Member Newsletter

Happy Spring!

For those who were unable to join us at last month’s Annual Meeting, we’re excited to share that 2025 was another record-breaking year for our region. We reached a total of 1,137,836 room nights consumed, and closed the year with our highest membership to date at 631 members. Even more impressive, we achieved a retention rate of 93.6%. Thank you for your continued partnership and for helping make our region such a successful destination.

If you haven’t yet registered for our second-quarter virtual event, we encourage you to do so. We’ll be joined by Meghan Ziehmer, Executive Director of the Lansing Sports Commission, who will share insights on several impactful sporting events coming to our region this quarter.

Please plan to join us on Monday, April 13, 2026, at 2:30 PM. Register to attend. 

In March, Melissa Nay had the honor of presenting James Lennon, Executive Director of the Old Town Commercial Association (OTCA), with a commemorative plaque recognizing the organization’s 30 years of impact in the Lansing area.

Founded in 1996, OTCA is a nonprofit organization committed to the revitalization, preservation, and continued growth of Lansing’s historic Old Town district. Over the past three decades, Old Town has evolved into one of the region’s most vibrant and sought-after destinations—celebrated for its locally owned businesses, thriving arts scene, signature festivals, and distinctive dining experiences.

Join us in celebrating Old Town as a true cornerstone of our community— an example of how vision, collaboration, and local pride can shape a destination. We are fortunate to have such a dynamic and culturally rich district contributing to our region’s identity for the past 30 years, and we look forward to its continued success for many years to come.

Greater Lansing’s 517 Entrepreneurship & Innovation Week returns April 6-10, bringing together entrepreneurs, business leaders, students, and community members to celebrate inclusive innovation, creative enterprise, and economic growth.

There are more than 20 events happening across the region, including free workshops, panels, and networking opportunities, hosted by Lansing Economic Area Partnership | LEAP.

As part of E&I Week, Choose Lansing will host a Certified Tourism Ambassador (CTA) class on Thursday, April 9, at AC Hotel. This interactive course provides a deeper understanding of Greater Lansing’s attractions, culture, and events, along with practical tools to confidently share the region's story and create welcoming, memorable interactions for visitors.

Participants who complete the course earn their official CTA designation and access to exclusive tours and networking events.

Explore the full E&I Week schedule and get involved: https://www.517ei.com/

Join us for a lively Joint Member & CTA Mixer at One North Kitchen & Bar in East Lansing as we toast Cinco de Mayo and National Travel & Tourism Week in one festive evening.

This fun, flavorful night is brought together with our friends at the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce and proudly sponsored by Notre Dame Federal Credit Union, whose support helps make great connections and great celebrations possible.

Expect good vibes, great conversations, and a perfect after-work atmosphere to connect with fellow members and travel-minded professionals—all while enjoying the energy of Cinco de Mayo.

Date: Tuesday, May 5, 2026
Time: 4:30 – 6:30 PM
Location: One North Kitchen & Bar East Lansing
1310 Abbott Rd., East Lansing, MI 48823

Come for the networking, stay for the fiesta. We can’t wait to see you there. Register now to attend. 

On March 17, 2026, the City of Lansing's Andy Kilpatrick and Christopher Mumby held a virtual seminar with upcoming impactful city construction projects for the 2026 construction season. 

The following are the City's Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) separation projects for 2026:

• CSO 015S Project - mostly in the Westside (west of MLK Blvd and south of Saginaw Street) neighborhood with some impacts to major Streets (Jenison and Ottawa). The construction of this project continued over the winter and is scheduled to be completed in 2026.
• CSO 016/017 Phase 2 Project -  mostly in the Turner-Dodge neighborhood (NW of E. North Street and Turner Road) with impacts to Thompson and E North Streets. The project will start back up March 23rd and is expected to be completed in 2026.
• CSO 019 Project -  north / south of Saginaw and Oakland, west of the Grand River to Chestnut Street. Oakland Avenue (M-43 WB) is closed through July 2026. Other major streets between Saginaw and Oakland are also impacted (Walnut, Seymour, Capitol & Washington). Work on Saginaw was last year. This project is expected to be completed in 2026.
• Cherry Street, Kalamazoo Street, Capitol Avenue and Pine Street Downtown CSO area -  The project will have multiple phases, not all streets will be closed at once. The project is scheduled to start March 23rd and be completed in the fall.
• Downtown Washington Square / Ottawa Street Project - Work on Ottawa between Capitol Ave and Washington Square may happen in 2026. The remainder of the planned work for Washington Square and Ottawa (originally to be overseen by the US Army Corps of Engineers) will be included in future CSO projects.

