Michigan Central can host conferences, keynotes, galas, product launches, networking receptions and weddings, from 25 guests in a private room to 2,000 across The Station. Its venues sit in two buildings: The Station, a restored 1913 Beaux-Arts train station, and Newlab, a technology hub on the same campus. Both stand on Michigan Central, a 30-acre technology and cultural campus owned by Ford Motor Company at 2001 15th Street in Detroit.
Seminars and company events
Newlab is set up for business events. Its Event Space takes 40 to 175 guests and has in-house audio and video for keynotes, presentations and receptions. The Conference Studio, the largest Newlab room at 9,300 square feet, takes 100 to 600 guests and looks out on the Ambassador Bridge, the Gordie Howe Bridge and The Station. The Exhibit Space (30 to 100) and the Boulevards (50 to 200), where startup prototypes are shown, work for exhibitor booths, networking and cocktail hours. A Boardroom for 30 and a Café for 20 to 40 complete the set, and a Rooftop can be added.
The Station suits high-production events: a gala in the Grand Hall, a product reveal in the South Concourse under its skylight, or a leadership dinner in The Study.
Weddings and receptions
The venue markets The Station for weddings as well as corporate events. The Grand Hall takes a large reception, The Study a smaller dinner, and the four tower terraces add an outdoor space with views of Downtown Detroit and the Detroit River.
Rooms and capacities
At The Station:
Grand Hall: 19,500 square feet, 1,000 to 1,200 guests.
South Concourse: 16,000 square feet, 800 to 1,000 guests.
The Study: 2,500 square feet, 100 to 150 guests, with high ceilings, tall windows and wood details.
Terraces: four terraces in the tower, 2,400 square feet, 160 guests.
North Court: 30,000 square feet of landscaped terrace at the main entrance, 500 guests.
The Retreat: 25 guests.
At Newlab: Conference Studio 100 to 600, Boulevards 50 to 200, Event Space 40 to 175, Exhibit Space 30 to 100, Café 20 to 40, Boardroom 30, and the Rooftop.
Catering
At The Station, Continental is the exclusive catering and beverage partner, through its Forte Belanger and Two Unique Catering brands. Security and facilities are provided by the venue; other vendors and rentals are third-party, from a preferred list. At Newlab, Michigan Central provides beverage service, security and facilities, and catering, rentals and valet come from third-party vendors.
History and setting
The Station opened in 1913 as Detroit's main train station and has been restored to its original Beaux-Arts architecture. It now anchors a campus that, according to Michigan Central, hosts more than 240 companies and 2,000 professionals, with labs, manufacturing space and the Mezz, a 17,000-square-foot coworking floor inside The Station. The public programming includes art events and seasonal Friday evenings.
Getting there
The address is 2001 15th Street, west of Downtown Detroit, near the Ambassador Bridge to Canada. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) is the main airport for out-of-town attendees. Check the event calendar when choosing a date, since The Station closes on some days for its own programming.
