Motor City revs up convention biz
Once known as motor city, Detroit in recent years is becoming noted for its gambling venues, but the area is also trying to embrace conventions.
Several new hotels are due to open next year, which is good news for the area beleaguered by the fading auto business.
“You can’t underestimate the value of these brand names and new investment that’s coming to downtown in terms of promoting and reinforcing our claims that Detroit is new,” said Christopher Baum, the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau senior vice president of sales and marketing. He added:
“People can come here and see it for themselves. We can point to new investment, thousands of new hotel rooms. Companies like MGM, Ilitch Holdings, Westin. These are real dollars spent by real businesspeople who see the potential.”
Hotels at the MGM Grand Casino and MotorCity Casino will both be in full stride by the beginning of the year, and Greektown Casino is expected to open its luxury hotel in the fall.
The newly restored Westin Book Cadillac is also re-opening next year.
In the midst of the other hotel development, other properties, such as the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center and the Sheraton Detroit Riverside, formerly the Pontchartrain, have renovated rooms to keep up with the competition.
Report by David Wilkening
David
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