Detroit is celebrating a sharp upturn in convention business in the city, despite its well documented financial troubles.
Detroit is becoming an attractive proposition for meetings planners again, according to Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau CEO Larry Alexander.
"Through economic downturn and serious financial issues in our city, we’ve turned adversity into opportunity," he said, adding that the convention bureau’s media campaign of ‘America’s Comeback City’ is starting to make a difference.
Speaking at the CVB’s annual general meeting, he said the city will host 12 major meetings this year, more than twice as many as in 2013.
There are confirmed bookings for 236,000 room nights for 2014, easily eclipsing last year’s total of 129,000.
The largest events taking place in Detroit this year include the Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses Assembly for 90,000 people over two weekends in June and July and 10,000 are expected for the USA Volleyball Open National Championships in May.
Eleven major conventions have already been confirmed for 2015.
The $279 million renovation of the flagship Cobo Convention Center and new private sector investment in the city have been key factors in the spike in convention business, said Alexander.
Detroit is the largest US city to enter bankruptcy and is run by a state-appointed emergency manager with debts of over $18 billion.
