Member Newsletter

August is here, which means one thing in Greater Lansing—it’s almost time to welcome thousands of Michigan State University students back to campus! With the return of students comes an exciting and busy season for many of our members.

Last week, we hosted our quarterly Membership Moments with Melissa virtual meeting, where we shared important Michigan State University dates to help you plan for the months ahead. Be sure to bookmark these dates as they can have a significant impact on visitor traffic, business activity, and hotel demand throughout the region.

Upcoming MSU Dates

• Welcome Week (Freshmen & Sophomores): August 25–27
•  First Day of Classes: August 31
• Parents Weekend: October 16–18
• Fall Commencement (Breslin Center): December 18–19

2026 MSU Football Home Schedule

• Friday, September 4 – Toledo Rockets
• September 12 – Eastern Michigan Eagles
• September 26 – Nebraska Cornhuskers
• October 10 – Illinois Fighting Illini
• October 17 – Northwestern Wildcats
• November 14 – Washington Huskies
• Friday, November 20 – Oregon Ducks

Missed the virtual meeting? The recording is available in the Member Portal for you to watch at your convenience.

If you need assistance accessing the Member Portal or have not yet set up your account, please reach out to me. I’m happy to help get you connected so you can take advantage of all the resources available to our members.

Next Membership Moments will be in October. Date to be announced soon!

Ingham County voters overwhelmingly approved the Tourism, Entertainment Facilities, and Arts Proposal, increasing the county's lodging tax on visitor overnight stays from 5% to 8%. Paid entirely by out-of-town visitors, this modest increase generates dedicated revenue to bolster the community. Choose Lansing will work with county commissioners to help prioritize a funding plan and more details will be released in the coming months. If you have any questions, please reach out to Julie Pingston at jpingston@lansing.org. 

Don’t lose out on valuable member benefits! Payments were due July 1^st but if you did not receive your invoice in June, please let us know! You can update your invoice recipient via the member portal or send an email to mnay@lansing.org to ensure we have the correct contact information for the person who will be receiving your invoice. Payments can be made now by logging into the Member Portal.

We appreciate your ongoing partnership!

We are saying a bittersweet farewell to Cindy Holmes, our Membership & Visitor Services Coordinator. Cindy's dedication to supporting our local members and welcoming guests to Greater Lansing has been invaluable to our team and community. 

We want to extend our gratitude to Cindy for her commitment to Choose Lansing and wish her the best in her next chapter. Thank you, Cindy!

If you have any questions or need help, please reach out to Melissa Nay at mnay@lansing.org.

Congratulations to Happendance on an incredible milestone - 50 years of inspiring our community through the art of dance!

Recently, Melissa Nay, Director of Membership & Community Engagement at Choose Lansing, had the honor of presenting Rachel Miller, Chief Executive Officer of Happendance, with a commemorative plaque celebrating the organization's 50th anniversary.

Founded in June 1976, Happendance has spent five decades enriching the Greater Lansing community through outstanding dance performances and educational programs that have inspired generations of dancers and audiences alike.

To mark this special anniversary, Happendance returned to where it all began with a 50th Anniversary Gala Concert on July 31 and August 1 at the MSU Floodplain, just outside the MSU Auditorium—the same location where the organization held its very first performance in 1976.

Congratulations to everyone at Happendance on 50 remarkable years. We look forward to seeing your impact continue for many years to come!

Choose Lansing is proud to celebrate another incredible community milestone!

Director of Membership & Community Engagement Melissa Nay recently presented a commemorative plaque to the DeWitt Ox Roast in honor of the festival's 80th anniversary. The plaque was presented to current Ox Roast President Sheryl Landgraf and accepted alongside DeWitt Mayor Sue Leemig, Mayor Pro Tem Dave Hunsaker, the 2026 Ox Roast Planning Committee, and of course, Witty, the beloved Ox Roast mascot.

Since its beginning in 1946, the DeWitt Ox Roast has brought generations of families, friends, and visitors together to celebrate community, tradition, and hometown pride. For 80 years, the festival has showcased the rich heritage of DeWitt while creating lasting memories through entertainment, activities, and community connection.

This year's celebration, taking place August 14-16, promises to be one to remember with a fun-filled 80s theme as the community honors eight decades of this cherished tradition.

Congratulations to everyone who has helped make the DeWitt Ox Roast a lasting success. We look forward to celebrating this remarkable milestone and wish the committee another fantastic year!

Congratulations to the State Room Restaurant at the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center! They have been honored for the 21st consecutive year in Wine Spectator's 2026 Restaurant Awards, recognizing the world's best restaurants for wine lovers.

Cheers to the State Room team on continuing a remarkable tradition of fine dining and exceptional pairings. 

Congratulations to Playmakers for being recognized as one of the Best Running Stores. 

The Best Running Stores awards program honors running speciality stores for their dedication to their communities, staff, and innovation. In 2026, the program received more than 8,300 nominations of 270 unique stores across 49 states. Learn more at Best Running Stores.

Thank you so much to everyone who joined us for our summer mixer at Lansing Duckpin! It was fantastic catching up, connecting with new faces, and enjoying a little friendly competition on the lanes. 

A big thank you to the team at Lansing Duckpin for providing a great space and fantastic atmosphere for our group, and Toscana, Old Bag of Nails, and Dunk'd for the delicious food!

We look forward to seeing you in the fall!

• Monday, November 16, 2026, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• Thursday, February 18, 2027, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• Wednesday, March 10, 2027, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, April 20, 2027, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• Monday, May 17, 2027, 1 p.m. to 5 pm.m.
• Wednesday, June 9, 2027, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 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.