MSBO 87th Annual Conference
Accessibility Information
Planning for Your Visit
Please note that some accommodations require advance notice communicated to MSBO Staff by the attendee. Please contact Deneen Hansen at dhansen@msbo.org with your needs. MSBO is not responsible for providing mobility aids to conference attendees and cannot ensure the availability of services or accommodations provided through third-party entities.
Attendees are encouraged to check available services or accommodations ahead of time with the resources and information provided:
Attendees at the MSBO Annual Conference can expect to walk approximately 10-15,000 steps per day, especially if their schedule dictates repeated trips between the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel and DeVos Place (the indoor skyway path between these two buildings is nearly a quarter-mile long!) Attendees who may experience issues with this volume of walking are encouraged to make advance arrangements for mobility aids.
Room Access for Wheelchair/Wheeled Mobility Device Users
- Imperial and Pantlind Ballrooms: The Pantlind side of the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel dates to 1913 and features two ballrooms with main entrances that require the use of stairs (Imperial Ballroom, Pantlind Ballroom); however, wheelchair-accessible entry is available using service elevators operated by Amway Grand Plaza security staff.
- Attendees who are unable to use stairs should check their schedule for sessions in the Imperial Ballroom or Pantlind Ballroom and notify MSBO staff they will require special entry accommodations. Security staff will meet attendees with special entry needs at the MSBO Registration area (Main Concourse, Amway Second Floor) approximately ten minutes before sessions begin to ensure timely arrival.
- 3rd Floor Meeting Rooms: Access to the 3rd floor of the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel meeting rooms (Berkey, Grand View, Haldane, Heritage Hill, Kendall, Nelson, Pullman, Thornapple, Winchester) is limited to one set of elevators accessed from the first floor (near the Ottawa Room/Fine Arts Room).
- Atrium: The Atrium on the Lower Level can be accessed by elevator from the Tower Elevators on the west side of the building.
Please check the MSBO Conference Accessibility Maps for further information regarding accessible entry to meeting rooms.
Disability Parking
- Amway Grand Plaza: Accessible parking is available in the parking ramp on Pearl Street (garage connects to the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel via skyway access on the second floor).
- DeVos Place: Accessible parking is available in the DeVos Place parking ramp located below DeVos Place with entrances on Michigan Street and Lyon Street.
- Please refer to the City of Grand Rapids Parking Guide for other parking locations or contact The City of Grand Rapids Parking Services at 616-456-3290 with further questions. To gain access to accessible parking, proper vehicle registration is required as well as a current disabled placard with a matching identification card.
Wheelchair and Electric Conveyance Vehicle (ECV Scooter) Rental
Wheelchairs are kept in the First Aid office of Devos Place for emergency use only. Attendees needing ECVs, knee walkers, wheelchairs, or other mobility aids are encouraged to check with local providers:
- Mobility Plus Grand Rapids
- 2675 E Paris Ave SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546
https://www.mobilityplus.com/GrandRapids/
- 2675 E Paris Ave SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546
- The Creative Mobility Group
- 7740 Clyde Park Ave SW, Byron Center, MI 49315
https://www.creativemobilitygroup.com/wheelchair-vans-for-rent/scooter-rentals/#request-a-rental
- 7740 Clyde Park Ave SW, Byron Center, MI 49315
Restroom Locations
Accessible restrooms can be found on every floor of both the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel and DeVos Place:
- Amway First Floor: near Lyon Street Entrance in Pantlind Lobby and next to the hotel’s check-in desk and shoe shine
- Amway Second Floor: Near Tower Elevators on west side of building and near Main Concourse/Skywalk entrance to DeVos Place
- Amway Third Floor: Near elevators and staircase
- Amway Lower Level: Near stairway and Private Dining room at The Kitchen by Wolfgang Puck
- DeVos Place : All restrooms have one handicap stall.
Navigating Grand Rapids
- All buses in the Rapid public transportation system – including the downtown-focused Silverline and DASH Shuttle – are accessible for mobility aids such as wheelchairs, electric scooters, walkers, and crutches. Bus operators are trained to assist customers with disabilities boarding or exiting the vehicle.
Please notify MSBO and Conference Staff at least one week before the conference if you wish to use any of the following accommodations:
Seating Accommodations
- Special seating arrangements near the front of meeting rooms can be provided.
Assistive Listening and Hearing Devices
- Amway Grand Plaza: The Ambassador Ballroom has T-coil (loop) capability. The Amway Grand Plaza also has one (1) assistive listening device pack that can be used anywhere.
- DeVos Place: The meeting rooms (Gallery, Gallery Overlook, River Overlook) all have an installed T-coil (loop) systems. The ballrooms do not have a hearing-impaired system equipped.
Please notify MSBO and Conference Staff at least one week before the conference if you wish to use any of the following accommodations:
Seating Accommodations
- Special seating arrangements near the front of meeting rooms can be provided.
Text Magnifiers
- Magnifying readers can be made available upon request.
Nursing Rooms
- Amway Grand Plaza Hotel: A dedicated nursing mother room can be found on the first floor near the Ottawa Room and Fine Arts room (highlighted on the MSBO Conference Accessibility Maps). Any guest of the hotel can use their room key to enter the room. Non-guests can visit the front desk for a key to access the space.
- DeVos Place: Dedicated nursing mother rooms are located on the Street Level and Overlook Level on the west side of the facility (highlighted on the MSBO Conference Accessibility Maps). These rooms are available to any guest and can be locked from the inside while in use.
Hotel Refrigerators – Conference
- We recommend that attendees check with their respective hotels regarding the availability of room refrigerators for milk storage during the conference.
ECV Scooter Rental
- Attendees can expect to walk an average of 10-15,000 steps per day at the MSBO Annual Conference. Attendees who anticipate difficulties with this volume of walking are encouraged to rent mobility devices to aid them at the conference. Please see the section on Mobility for further information.
The maps below highlight accessible paths between meeting rooms, rooms that require special entry for attendees unable to use stairs, locations of accessible restrooms, and locations of nursing rooms.