Cobo Center
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  The Lodge Freeway passes underneath, then immediately comes up to its end at street level (Jefferson Avenue). |
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| Location | 1 Washington Blvd. Detroit, Michigan 48226 United States |
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| Coordinates | 42°19′34″N 83°2′49″W / 42.32611°N 83.04694°WCoordinates: 42°19′34″N 83°2′49″W / 42.32611°N 83.04694°W |
| Type | Convention center |
| Opened | 1960 |
| Renovated | 1989, 2012 |
| Expanded | 2012 |
| Website | Official website |
Cobo Center is a major convention center situated along Jefferson and Washington avenues in downtown Detroit, Michigan, USA. It was named for Albert E. Cobo, mayor of Detroit from 1950 to 1957. Designed by Gino Rossetti, the center opened in 1960. Expanded in 1989, the present 2,400,000 sq ft (220,000 m2) complex contains 725,000 sq ft (67,400 m2) of exhibition space, with 625,000 square feet contiguous. Preliminary construction to update and further expand the center's exhibition space began October 1, 2009. Cobo Center, along with adjacent Joe Louis Arena, is served by the Detroit People Mover with its own station. Cobo Center has a large attached parking garage with direct access to the Lodge Freeway. Cobo Center is located along the Detroit International Riverfront.
The center is the home of the North American International Auto Show or NAIAS, which it hosts each January, and Autorama, which it hosts each March. There are about 5,000 hotel rooms in downtown Detroit with 4,000 hotel rooms within walking distance of Cobo Center.[1]
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[edit] History
The Center and its attached arena initially cost $56 million and took four years to complete. It is located on the site where Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, a French colonist, first set foot and landed on the banks of the river in July 1701 and claimed the area for France in the name of King Louis XIV.
As one of the nation’s first mega convention centers, Cobo became even larger when renovations and expansions were completed in 1989. At a cost of $225 million, it nearly doubled in size to 2.4 million total square feet and was re-named Cobo Conference/Exhibition Center. Now, the Center offers 725,000 square feet of prime exhibit space in five exhibit halls ranging in size from 100,000 to 200,000 square feet. Cobo’s flexible design allows the adjoining four exhibit halls on the main floor to form 625,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space.
The first convention at Cobo Center was held in 1960 by the Florist Telegraph Delivery (FTD). The first event was the 43rd Auto Industry Dinner on October 17, 1960. President Eisenhower was the keynote speaker, and the ceremony aired live on WXYZ-TV.
Since 1965, the largest event held in Cobo Center is the nation’s premier automobile show, The North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), occurring annually in January. This prestigious event draws hundreds of international press and suppliers during its initial five days and has a spectacular charity preview party for 11,000 guests the evening before the public opening. Since 1976, the Charity Preview has raised an average of $2.4 million yearly for southeastern Michigan children’s charities. After the Charity Preview party, the NAIAS is open to the public for ten days, drawing, on average, 735,000 attendees.
The 12,000-seat Cobo Arena opened in 1960 and was home to the Detroit Pistons from 1961-1978. It hosted great concerts such as the Doors, Jimi Hendrix, the Rolling Stones, The Who, Bruce Springstein, Kid Rock and many others. The arena also hosted Presidential speeches, boxing, wrestling, figure skating, roller derby and local Detroit-area graduation ceremonies.
The Joe Louis Arena, named after boxer and former heavyweight champion Joe Louis, who grew up in Detroit, was built adjacent and connected to the Cobo Center, and completed in 1979 at a cost of $57 million. It has a seating capacity of 20,058 (including suites); 20,338 for end-stage concerts and 21,152 for center-stage concerts. It is the home of the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League, who brought six Stanley Cup Playoffs to the Joe, winning four of them, two at home. The Joe Louis Arena played host to the 1980 Republican National Convention. Former Arena Football League team the Detroit Drive also had success during its time at the arena, playing in six consecutive Arena Bowls from 1988 to 1993 and winning four of them. In addition, the Joe Louis Arena is a concert and production venue, hosting such greats as Cirque du Soleil.
In 1987, the City of Detroit began operations of the city’s elevated light-rail system, the People Mover, with stations in both Cobo Center and the Joe Louis Arena. The Detroit People Mover connects attendees to all Center events with hotels and restaurants in the Renaissance Center, Greektown, Bricktown, Times Square, and throughout the Detroit Financial District. The latest estimates show the Detroit People Mover bringing 35,000 visitors a day into Cobo Center for the NAIAS, nearly one third the average daily attendance.
Every sitting U.S. President since 1960 (Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard M. Nixon, Gerald R. Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George Bush, William J. Clinton and George W. Bush) has addressed a convention or attended an event at Cobo Center. Prior to becoming President, Barack Obama also visited, but he has not yet done so since taking office.
Today, Cobo Center is managed and operated by the Detroit Regional Convention Facility Authority (DRCFA). The five-member Authority Board consists of one representative from each of five government agencies – the City of Detroit, State of Michigan and the three metro-Detroit counties of Wayne, Oakland and Macomb. The DRCFA is currently overseeing a $299 million expansion and upgrade of Cobo Center that is scheduled for completion in Jan. 2015.
In October 2010, the DRCFA awarded the contract for operations management of Cobo Center to SMG, the world leader in venue management, marketing and development. The success of this new contract is seen in the statement made by the NAIAS (North American International Auto Show, the center's largest show) after the 2011 auto show: “The ongoing changes and renovations we will see at Cobo Center under the DRCFA and SMG will keep our collective teams making noted championship runs for years to come.” On January 5, 2012, the NAIAS and Cobo Center signed an unprecedented 5-year contract to host the auto show in Detroit through 2017.
[edit] Photo gallery
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Cobo Arena from Jefferson in Detroit
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Cobo Arena from Windsor, with the Detroit People Mover in the foreground
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Cobo Center viewed from Windsor
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A model of downtown in the Renaissance Center lobby shows Cobo Center.
[edit] References
- ^ Gray, Kathleen and John Wisely (March 31, 2009).Oakland lures, but 2010 auto show stays at Cobo.Detroit Free Press. Retrieved on April 10, 2009.
Cobo Center Press Room at cobocenter.com
[edit] External links
| Preceded by Olympia Stadium |
Home of the Detroit Pistons 1961 – 1978 |
Succeeded by Pontiac Silverdome |
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- Convention centers in Michigan
- Skyscrapers in Detroit, Michigan
- Sports venues in Detroit, Michigan
- Basketball venues in Michigan
- Indoor ice hockey venues in the United States
- Indoor soccer venues in the United States
- Defunct National Basketball Association venues
- Ontario Hockey League arenas
- World Hockey Association venues
- Buildings and structures completed in 1960
- Event venues established in 1960
