Venue Tower at the BOB - 20 Monroe Live - House of Blues/Live Nation Venue

[grandrollerz]

am I really that clueless about the artists in the lineup schedule?? I don't know any of them...are any of them big names??

[discgrab21]

1 hour ago, GRDadof3 said:

20 Monroe Live is now owed by Gun Lake Casino; getting name change:

https://grbj.com/news/arts-entertainment/gun-lake-casino-renames-20-monroe-live/

Looks like it is still owned and operated by Live Nation.  GLC just bought the naming rights. 

[HomePortSupplyCo]

2 hours ago, GR_Urbanist said:

The name is still not really catchy. Maybe even less. But the facility now has casino money backing it, so that makes it worth it.

Put some nickel slots in and my mom would basically live there. LOL!

Could also have gone with Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Concert Hall... 

 

Gun Lake Casino is owned and operated by the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians (Gun Lake Tribe).

[GRDadof3]

On 6/24/2021 at 2:15 PM, GR_Urbanist said:

The name is still not really catchy. Maybe even less. But the facility now has casino money backing it, so that makes it worth it.

Put some nickel slots in and my mom would basically live there. LOL!

Nickel slots. Haven't seen a nickel in a long time.

[GR8scott]

Is it just me or is the front door of this place extremely lame, I mean theres a slight retro facade but you can easily drive by and not notice what it is. Now thats theres a casino involved they should put up a sign that grabs your attention like a real casino or a real theater would....

[joeDowntown]

When they originally announced the name, I really liked the sign they had in the rendering. Would be great to see GLC do something with an old retro sign look.

 

[localtalent]

[gvsusean]

35 minutes ago, localtalent said:

Spill it

[GRDadof3]

What's left to do here? The beer garden they've talked about for years? 

[Cookin_peacocks]

On 11/5/2021 at 11:46 AM, GRDadof3 said:

What's left to do here? The beer garden they've talked about for years? 

Maybe they found the 8 stories they lopped off the top?

Edited November 8, 2021 by Cookin_peacocks

[discgrab21]

I mean, I saw them putting up a digital marquee over their main entrance last week...?

[joeDowntown]

Wonder if someone bought the building (it’s been for sale for a while). Maybe the business as well?

Joe

[joeDowntown]

The BOB and 20 Monroe Live are being sold (to separate buyers). Not many details. I’m sure this is what @localtalentwas talking about. Anyone have details on what’s planned?

https://www.woodtv.com/news/grand-rapids/sales-pending-for-the-bob-and-concert-venue-in-grand-rapids/

[GRDadof3]

8 hours ago, joeDowntown said:

The BOB and 20 Monroe Live are being sold (to separate buyers). Not many details. I’m sure this is what @localtalentwas talking about. Anyone have details on what’s planned?

https://www.woodtv.com/news/grand-rapids/sales-pending-for-the-bob-and-concert-venue-in-grand-rapids/

The rumors on FB are that Amway bought the BOB and are turning it into a hotel. 

[joeDowntown]

1 hour ago, GRDadof3 said:

The rumors on FB are that Amway bought the BOB and are turning it into a hotel. 

Hmm. To me, that building doesn’t make a whole lot of sense for a hotel. The footprint is large, seems like an odd layout for hotel rooms. The way they built Venue tower and 20 Monroe live also would make it hard to add anything substantial. 

Could be true since it’s Amway money, but seems like there are a lot of other places that would be easier to build/retrofit into a hotel. 

Anyone know how hotel occupancy has been doing lately?  Curious how the newer hotels have been doing. 

Joe

[GRDadof3]

2 hours ago, joeDowntown said:

Hmm. To me, that building doesn’t make a whole lot of sense for a hotel. The footprint is large, seems like an odd layout for hotel rooms. The way they built Venue tower and 20 Monroe live also would make it hard to add anything substantial. 

Could be true since it’s Amway money, but seems like there are a lot of other places that would be easier to build/retrofit into a hotel. 

Anyone know how hotel occupancy has been doing lately?  Curious how the newer hotels have been doing. 

Joe

There are more hotels than things to do downtown.

[mgreven]

I saw those Amway hotel rumors too. That seems so weird to me - gotta be just people joking around. Love or hate the BOB, there are plenty of locations to build another hotel that doesn’t remove several restaurants, live music venues,  a brewery , banquet facilities and a comedy club. Those are great things we need downtown…maybe they are buying it to be part of a hotel development across the street or something.

[GRDadof3]

On 12/4/2021 at 2:34 PM, mgreven said:

I saw those Amway hotel rumors too. That seems so weird to me - gotta be just people joking around. Love or hate the BOB, there are plenty of locations to build another hotel that doesn’t remove several restaurants, live music venues,  a brewery , banquet facilities and a comedy club. Those are great things we need downtown…maybe they are buying it to be part of a hotel development across the street or something.

Maybe they bought it because Greg Gilmore may be struggling financially through the pandemic and the Amway hotel people didn't want to see it sit vacant. Rightfully so. It could use a makeover too, it's looking kind of tired and could use a better restaurant lineup. It could be cool again with some heavy investment. 

A hotel would be odd. What would you get, 30 or so rooms? 

[joeDowntown]

3 hours ago, GRDadof3 said:

Maybe they bought it because Greg Gilmore may be struggling financially through the pandemic and the Amway hotel people didn't want to see it sit vacant. Rightfully so. It could use a makeover too, it's looking kind of tired and could use a better restaurant lineup. It could be cool again with some heavy investment. 

A hotel would be odd. What would you get, 30 or so rooms? 

I agree. It’s an asset for surrounding hotels, etc. while it’s not my cup of tea, I hope the concept stays (and gets a few updates). 

I’d put my money on Gun Lake buying 20 Monroe live  they already have an agreement with them and it might be a good move for their investment arm  

Joe

[cstonesparty]

1 hour ago, joeDowntown said:

I agree. It’s an asset for surrounding hotels, etc. while it’s not my cup of tea, I hope the concept stays (and gets a few updates). 

I’d put my money on Gun Lake buying 20 Monroe live  they already have an agreement with them and it might be a good move for their investment arm  

Joe

Could be Live Nation too though…

[localtalent]

My understanding is AHC will operate the hotel, not own it and LiveNation will continue to operate 20 Monroe.

[GRDadof3]

47 minutes ago, localtalent said:

My understanding is AHC will operate the hotel, not own it and LiveNation will continue to operate 20 Monroe.

So it is going to be a hotel? Interesting. It is something like 70,000 square feet so maybe you can get 50 or so rooms. I wonder if they'll leave some of the restaurants in it. Maybe a Hard Rock Hotel. 

[Cookin_peacocks]

On 12/4/2021 at 7:58 AM, GRDadof3 said:

The rumors on FB are that Amway bought the BOB and are turning it into a hotel. 

I used to work at the Amway and I can assure you they have plans to turn the BOB into a hotel. I just never said anything because, well, I couldn't. 

 

That's doesn't mean that's what's happening here. I just know it was definitely something they had plans for.

[wingbert]

Visit Grand Rapids, we’ve got great hotels where you can stay while you enjoy our great local…. uhhhhh…. other hotels.

[GR8scott]

THis would be a very odd move. The BOB is a huge draw for visitors and its right across the street from the massive riverfront surface lot that Amway Hotels already owns, why not develop that with a ramp to increase parking there along with a tower that would have more rooms than the BOB and keep the BOB for entertainment purposes??? If its got to go, hopefully the Gun Lake Band is able to put a casino in it at least to make up for the lost tourist destination.