If you’re looking for an event location that provides flexibility, a variety of amenities, and plenty of after-hours options for guests, a college town like East Lansing, home to Michigan State University, is the spot for you.
Here are the top five benefits you’ll discover when you plan your event near the campus of MSU.
Universities are built to house and host large numbers of people. Classrooms, conference rooms, hotels, dorms, and other spaces are all in abundance, especially at large universities like MSU.
The Breslin Student Events Center offers seating for 16,000 people with 19,000 square feet of exhibit space and a 29,000-square-foot concourse. Nearby, the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center offers thirty-two meeting rooms, the largest of which is the 12,000-square-foot ballroom.
The area also boasts unique spaces like the MSU Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education, which includes an exhibit hall, a 2,000-seat indoor arena, and a 364-seat auditorium. Spaces like the MSU Horticulture Gardens provide a stunning outdoor backdrop for events with up to 400 guests.
With a variety of meeting spaces, plenty of parking, and catering options, being near Michigan State University offers access to all the amenities an event could need.
You’ll find new audio-visual equipment, hybrid meeting set-ups, and other high-end technology at many universities, but MSU also has access to unique technology that you won’t find anywhere else.
MSU operates the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB), a world-class research, teaching, and training center that draws students and researchers from around the world. Think scientists accelerating atomic nuclei up to two-thirds of the speed of light to create rare isotopes. We may not fully understand how it works, but we do know you won’t find a facility like this just anywhere. The FRIB offers meeting space as well!
MSU’s campus is also home to TechSmith, a software company that helps people create and share images and videos for better training, tutorials, and everyday communication. TechSmith’s brand new headquarters in East Lansing offers space available for smaller groups.
Looking for slightly less unique but still high-end meeting technology? Try a venue like the James B. Henry Center for Executive Development, which offers 30 meeting rooms and technology such as touchscreen controls, high-definition LCD projectors, screen and webcasting equipment, video and audio-conferencing equipment, and laptop computers. For ultimate convenience, there are 128 rooms at the adjoining Candlewood Suites Hotel.
A meeting planner’s worst nightmare is a last-minute cancellation from a speaker. However, when you plan your event in a college town, there’s no need to fret; you’re near hundreds of professors! Not only are professors experts in their field, but they’re also experienced public speakers.
Being in the vicinity of MSU, you’re more likely to find a last-minute speaker if you need one, no matter how niche your industry is!
You’ll also find spaces with plenty of flexibility and variety, like the MSU Union. The multifaceted building is a one-stop-shop offering nine meeting rooms, a food court, Spartan Spirit Shop, and even a bowling alley.
MSU is a Big Ten school, which means big sports events that can provide great after-hours fun for meeting and event attendees. Home to 23 varsity sports teams, you can find a Spartans event or competition of some kind year-round!
For a truly unique meeting experience, football fans can book their event at the MSUFCU Club, located on the fourth floor of the Spartan Stadium. In addition to stunning views of the football field and East Lansing, the facility can host up to 5,000 people, provides gourmet catering services, offers exhibition space for up to 130 booths, and much more.
And if your attendees are fitness-focused, there are plenty of options to stay active, like hiking on local trails, kayaking the Red Cedar River, or visiting nearby fitness centers.
If your group isn’t into sports, there are plenty of fun and educational cultural attractions on campus and around East Lansing! The Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum, Abrams Planetarium, MSU Museum, and other attractions are great locations for team building and after-hours gatherings, and they can make for unique event venues.
Want to know more about planning your meeting in a college town? Chat with our MSU expert, Ariel Backus!

Ariel Backus, CMP, CTA Director of Sales, National Accounts
Ariel works with national/regional associations, Michigan State University, and corporate markets. Learn More About Ariel
Photography: Special thanks to Tom Gennara and our #lovelansing community for their awesome imagery and social media posts.
You May Also Like
Are you finding all of the event planning information you need? Please share your contact info and one of our certified meeting professionals will be happy to assist you.