Metalcasting Congress 2026 Hotel and Transportation

Unfortunately, it is now common practice for unauthorized companies to claim to be official housing providers for trade shows and other large events, including Metalcasting Congress and CastExpo. Usually called “room poachers,” these companies target exhibitors and attendees with aggressive emails or phone calls claiming to offer supposed discounts on hotel rooms or incorrectly stating that room blocks are nearing or at capacity. Please note the American Foundry Society, Metalcasting Congress and CastExpo ARE NOT affiliated with third-party travel agents, wholesalers or other outside agencies claiming to offer hotel reservations.

To book a hotel for an AFS event, exhibitors and attendees should use the resources provided to them at AFSinc.org or through other official AFS communications. AFS works directly with hotels to reserve rooms that are conveniently located and meet our quality standards. In exchange for booking large room blocks, hotels offer reservations at a discount, and AFS also receives other considerations that in turn benefit our exhibitors and attendees.

If you receive an email or other communication from a company you suspect is unaffiliated with AFS or its events, please contact us.

How room poaching works (or doesn’t)

“Poaching” is carried out by third parties that seek out major conventions and trade shows and solicit hotel reservations from people or businesses they expect to attend. Often, these solicitations include scare tactics intended to make people believe hotels are sold out many months in advance.

Unfortunately, booking a room through a poacher can lead to outrageously costly cancellation fees, bad accommodations far from the event site, or, worst of all, being charged for a room that hasn’t been reserved at all.

Unaffiliated companies

The following companies ARE NOT affiliated with the American Foundry Society, Metalcasting Congress or CastExpo. Please note, this is not a comprehensive list, and it is regularly updated.

Conventioneerss
Corporate Booking Services – CBS International
Global EXPO LIST
Global Housing Services, Corp.
LPT
Prodataleads.com
Travel Group Partners / TGP Marketing Corp.

Transportation

Fly into Grand Rapids

Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR)

GRR is a commercial airport in Cascade Township, approximately 13 miles southeast of Grand Rapids, MI.
Airlines servicing GRR include American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Allegiant Air, Frontier Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and Avelo Airlines. Services from GRR connect to various hubs like Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, with Allegiant and Avelo offering direct flights to popular destinations.
GRR has a variety of options for ground transportation upon your arrival: https://www.grr.org/ground

Drive into Grand Rapids

Grand Rapids is conveniently located in west Michigan, easily accessible by several major highways and within a few hours' drive of many Midwest cities.

Approximated Drive Times:

Chicago, IL - 3 hours
Detroit, MI - 2.5 hours
Indianapolis - 4.5 hours
Milwaukee, WI - 4 hours
Toledo, OH - 3 hours

Parking Information

Downtown Grand Rapids has multiple parking ramps and surface lots near the DeVos Place Convention Center, as well as hotel guest parking options.

Questions?

Contact Us