The Grand Rapids organization responsible for the development of Van Andel Arena, DeVos Place Convention Center, Downtown Market and the renovation and expansion of the Civic Theatre’s Meijer Majestic Theatre, just to name a few, is putting its mission on hold.
Grand Action Committee Co-Chairs John Canepa, Dick DeVos and David Frey are retiring their roles at the end of the year. Since the early 1990s the trio has lead the charge conducting feasibility studies, private fundraising, public funding, designing and constructing a number of iconic projects. Include the improvements to DeVos Performance Hall and establishing Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine’s Secchia Center and the Grand Action Committee secured $420 million in investments with $130 million in private philanthropy.
Dick DeVos explains, “We are not shutting off the engine, but rather keeping it in idle in case the role Grand Action played in the past is needed again in the future.”