About Detroit
The motor city is home to some of the biggest industries in the country and is also known for being incredibly resilient despite the economic and social upheaval. As a large metropolitan city in the northern part of America, it offers a ton of opportunities for job seekers and those wanting to live a more urban lifestyle.
The weather is mild for most of the year with pleasant temperatures for spring and summer. Where things get difficult is during the harsh Michigan winters. If you’re planning a brainstorming session, board member meetup or product launch discussion, make sure to check the forecast before you book your Detroit meeting space.
Meeting Options in Detroit
It takes more than just the right meeting space to properly hold a meeting that accomplishes the goals you have set for said meeting. There are technological needs such as audio/visual equipment for presentations, as well as computers and communication equipment for meeting with people virtually. Luckily there are a number of options in Detroit if you have a look.
- Audio/Visual Equipment
Meetings are usually accompanied by presentations. After all, most meetings are to discuss the particulars of business, and what better way to discuss them than with a presentation. While some venues will include equipment for presentations, it’s always a good idea to make sure you have what you need yourself rather than relying on the venue.
- Computers and Technology
Meetings are no longer held just in a conference room. You may have a meeting space filled with people and still be meeting with others virtually. This means you need to make sure the technology in the space is up to par or rent or buy your own to ensure the meeting is a success. What’s offered at the venue may be sufficient, but if you’d like to avoid embarrassing dropped calls or frozen video, then it’s a good idea to procure your own equipment and even tech support to go with it.
- Catering
Let’s face it, no matter what type of meeting or how short, people are bound to get hungry and thirsty. This means you need to have a plan for how to feed the attendees. Some venues offer coffee or water, but when you require something more substantial, that’s when it’s important to look at the available catering options.
Meeting Companies in Detroit
When solidifying the details for your meeting space in Detroit, look to the pros for guidance.
- Halpin Reinforcement
Technically a company that handles touring equipment for bands, Halpin Reinforcement is a highly rated local company that provides everything you could ever want in terms of audio/visual equipment for your meeting. Whether you just need a sound system to broadcast a presentation to a large auditorium, lighting for a stage or even turnkey event services where they come and set up everything for you, Halpin Reinforcement can do it all.
- Clear Choice Technical Services
While their original business was in the renting and maintaining of copy machines, don’t be fooled by that label. Clear Choice Technical Services provides top-class equipment and support for businesses to get done what they need to get done. They lease and sell all sorts of equipment from scanners, copiers, and shredders, to computers and networking devices. This means if you have need of a computer system set up for your meeting, you can give them a call and they’ll not only set up a system for you but help you maintain it so everything goes off without a hitch.
- Gary’s Catering
There are plenty of catering companies that will bring food to your business meeting, but Gary’s Catering actually specializes in catering for business meetings. They will bring to you a full spread tailored specifically for your meeting or they can provide you with all the equipment to do it yourself. They rent catering equipment out as well, everything from table linens to portable restrooms, so no matter the size or scope of your meeting, or the location, everyone will be well fed and taken care of.
Pros and Cons of Meetings in Detroit
Detroit is a city that knows how to do business, which makes it a great place to hold meetings, from the auto boom to reconstruction after years of decay, if Detroit knows anything, it’s how to get things done. As great a city as it is, that doesn’t mean it’s without some negatives as well.
Advantages
- Diversity and culture
Detroit has a lot of different mixes of people from all sorts of places. This means there’s plenty of options for the style and type of meeting you’re looking for. You’ll find helpful people wherever you go to help make your meeting a success.
- Affordable
The relative cost of living in Detroit is lower than in other similar-sized cities. This can make paying for all the things that go into your meeting a little easier. Equipment rental, venue rental, and incidentals will all be cheaper.
- Strong job market
Even if you’re only having a meeting, the talent pool in Detroit is strong and diverse, meaning that if you ever need to bring on new employees, say after a really successful meeting, you have plenty to choose from.
Disadvantages
- Winter is terrible
Bad weather can put a damper on even the most important of meetings. No one wants to be out in the cold and if the snow piles up, it can make getting to and from the meeting space a chore. If the meeting is being held in colder months, be sure to pick a venue that’s easily accessible.
- Driving is a pain
Getting around in Detroit is not an easy feat. Due to much of the reconstruction, the roads can be a mess, and finding your way around in some areas can feel nearly impossible. It might be wise to pick a venue near major landmarks so that attendees don’t have trouble arriving.
- Public transit is almost nonexistent
If you’re thinking that taking the bus might be a better option, you may want to reconsider. Public transit in Detroit has a long way to go to catch up to the rebuilding of the city. As we said, a meeting space that is centrally located is the safest option: luckily there are plenty of options available.
Famous Locations in Detroit
- The Heidelberg Project
Functioning as the largest and most iconic outdoor art display, the Heidelberg Project was originally built to draw attention to the blight and decay taking over the famous neighborhood. It has since been reinvented several times and always has something unique and eye-catching worth seeing. Once you’re done there, why not book one of the many amazing meeting spaces built into buildings in the city's historic districts?
- Comerica Park
If you’re looking for a fun place to go after meeting or maybe a place to have a company outing, then Comerica Park, home of the Detroit Tigers, is the perfect place. As the oldest single city, single name team in the American Baseball League, there’s tons of history at the park. Why not take in a game while you’re there?
- The Guardian Building
If you’re in the mood to see something truly historic and mind-blowing, then why not take a tour of the National Historic Landmark that is the Guardian Building. As the nation’s first art-deco-inspired skyscraper, there’s a ton of history and style the minute you walk into the building.
