Member Newsletter

Thank you to everyone who joined me for our first Membership Moments with Melissa virtual event on April 24. Held via Zoom, the session covered recent visitor data, exciting upcoming developments, and the significant impact of the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals, which will be hosted on the MSU campus at the end of May 2025.

Going forward, key highlights from these virtual updates will be shared in your monthly newsletter, ensuring that members who couldn’t attend stay informed and connected.

Website Insights: A Closer Look at Visitor Engagement

From April 2024 to April 2025, www.lansing.org has seen an impressive 2.09 million page views, indicating a strong and growing interest in our destination. The majority of users access the site with a mobile device, underscoring the importance of maintaining mobile-friendly, up-to-date member listing content for maximum visibility.

Mark Your Calendar

Our next virtual session is scheduled for Wednesday, July 30. We’re excited to welcome Adrienne Cooley, Social Media Manager at Choose Lansing, as our special guest. We hope you’ll join us for another informative and engaging conversation.

Member Feedback

Following our April event, I received this thoughtful message from one of our members:

"I can genuinely say that was one of the most informative and positive calls I've been on in years. Thank you for putting that together."
— Jordan Munsters, High Caliber Karting & Entertainment

Thank you again for your continued engagement and support. I look forward to sharing more insights with you throughout the year.

Foodies will unite for the ultimate self-guided tour of the region’s dining scene, MAY 10-17, 2025, as participating restaurants offer a mouthwatering creation, all for an unbeatable price of just $7 and signature beverage offerings for $5.

Sponsored by Lansing 5:01, Lansing Foodies and Choose Lansing.

Come experience the excitement at High Caliber Karting & Entertainment! Discover their dynamic event spaces perfect for team building, celebrations, and more. Our host has a fun game planned to help you explore the facility, and with Karaoke in full swing, the energy will be unbeatable! Enjoy light appetizers and a drink ticket on us—don't miss out on the fun!

When: Tuesday, May 13, 2025

Time: 4:30-6:30 PM

Where: Double Clutch Bar of High Caliber Karting at Meridian Mall, 1982 W Grand River Ave Suite 800, Okemos, MI 48864

Parking: West entrance near Launch Trampoline Park

In Partnership With: Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce and High Caliber Karting and Entertainment

Join us for a FREE seminar at our Choose Lansing office in downtown Lansing. This is a two-hour basic class for First Aid, CPR & AED. The class offers a quick and easy way to get the tools needed in case of an emergency. Our certified trainer will teach the quick basics to help you in an emergency until trained help arrives. This course is taught in a dynamic and hands-on way with a National Safety Council industry-leading curriculum and content from experts in occupational first aid training.

*** This is a basic knowledge class, so you will not receive a full certification.

When: Thursday, June 12, 2025 from 9 to 11 a.m.

Where: The session will be held on-site at the Choose Lansing Visitor Center at 500 E Michigan Ave. Ste. 180.  Ample free parking is available onsite, accessible from Cedar & Larch Streets.

Congratulations to Julie Pingston for being recognized at the Pure MI Governor's Conference with a legacy award. The annual Legacy Award honors leaders and visionaries in the Michigan tourism industry and is presented to a person or organization that has positively impacted the industry in a transformative way.

Julie Pingston began her career in tourism with the U.S. Travel & Tourism Administration within the Department of Commerce in Washington, D.C. She joined Choose Lansing in 1993, and after 27 years was named President and CEO in March of 2020. As CEO, Julie leads the Choose Lansing team toward the mission to positively impact the Lansing community’s quality of life by developing the region as a visitor destination, while also creating opportunity for the industry through development of the first Certified Tourism Ambassador program in Michigan and facilitating the Lansing region's first master plan for tourism.

Throughout her more than 32 years of service to Michigan’s tourism industry, Julie has been a passionate advocate for improving accessibility in travel, developing programs like Lansing's Sensory Friendly Destination initiatives, which have been recognized as best practices at the state and national levels. Her efforts in the Greater Lansing region earned her recognition as an Accessibility Champion to Watch from TravelAbility in 2024, and the Lansing community was named by Accessible Journeys Magazine as the #2 destination in the country for accessible travel, especially for those with neurodiversity.

The Lansing Sports Commission is pleased to announce the promotion of Miranda Coleman to Sports Development Manager. 

As the Sports Development Manager, Miranda is responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with sports rights holders, national governing bodies, local facility representatives and the lodging community to solicit, secure and create sporting events for Greater Lansing.

Congratulations, Miranda!

