating rooms. Had I known this, I wouldn’t have worn my tall black pumps! Luckily, the appeal of the stellar facility and it’s environmental benefits distracted everyone from my tall heals and oversized scrubs – and lets not even talk about the hair nets!

While I had a great time and learned a lot – next time, I will remember to wear sensible shoes!

R-O-Y-G-B-I-V

I had a very fun event last week – and after looking back on it, I realized it was pretty colorful too.

We started with the good ole’ Red, White and Blue – also known as the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. There, our group got a tour of the new exhibit, Extraordinary Circumstances, which displays photographs of the Ford Presidency by the official Whitehouse Photographer, David Kennerly. Here’s the catch – David Kennerly came in to give the tour personally!

Then we boarded a restored GR Trolley to take us to our next location. Since restoration is seen as Environmentally Friendly, I am giving this activity the color Green.

Our group then walked up the steps and into a taste of Spain at San Chez Tapas Bistro – where the Orange, Indigo, and Violet hues warmed our conversations while the aroma whetted our appetites. We enjoyed a delicious display of dishes while a local Jazz Trio helped set the tone. One of my favorite desserts served was the rich, Yellow, Crème Brule!

What better way to welcome summer than with a splash of color?

The Great Indoors

The two things I love about GR are entirely conflicting – we get four seasons, and, you don’t have to step outside if you don’t want to. Not that I don’t love the outdoors, but whether its Allergy Season, Snow Season, or Air Conditioning Season, sometimes, the Great Indoors is calling my name. And in GR, we are mastering the art of bringing the outdoors in.

I recently discussed plans for an Indoor Carnival. We assessed the location of the carnival rides and games in relation to the seating for 1400 in DeVos Place. More importantly, we decided where the Elephant Ears and Cotton Candy would go. Then there is Skywalk Golf – that’s right, a golf course (think putt-putt golf) that runs inside through the GR Skywalk. There wasn’t even hesitation when I asked about bringing in a few buckets of sand (equaling one ton) to create a beach.

Its fun to see that whatever you want to do outside, we can bring inside – and leave the bugs where they belong!