Rich MacKeigan joined SMG/ASM Global (now Legends Global), in 1998 to be the General Manager of the Van Andel Arena, DeVos Performance Hall, and Grand Center (now DeVos Place). Fortunately for Grand Rapids he still holds that position today. Rich has financial, marketing, booking, and operational responsibilities for those venues plus the new Acrisure Amphitheater and the new Amway Stadium.

WCC member Diane Jones and Rich MacKeigan

We were fortunate to have Rich speak with us at a recent WCC Thursday Enrichment program. With humor and humbleness he told us a little bit about himself and his path to entertainment guru in Grand Rapids. He is Canadian, born in Montreal, Quebec and has worked in Ottawa, Ontario as Event Coordinator for Canadian Tire Place, and in Miami, Florida as Booking Manager of Hard Rock Stadium and Miami Arena in Miami.

In 2006, the Grand Rapids Kent County Convention Arena Authority hired Rich as their first Executive Director in addition to his duties as General Manager at Van Andel Arena, DeVos Performance Hall, and DeVos Place. In 2012 Legends Global tapped Rich to be a Regional Booking Director which has grown into a Senior Content Advisor role in which he provides insight and counsel to Legends Global’s Content Division nationwide. He works alongside Legends Global’s President of Live Entertainment with booking agents, promoters, managers, and artists to increase bookings in Legends Global venues and to assure the highest possible quality experiences by touring personnel.

As proof of his achievement in opening and booking the Acrisure Amphitheater is that it has been nominated for amphitheater of the year by the International Entertainment Buyer’s Association and it’s not even a year old! Industry recognition is a testament to the positive impact the venue has received locally and within the touring industry.

He is excited about the opening of the new soccer stadium, Amway Stadium, on the west side of the Grand River which he feels will provide growth and new opportunities. The first soccer game will be next March. The artificial turf will allow for other uses of the stadium especially for Michigan High School athletics.

For Christmas of 2027 he hopes to bring a couple of more Christmas markets to Grand Rapids such as the Christkindl one currently held at the Downtown Market. A Hallmark Christmas is planned for Acrisure and maybe a different one at Studio Park. They won’t compete with each other but enhance each other and give Frankenmuth a run for their money! If anyone can do it, Rich MacKeigan can.

Rich brought along a fascinating video of the making of Acrisure Amphitheater. You can view it here.