Your annual invoice for July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026 was emailed on June 2, 2025. Payments can be made starting mid-May by visiting the Member Portal. To ensure you receive your invoice promptly, please inform Melissa Nay to mnay@lansing.org if your organization's primary billing contact has changed in the last year.

We appreciate your ongoing partnership!

Choose Lansing^® is now using SnapSea to collect and showcase user-generated content from our members and partners. This means we can pull images and videos directly from your public Instagram posts and feature them in galleries on our website, helping to promote the amazing experiences Greater Lansing has to offer.

As a valued member, you’ve already been opted in—no action needed! However, if you’d prefer not to have your content included, just let us know by contacting Adrienne Cooley at acooley@lansing.org.

Want to share additional high-quality images or videos? Upload them directly to our SnapSea Media Center here: Upload your content.

Thank you for helping us promote your organization and the Greater Lansing area!

The Greater Lansing Craft Beverage Pass is back and ready to guide your taste buds on a delightful tour of Michigan's Capital region! This curated pass unlocks exclusive deals and discounts at the area's finest craft breweries, artisan distilleries, and boutique wineries. Support local businesses and discover your new favorite craft beverage experience. 

Cheers to that!

Zap Zone XL has earned the prestigious International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Brass Ring Award for Top Family Entertainment Center (FEC) globally!

Congratulations, Zap Zone XL, on this incredible honor! What an amazing accomplishment. 

May 21 - 24, 2025

Odyssey of the Mind World Finals, one of the biggest events held in Greater Lansing, is coming back in just a few short weeks! The campus of Michigan State University will once again play host to over 16,000 visitors from all over the world. The event begins on May 21 with opening ceremonies and continues through the awards celebration on May 24. Teams will stay on campus in dorms, and spectators and volunteers will stay in local hotels.

Get involved by welcoming them! Put their event name on your marquee or pick up a welcome poster from the Choose Lansing^® visitor center to hang in your entrance. 

Odyssey of the Mind has been a leader in education for 40 years, beginning first in the 1970s. It emphasizes creativity, science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math. It started in Founder Dr. Sam's innovative industrial design classes at Rowan University. Dr. Sam believed that learning should be fun, include students' own interests, finding new uses for old items, and that the way you ask a question is everything. Visit Odyssey of The Mind for more information on the history of the event.

New City Hall: On Wednesday, April 23, the City of Lansing held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new City Hall, located at 425 S. Grand Ave. Construction of this new building is planned to be completed in the Fall of 2026, with City staff moving into City Hall in 2026. Police and the courts will continue to occupy the current City Hall space through 2026.

Former City Hall: Plans to rehab the current city hall into a hotel were approved by City Council earlier this year. Once City staff move out of the Michigan Ave. location to the New City Hall site, construction is anticipated to begin for the hotel in 2027.

Tower on Grand: New Vision Lansing’s large residential tower broke ground 2 weeks ago with construction currently underway on the site of what will be Downtown Lansing’s tallest building. Coming in the next month, the 200 block of S. Grand Ave. is expected to be closed for 1 year, as full construction happens in earnest for this 300,000-square-foot Tower. This local development project is expected to be completed by the end of 2027. Apartment leasing is expected to begin in early 2028.

Lansing Housing Commission: The Lansing Housing Commission currently has two housing projects under active construction (Riverview 220 and Grand Vista Place) on Grand Ave., bringing 115+ apartments to Grand Ave in 2026.

The Ovation: The Ovation Center for Music and Arts is currently undergoing groundwork before construction is expected to start this Spring/early Summer.

The Member Portal is your one-stop shop for maximizing your membership benefits. Choose Lansing offers convenient in-person or Zoom virtual training to best fit your schedule. Here's a glimpse of what you can accomplish:

Boost Your Online Presence

Update your business listings on both Lansing.org and LansingSports.org to ensure potential customers always have the latest information.

Showcase your business with fresh photos on your website listing.

Generate Business & Leads

Access the convention calendar to see who's in town. Great for outbound marketing.

Respond directly to leads for hotels, meeting facilities, or sports venues.

Offer exclusive discounts or special coupons to attract new customers.

Connect & Network

Easily connect with your industry peers and expand your professional network. 

Manage Your Account & More

Post hospitality job openings directly to the website to find top talent. 

Pay your membership dues quickly and conveniently.

Promote your public events.

Order visitor guides for your guests and clients.

Update your contact information so you never miss an important update.

Contact Beth Jespersen with questions or to set up your member portal training. 

• 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.