Grand Rapids Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in downtown turns 30 Refurbished hotel led to revitalization of city's skyline

By Ted Roelofs The Grand Rapids Press GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) -- Some 30 years ago, a dreary downtown Grand Rapids wheezed along on life support. You could just about count the restaurants on one hand. An attempt to reinvent Monroe Avenue as a shopping destination was faltering. Night life? All that was missing were the tumbleweeds. Ever the optimist, Amway co-founder Rich DeVos looked at the once-grand Pantlind Hotel and saw possibilities. So he and Amway co-founder Jay Van Andel put down what would turn out to be a $60 million bet on a city's future. "It was a total gamble," DeVos said of the decision to remake the Pantlind as the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel. At 85, DeVos was sharing memories as he sat in the lobby of the 682-room hotel, a place he confesses fills him with satisfaction each time he visits. "Pride is a sin, and I guess I sin every time I come in here. I think I get a lot more kicks out of it than most people." On Sept. 15, 1981, the refurbished hotel opened with a black-tie reception as the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel with former President Gerald Ford in attendance. Glasses clinked in celebration. But only time would tell if this bold investment would pay off. Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell recalled what downtown was like in the late 1970s. Or what it wasn't. "If you wanted a restaurant, you went to 28th Street," he said. "If you wanted entertainment, you went to 28th Street. If you wanted to see a movie, you went to 28th Street. "There was nothing left downtown." Heartwell believes the opening of the Amway Grand put the brakes on that downward spiral. And the development that has since reshaped the downtown skyline "wouldn't have happened without that first critical investment," he asserted. The years that followed confirmed downtown's transformation as a place not just to work but also to live and play. Within a one-mile radius, apartments, high-rise condominiums, river walks, night spots, an arena, museums and brew pubs are tangible proof DeVos and Van Andel were right about the heart of this city. Amway Corp., which owns the hotel, will celebrate the anniversary Sept. 28 with an event tied to Heart of West Michigan United Way's Schools of Hope, with expectations of raising $250,000 for the literacy program. The renovation project was crowned with the addition of a 29-story glass tower in 1983. The Amway Grand thus became the city's unofficial VIP and special event host and for those on the inside, the undisputed name-dropping capital of West Michigan as well. Presidents slept there. Prime ministers. Rock stars. Divas. Over the past 30 years, the guest list includes former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, James Earl Jones and Cher. Hall of Fame NFL quarterback Joe Montana stayed there, as did comedian Jerry Seinfeld and Queen Noor of Jordan. In his 23 years managing things at the hotel, Amway Hotel Corp. CEO Joe Tomaselli brushed into many of the rich or famous who checked into the hotel. He recalls the "poise and beauty" of Faye Dunaway and the "spiritual confidence" of Billy Graham. And he remembers Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, a "formidable man" who took the trouble to tell Tomaselli about his room service order: "'Joe, I want to tell you I had the best cheeseburger in my life.'" But beyond the celebrity gloss, Tomaselli said the hotel is defined by what it offers guests of all backgrounds. That means the couple from Holland who saved up for a weekend away, the wedding party from Kentwood, celebrants from a high school prom. Tomaselli said the hotel hosts four or five weddings a weekend. "Those are the real experiences that matter," he said. Between the hotel's Pantlind side and the glass tower, six restaurants offer everything from buffalo hot wings to seared bay scallops with lime basil butter. And while gourmands mourn the April closing of The 1913 Room -- the only AAA five-diamond restaurant in the state -- they also celebrate its replacement. Ruth's Chris Steak House, nationally known for choice, if pricey steaks, opened this week to an enthusiastic response. Indeed, the corner of Monroe Avenue and Pearl Street has become such a familiar part of the city landscape it is easy to forget how much that picture has changed. Published: Wed, Sep 21, 2011