GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The West Michigan Sports Commission (WMSC) is partnering with ASM Global to handle the booking policy of the proposed 8,500-seat soccer stadium in downtown Grand Rapids.
In a resolution approved by the Grand Rapids-Kent County Convention/Arena Authority (CAA) in a meeting on Friday, it was decided that WMSC would help book events at the venue when it's not being used for professional soccer matches.
Events WMSC could book include regional and national soccer tournaments as well as other field sports, such as flag football, lacrosse, field hockey and rugby.
"We've got a long-standing history of bringing events in on a statewide, regional, national, international basis and so we would see that as a great asset to fill on non-team dates," said Mike Guswiler, president of WMSC. "So a lot of opportunity for us and we're excited about it."
Guswiler said there are already groups eager to be booked.
"We've got people already reaching out to us, amazingly," Guswiler said. "It's a proposed project, certainly a lot of design elements done to it, but it would give us the capacity to bring people into town and certainly put some events in there."
In March, the Grand Rapids City Planning Commission approved rezoning land for the stadium, which would be built near Lake Michigan Drive and Winter Avenue downtown. This is also around the downtown YMCA and the former site of the Big Boy restaurant.
The special land use request was submitted by Grand Action 2.0's Executive Director, Kara Wood.
Grand Action 2.0 is creating plans and securing funding for the stadium, while the Grand Rapids Kent County Convention/Arena Authority (CAA) will own and operate the venue.
The project could cost as much as $175 million, with $115 million in public money and a plan to raise $60 million from the private sector.
On Aug. 6, Kent County voters will vote on a proposal that seeks to raise Kent County's lodging tax on hotel and motel stays.
The option to put this to voters was made available through legislation signed by Governor Whitmer in April.
If approved by voters, it would bring the hotel tax in Kent County up from its current 5% to 8%. Combined with other state and local taxes, this would bring the total tax for a hotel room in Kent County to 18%.
The proceeds of that increased tax, some leaders have said, would help pay for the proposed soccer stadium, as well as a new amphitheater and possibly an aquarium.
Planners said the city could see an economic impact of more than $400 million once the stadium is built.
Initial plans call for the first game to happen in the spring of 2026.
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