September 02, 2005
September 2, 2005
LANSING – Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today announced that Traverse City will host the 99th Annual National Governors Association (NGA) Meeting, July 20-23, 2007.
“We are honored and excited that Michigan has been chosen to host the NGA annual meeting in 2007,” Granholm said. “There is no other state in the nation more beautiful and magical in the summertime. Traverse City is the perfect place to highlight all that Michigan has to offer, from new economy, high-tech businesses to a spectacular natural environment. The NGA conference will put Michigan and northern Michigan in the national spotlight and put dollars into the local economy.”
The 2007 meeting will take place at the Grand Traverse Resort located along East Grand Traverse Bay. The resort hosted the last NGA meeting held in Michigan in 1987.
The NGA’s annual meeting draws approximately 1,200 attendees. Attendees include the governors from the 50 states and commonwealths, their spouses and families, governors’ staff, and other representatives from state governments, federal government agencies, the White House, private-sector and businesses. The annual conferences draw approximately 300 members of the media from across the country and around the globe.
NGA meetings give the governors of all political parties the opportunity to sit down together and share best practices and to focus on solutions and ideas that improve state government and strengthen the federal-state partnership.
The NGA’s nine-governor executive committee recognized Michigan because of its outstanding meeting facilities, accommodations, and enthusiasm for hosting the event. Michigan’s bid demonstrated the state’s ability to meet all of the association’s criteria for hosting an annual meeting.
“We’re excited to be going back to Michigan for our annual meeting,” said NGA Vice Chairman Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano. “Governors from across the nation and media from around the world will be in attendance, and Traverse City will serve as an excellent place for us to gather and discuss issues of importance to all governors.”
This will mark the sixth time that NGA has held its annual meeting in Michigan since its first meeting in the state in 1927.