For more information and to stay up to date, visit City of Lansing's CSO.

Infrastructure Projects:

• Michigan Avenue - Pennsylvania Ave to the Lansing/East Lansing city limits - Complete except for installation of a traffic signal at Clippert, striping of the cycle track (green line) and installation of flexible delineator posts for the on-street bike lanes to provide increased visibility of the bike lanes.
• Pennsylvania Avenue, Mt Hope Avenue to the Red Cedar River - Reconstruction, roadway closed to through traffic with a late August 2026 completion date.
• Mt Hope Avenue, Pennsylvania Avenue to Aurelius Road - Rehabilitation with water main upgrades, roadway closed to through traffic, scheduled to start in late March with a late August completion.
• Jolly Road, Cedar Street to Pennsylvania Avenue - Rehabilitation with storm sewer upgrades, roadway closed to through traffic, scheduled to start in July 2026 with a November 2026 completion.
• Cavanaugh Road, MLK Blvd to Cedar Street - Rehabilitation with sewer spot repairs, roadway

For more information and to stay up to date, visit City of Lansing's construction website. 

On March 18, 517 Business held the first 517 Business Awards. It was a night dedicated to honoring the innovation and heart within our local business scene. 

Congratulations to UnoDeuce Multimedia for receiving the Socially Responsible award, recognizing their commitment to "baking purpose" into their business plan and showing real results. 

Congratulations to Graze Craze Charcuterie Boards & Boxes for receiving the Strong Start award, distinguishing themselves as a rising star that has made significant strides in the early stages of their business. 

To learn more, visit 517 Business Awards.

Choose Lansing^® is teaming up with Lansing Foodies and Lansing 5:01 for the 3rd annual 517 Restaurant Week, a delicious week-long celebration of local eats. We want you in the action!

It is 100% FREE to join and you keep ALL the profits. 

RESTAURANT SIGN-UP HERE

Restaurant Week will be occurring May 9-17, 2026.

To participate:

• Offer ONE awesome $7 signature dish (your choice!)
• Optional $5 specialty drinks

Get featured across WLNS, Lansing 5:01, Choose Lansing^®, and Lansing Foodies.

Deadline to sign up is Friday, April 24, 2026. 

New features for 2026

• Your dish will be on the website within 48 hours! Early birds will get the most promotion
• There will be a map for consumers to plot out their route for the week
• We will have posters, table tents, & stickers. Let us know if you want some, and we will drop off.

Have questions? Reach out to Melissa Nay at mnay@lansing.org. 

The Michigan Hospitality Foundation announced the winners of the 2026 ProStart Competition, demonstrating the highest level of professionalism, creativity, and excellence in the culinary arts. 

 Wilson Talent Center took first place in the Tabletop Design Competition. Congratulations!

The top winners will advance to the National ProStart Invitational in Baltimore, representing Michigan's hospitality industry at the highest level this April.

Congratulations to all the students who competed at the 2026 ProStart Competition! 

Photo Credit: Michigan Hospitality Foundation

The MSU Spring 2026 Commencement Dates are April 30 - May 9, 2026.

Learn more at 2026 MSU Spring Commencement Schedule.

For information on group dining, hotels, and other visitor resources, visit Michigan State University at lansing.org.

• Tuesday, August 4, 2026, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
• Thursday, September 10, 2026, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, October 7, 2026, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• Monday, November 16, 2026, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

All classes will be located at the Choose Lansing® offices, located at 500 E. Michigan Ave.  Ste 180. Free parking is available in the back of the building that can be accessed from both Cedar & Larch Streets. Light refreshments are provided at each class.

Register for a class.

Apply to the Kristina Kauffman Scholarship Fund. 

Contact Melissa Nay with any questions.at mnay@lansing.org or by phone at 517-377-1410.