Is there room at the inn?

Cruise through any hotel parking lot in Macomb County and you will be amazed by the mosaic of out-of-state license plates and rental care stickers.  Each day, hundreds of business professionals visit the county to meet with local companies or explore expansion opportunities.

To pique the interest of these welcome visitors and perhaps help them decide to make a greater investment in our communities, the department assisted in publishing the first ever “Macomb Magazine.”

This 40-page piece was created in conjunction with Ford & Earl Associates, Inc and is prominently placed at kiosks in both terminals at Detroit Metro Airport, libraries throughout the county and on the bedside table in many of our finer hotel rooms. 

According to Vic Martin, President of Best Western Sterling Inn Banquet and Conference Center , “We’re excited to see a publication devoted to Macomb County featuring information of interest to visitors to our area.  We’ve placed the magazine in all 246 of our rooms in the hopes that our corporate guests will take the information back with them and consider the benefits of locating a business in Macomb County.  If just one of our thousands of visitors is persuaded to open a location in our county, the cost of publication would pale in comparison to the economic benefit derived.  We hope to work with the department on other creative ideas to attract business to our area.”

Most of the cost to print the 75,000 copies produced was provided through the sponsorship of area companies like Anderson, Eckstein and Westrick, Inc., Beaumont Hospitals, Henry Ford Macomb Hospitals, Oakland University , Macomb Community College, Automation Alley and SMART.

Ten local municipalities also opted to be highlighted in the magazine including the cities of Mount Clemens, Sterling Heights and Warren. 

Warren Economic Development Director Diana Kolakowski says, “We are using this publication as part of our overall package of information for company representatives who are considering expanding or relocating here in Warren.”  Warren partnered with General Motors and Warren Consolidated Schools to help cover the cost of a five-page spread that was cleverly designed by Ford & Earl in conjunction with city personnel.

The magazine has also been a helpful tool for MCPED Economic Development Services Group.  Bob Tess, Program Manager, says, “All of our local communities are struggling with decreased revenues that are counterproductive to efforts to retain, create and attract new business to the county.  This was a very cost efficient way for us to develop a quality product that would benefit all of Macomb County.”

Howard English, Director of Marketing Communications at Ford & Earl, worked to solicit sponsorships, coordinated design services for many of the advertisement and is responsible for keeping the kiosks at the airport replenished.  “The response to this has been phenomenal.  I think Macomb County can be very proud of their first edition.  I’ve already replenished thousands of copies at Detroit Metro and the airport projections for 2009 show that 38 million travelers will utilize the McNamara and the brand new North Terminals. The magazine is receiving great exposure with area residents and travelers from around the world.

Additional copies for communities, hotels or other places where visitor traffic is heavy are available at no cost.  For information on obtaining free copies to join our list of potential sponsors for the next edition, please contact our offices at (586) 469-5685 or e-mail:  emacomb@macombcountymi.gov