Last summer, the Lansing Entertainment and Public Facilities Authority announced an agreement allowing Legends Global to oversee management services for the Lansing Center, Jackson Field and Groesbeck Golf Course. Tony Watson, general manager of the Lansing Center Complex for Legends Global, offered insight on what to expect from the arrangement.
What is Legends Global?
Legends Global is the premier partner to the world’s greatest live events, venues and brands. We deliver a seamless, white-label platform that encompasses every aspect — from strategy and financing to operational oversight — catering to premier sports and entertainment ventures across the globe. Legends Global is a global network of over 450 venues, hosting 20,000 events and 165 million guests annually.
What prompted the pursuit of the Lansing amenities?
Lansing is a strategic location in the heart of Michigan with access to major population centers and a growing tourism sector with untapped potential for development. It’s an underserved convention market that benefits from Legends Global’s expertise in maximizing venue potential, allowing us the opportunity to be the premier venue management partner in the region.
What are your plans to take the Lansing Center to the next level?
Our plans are centered around leveraging our prime downtown Lansing location and deep, established relationships with local partners to provide an unmatched event experience for midsized conventions in the evolving 2026 landscape.
Being located in the heart of Lansing allows us to offer clients and attendees easy access to an urban environment, including nearby hotels, restaurants and cultural venues.
We strengthen our strong partnerships with local tourism boards, hospitality specialists and community groups to create easy, complete experiences — including lodging, food, entertainment and more — that attract event planners looking for simple, perfect solutions.
We also cultivate a culture of exceptional customer service, ensuring every event is executed flawlessly and leaves a lasting positive impression.
Groesbeck Golf Course is celebrating its centennial this year. How is Legends Global planning to honor this 100-year milestone?
This year, we have multiple events lined up for the centennial celebration, beginning with the kickoff and flag raising (which took place April 14). Following that, the Centennial Classic will take place on May 17, with additional events to be announced soon.
How do you plan to leverage the connectivity between the Lansing Center, Groesbeck and Jackson Field to drive more tourism and economic impact for the city?
We plan to create combined experiences and special deals that encourage convention visitors to explore and enjoy everything Lansing offers. For example, we will create exclusive golf packages for convention guests, promoting our golf course as a top recreational choice during their visit. We will also look at special deals and group activities at the ballpark to make it a fun entertainment spot linked to convention events.
By working together, these venues offer a smooth and varied experience that shows off Lansing’s many attractions and benefits both visitors and the community.
