A GR& Vision
A collaborative community vision will shape the Grand Rapids landscape, connect people and places, enrich our quality of life, and bolster our economy for generations to come.
A Singular Grand Vision
It is rare for economic development, business, government, and philanthropic and community leaders to coalesce around a single vision for moving their community forward. Grand Rapids, and more broadly Kent County, is where that happens. Guided by a grand vision, leaders and neighbors from across the community are driving plans for two transformative projects in downtown Grand Rapids: the world-class riverfront Acrisure Amphitheater and a downtown professional soccer stadium.
Transformative Impact on Quality of Life
This grand vision is transformative, as the sports and entertainment venues are cornerstones for driving further investment in one of the country's largest and most significant active riverfront developments. This transformation will catalyze investments in housing, retail, and commercial properties, bringing new jobs and igniting entrepreneurial opportunities.
These developments have already inspired work to envision parks, greenspaces, trails, and connectivity between neighborhoods and our namesake river. They will drive regional tourism for generations while enriching the quality of life for an increasingly diverse population. Development of the amphitheater and stadium alone is expected to drive more than $1.2 billion in net new economic impact in the City of Grand Rapids over the next 30 years.
A Closer Look at the Cornerstones
A World Class Amphitheater on the River’s Edge
In partnership with Grand Action 2.0, public and private sectors have led the pursuit of the Acrisure Amphitheater, a 12,000-seat riverfront entertainment venue expected to attract more than 54 ticketed events and 300,000 visitors per season.
The 90,000-square-foot professional performing arts space, made possible in part by a $30 million donation from Acrisure, seeks to draw national groups and showcase local talent, filling a venue gap in the region.
The publicly owned amphitheater will be surrounded by dining and retail in a public park-like setting adjacent to a riverwalk, trails, and riverfront greenspace.
And much like the impact of the Van Andel Arena on the Heartside neighborhood, this world-class venue will serve as a catalyst for 20 additional acres of surrounding private development, revitalizing industrial sites along the river, activating historically underutilized property with retail, housing, and commercial developments—connecting diverse communities and neighborhoods, south to Wealthy Street and beyond, to all our downtown has to offer.
A Stadium Bringing Universal Appeal to GR’s West Side
For years, Grand Rapids West Side neighbors and business owners have contended, “The West Side is the best side.” Soon, they’ll have another reason to boast.
An 8,500-seat, world-class soccer stadium designed for professional-level competition is being explored just west of the Grand River, adjacent to historic neighborhoods and one of the city’s most vibrant hospitality districts.
Located at 230 Winter Avenue NW, within walking distance of the heart of downtown, this stadium would provide the venue to bring a globally beloved sport to Grand Rapids with a full-size pitch to support local, national and international matches. The stadium is projected to host at least 17 professional games a year, drawing visitors from across the region for the world’s most popular sport.
Responding to community input on GR Forward, the Downtown Master Plan, and the Bridge South Plan, the stadium development will be the anchor in the broader district development, bringing activity, vibrancy, and connectivity to the surrounding neighborhoods. It will add to the vitality of the west side neighborhood by increasing foot traffic and customers for existing bars, restaurants, and retail while serving as a catalyst for a wider variety of housing.
Additionally, the development would feature the construction of a 224-foot pedestrian sky bridge and covered walkway over Winter Ave and Lake Michigan Drive/Pearl Street and along the western side of the YMCA to provide visitors with direct access to the existing Grand Valley State University parking structure at 520 Lake Michigan Drive.
Essential Building Blocks in the Foundation
With the amphitheater and stadium as its cornerstones, the foundation of the Grand Vision comprises several essential building blocks.
Greenspaces, Trails and Connectivity
Community voices have consistently called for greenspace, river access, and connectivity in the decades-long legacy of reimagining the formerly city-owned 201 Market property, where the amphitheater will sit. So, hand-in-hand with development of the Acriscure Amphitheater, Downtown Grand Rapids, Inc. (DGRI) is leading development of a greenspace that will provide public access to the Grand River and a paved riverbank trail, connecting south side neighborhoods to the heart of downtown Grand Rapids.
We are seeing one of the first manifestations of these investments in the reimagining of Lyon Square. When the project is complete in late 2024, this former cul-de-sac between the Amway Grand Hotel and DeVos Performance Hall will welcome pedestrians to the riverfront with accessible pathways and seating, a Grand River overlook, shade trees, native plantings, and streetscape improvements.
More broadly, DGRI, the City of Grand Rapids, Kent County, and other public sector partners are investing in the Grand River Greenway. This network of public parks, multi-use trails, and other public amenities will serve as a critical link to more than 100 miles of trails through cities, villages, forests, and farmland from Lake Michigan to Lowell. These public sector investments in Kent County will complement decades of work in Ottawa County, where the Greenway contains 9,000 acres of public land and a 36-mile trail following the river that connects Grand Haven and Grand Rapids.
Housing
Beyond its entertainment and economic value, Grand Vision helps to address the community’s critical housing shortage in several ways:
Affordable Housing: When the City of Grand Rapids sold the 201 Market property for the amphitheater development, it agreed to invest $10 million of the purchase price in the City’s Affordable Housing Fund.
Riverfront Housing: Private developers have planned a high-rise apartment complex on prime riverfront property that will feature 475 residential units and a 917-space parking deck.
West Side Housing: Spurred by the stadium and adding to the downtown-adjacent housing stock, a mixed-use Stadium District Tower is proposed to be constructed on the north end of the stadium site. The tower will include approximately 260 apartments on the top nine floors, retail, office, and restaurant space, and a 350-space parking structure. Project partners and community stakeholders expect these initial residential investments to be just the beginning, as the development spurs a wave of housing investment on adjacent sites and nearby neighborhoods.
Investment Stimulates Investment
The growth won’t stop with the foundation. We have seen the catalytic effect of public-private investments in the Van Andel Arena, DeVos Place Convention Center, and DeVos Performance Hall. The investments in the Acriscure Amphitheater, downtown soccer stadium, trails, and greenspaces will lay the foundation for private developers, investors, and entrepreneurs to contribute their ingenuity and resources to create an even grander riverfront for generations to come.
