GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — One of the first conventions to be held in Grand Rapids since the pandemic began takes place at Van Andel next week.
The International Institute Municipal Clerks Conference begins Saturday, and lasts through May 13.
However, since last March, more than 350 meetings and conferences have been cancelled in Grand Rapids. According to Janet Korn, the Senior Vice President for Experience Grand Rapids, that represents a loss of about $183 million in direct spending.
"When conference attendees come to town, they explore," said Korn. "If you’ve been to a meeting yourself, you dine in local restaurants, you pick up souvenirs for your family, you stay in our hotels, you support an entire industry here to support meetings and conventions."
Last week, Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Conference, Mayor Rosalynn Bliss, and dozens more hospitality groups across the state sent Governor Gretchen Whitmer an open letter. The letter urges her to reopen indoor meeting, convention and event spaces to 50% capacity by June 1, and 75% capacity by July 1.
"This schedule is well-aligned with President Biden’s priorities, projections, and promises as they relate to the vaccine," reads the letter. "We commend the President for making the vaccine a top priority. We have confidence in his projection that we will have enough vaccine supply for every adult in America by the end of May. And we celebrate with him as he looks toward the 4th of July as a day when we can begin to mark our independence from this virus."
The letter also commended local health officials on the response to rolling out the COVID-19 vaccine. It urged everyone to get vaccinated, so events can return safely for everyone involved.
Korn said these event and convention spaces need to know when to start planning for events. For many spaces, employees were furloughed during the pandemic, and they will need to be rehired and trained on new COVID-19 procedures. Also, many of the event planners have to plan months in advance, which is made difficult without a goal date.
"We have more meetings that are hoping to still come this year," said Korn, "but we don’t know if we can confirm them. Those planners are actually looking at other states that are more than open than Michigan right now."
However, Korn also said events would still look different for a while, including mask wearing, sanitizing, and distancing. Many conventions would have to find ways to break groups into smaller numbers to separate.
"The health and safety of our attendees and public is the first most important thing," said Korn. "And that’s why we’re advocating for the vaccines."
Current COVID-19 orders in Michigan prohibit indoor gatherings at non-residential venues with more than 25 people.
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