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Entrepreneur seeks city support for esports regional finals; city highlights summer youth jobs program
Summary
An entrepreneur asked the commission to support a planned three-day esports regional final at DeVos Place and partnerships with local schools and colleges. City staff also announced a summer youth employment program offering $13 per hour for eligible youth.
Dee Jones, an entrepreneur and local esports advocate, asked the Grand Rapids City Commission during public comment on March 25 to support a planned three-day regional esports finals event at DeVos Place during November’s Comic Con and to help develop local esports lab partnerships for high schools.
Jones said she has helped establish esports labs at several local schools, is collaborating with Ferris State University and Kent ISD, and sought city support for a regional finals event that she said would draw students from across Michigan and beyond. “I’m helping this school build an Esports lab… I know the future things that I’ve been doing in the last seven years,” Jones said. She provided a handout to commissioners and asked the city to support a summer program partnership tied to esports education and college scouting.
City program announcement: In staff remarks later in the evening the city highlighted its summer youth employment program. City staff said the summer program will serve youth ages 15 to 24, pay $13 per hour, run 20 hours per week between June 9 and July 18, and accept applications through April 25. The program is administered as a summer employment initiative and was presented alongside other neighborhood investment updates that include more than $7.5 million in federal funding for housing and supportive services.
Why it matters: Advocates said an esports regional final and in-school esports labs could create new educational pathways and local economic activity tied to events at a downtown venue. The city’s summer employment program provides a near-term employment opportunity for local youth; staff presented application deadlines and wage details during the meeting.
What the commission did: Commissioners did not act on a request to sponsor the esports event during the meeting. Commission members thanked Jones for the presentation and encouraged continued collaboration between event organizers, local schools and city staff.
Next steps: Jones said she is developing the event and partnerships with higher-education advisors and asked commissioners to consider supporting the program in future budget or partnership discussions. City staff will accept applications for the summer youth program through April 25 and expects placements in June.
