Michigan Meetings and Events magazine announced the results of this year's Readers' Choice awards, and venues, suppliers and hosts in northwest Michigan definitely are well known to the magazine's readers, because the number of awards locally is quite impressive.
The
Hagerty Conference Center at Northwestern Michigan College and the
Dennos Museum Center both got awards in the venue category, as the Hagerty won Best Meeting/Event Venue without a hotel and the Dennos won for Best Cultural Venue.
Hagerty Center director Nate Glidden says the competition for the award was tough, and it's an honor to receive it.
"We're very pleased to have been in the same league with (nominees) like The Lansing Center, DeVos Place and Bay Harbor Inn over the past couple of years. Our team of professionals is first class, which is the only way a hospitality operation like ours can truly be successful," Glidden says.
In the hotel categories, the Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel won Best Casino and tied for Best Hotel with Meeting/Event Space with less than 200 rooms. The Grand Traverse Resort & Spa won for Best Golf Venue, and the Crystal Mountain Resort & Spa won for Best Resort, as well as Best Service.
Another familiar name to those in the northwest Michigan tourism business is Celtic Shuttle and Tours, which took home a Readers' Choice Award in the service and suppliers categories for Best Transportation.
Grandview Catering in Traverse City also won best hor'doevre in reader-submitted categories determined through Facebook polls, while the Equine Journey teambuilding program at the Inn at Bay Harbor was an Editor's Pick award winner for conference teambuilding activity.
Finally, but far from the least of the awards, the
Traverse City Convention and Visitors Bureau won Best CVB, and Events North won Best Meeting/Event Planning Company, both testimonials to the expertise in meeting and event hosting in northwest Michigan.
The magazine's annual awards are meant to honor standouts in the meetings and events industry in Michigan.
Writer: Sam Eggleston
Source: Nate Glidden, Northwestern Michigan College
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