Detroit has a vacation destination

[Strong]

Now I believe another way that Detroit could become a viable city is if it positions itself as a tourist destination. True the state has the Pure Michigan campaign which does talk about Detroit a little but in that the campaign is statewide it doesn't go into any detail.
Now, I know that money is tight in the city budget, but if there was a way to promote the city and all the fun things to do here, then that would probably encourage more conventions, and tourist.

Some of the things that I am thinking about include:
Commercials for the annual events like the Fireworks, Detroit Jazz Fest, Hoedown, Electronic Music Fest, Winter blast, Riverdays, the car race on Belle Isle and Hydroplane boat race. These are all events that last over a number of days and would make ideal national attractions.
Detroit's riverfront makes for a great outing.

Our casinos can become national draws if they had nationally known entertainers. And, eventhough most all cities have a casino nearby, Detroit is still only of a few cities that have a casino downtown. As a result of the casinos, the book cadillac, Holiday Inn, Courtyard and others, we now have a plenty of hotel space.

To add to the attraction, I wish that there would be a automobile museum located downtown, that got national attention. This museum could have automobiles on display made by Detroit based companies, even those that have closed, like Studdebacker, etc.

This is just a thought, I'm sure you can add to the discussion.

I'm doing a documentary about Detroit, "The Great Detroit? It was-It is-It will be", www.strongdetroit.net.

[Meddle]

I'm doing a documentary ....

I knew you were up to something from the 'cheerleader' type of posts made.

[Strong]

Thousands more should come to our jazz festival

[Strong]

Thousands more should come to our Belle Isle car race,

[douglasm]

Dumb idea, and I really wish people would stop trying to promote Detroit as a tourist destination and put more effort into making Detroit 1) a better convention destination and 2) a city people want to live in.

Some cities are natural destination resorts. Seattle, Chicago, New Orleans, Denver and New York City come immediately to mind. As a general rule [[and there ARE exceptions) people don't think of cities like Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Kansas City as vacation destinations even though all 3 have a lot to offer. Detroit is in that boat, and no matter how hard one tries, it will probably always be in that second group. I can't see a way of changing that, unless you're willing to wait 30 years. I keep seeing these idea like vineyards on Belle Isle and a "big statue" being promoted as "tourist" draw. I can't see it working on a grand scale at all.

Work on the important things. Detroit, like Cleveland, has a reputation problem that no amount of promotion is going to change. Putting time, money and effort into making Detroit the best city possible is more important than trying to come up with an idea that would draw a family from Lima to come up for a week.

[Richard]

Dumb idea, and I really wish people would stop trying to promote Detroit as a tourist destination and put more effort into making Detroit 1) a better convention destination and 2) a city people want to live in.

Some cities are natural destination resorts. Seattle, Chicago, New Orleans, Denver and New York City come immediately to mind. As a general rule [[and there ARE exceptions) people don't think of cities like Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Kansas City as vacation destinations even though all 3 have a lot to offer. Detroit is in that boat, and no matter how hard one tries, it will probably always be in that second group. I can't see a way of changing that, unless you're willing to wait 30 years. I keep seeing these idea like vineyards on Belle Isle and a "big statue" being promoted as "tourist" draw. I can't see it working on a grand scale at all.

Work on the important things. Detroit, like Cleveland, has a reputation problem that no amount of promotion is going to change. Putting time, money and effort into making Detroit the best city possible is more important than trying to come up with an idea that would draw a family from Lima to come up for a week.

It would be a part of a diversified economy but tourism comes and goes in spurts through out the course of a year ,personally given the cities past history and with not just one contribution it could become quite a lucrative draw.Provided it was marketed and organized.

Hotel bed tax funds the tourist and convention center marketing.

I agree with you on the convention destination , but convention centers usually are not a stand alone concept,think Orlando with Disney and quick jaunts to the beaches as the draw,New Orleans with Bourbon Street and Casinos,Tampa and the strip clubs which is not so good and probably the reason its convention center is a bit lackluster.

Then you have Detroit Automotive history,Motown,amazing architecture,river cruise on a bobo and so much more that could be a draw,when people go to conventions the actual convention is for the most part moot ,they go because they are getting a break and a chance to have a mini vacation on the sly.It is up to the host city to entertain and show them how to part with their monies in the most delightful ways and go home with a experience that will be remembered for a long time. So when vacation time does come around they were so impressed that they now bring their family to enjoy.

[p69rrh51]

Now I believe another way that Detroit could become a viable city is if it positions itself as a tourist destination. True the state has the Pure Michigan campaign which does talk about Detroit a little but in that the campaign is statewide it doesn't go into any detail.
Now, I know that money is tight in the city budget, but if there was a way to promote the city and all the fun things to do here, then that would probably encourage more conventions, and tourist.

Some of the things that I am thinking about include:
Commercials for the annual events like the Fireworks, Detroit Jazz Fest, Hoedown, Electronic Music Fest, Winter blast, Riverdays, the car race on Belle Isle and Hydroplane boat race. These are all events that last over a number of days and would make ideal national attractions.
Detroit's riverfront makes for a great outing.

Our casinos can become national draws if they had nationally known entertainers. And, eventhough most all cities have a casino nearby, Detroit is still only of a few cities that have a casino downtown. As a result of the casinos, the book cadillac, Holiday Inn, Courtyard and others, we now have a plenty of hotel space.

To add to the attraction, I wish that there would be a automobile museum located downtown, that got national attention. This museum could have automobiles on display made by Detroit based companies, even those that have closed, like Studdebacker, etc.

This is just a thought, I'm sure you can add to the discussion.

I'm doing a documentary about Detroit, "The Great Detroit? It was-It is-It will be", www.strongdetroit.net.

Detroit already has an automotive museum near downtown. The Historical Museum has a collection of automobiles that would make many museums in the world jealous. Unfortunately most of them are never displayed and are rotting or possibly missing at/from Fort Wayne. The museum either needs to expand or move to larger quarters to display most of their collection. Also if the private collections of the automobile manufacturers and as well as some of the collectors in the area would loan their cars like the A-C-D Museum in Auburn IN operates we would have a fabulous place to visit.

[louis]

how about opening up the casinos in Palmer park and belle isle? aside from the gamblers coming in, the city could use the revenue to better take care of some of the parks in the city or better fund the schools

[iheartthed]

Dumb idea, and I really wish people would stop trying to promote Detroit as a tourist destination and put more effort into making Detroit 1) a better convention destination and 2) a city people want to live in.

Some cities are natural destination resorts. Seattle, Chicago, New Orleans, Denver and New York City come immediately to mind. As a general rule [[and there ARE exceptions) people don't think of cities like Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Kansas City as vacation destinations even though all 3 have a lot to offer. Detroit is in that boat, and no matter how hard one tries, it will probably always be in that second group. I can't see a way of changing that, unless you're willing to wait 30 years. I keep seeing these idea like vineyards on Belle Isle and a "big statue" being promoted as "tourist" draw. I can't see it working on a grand scale at all.

Work on the important things. Detroit, like Cleveland, has a reputation problem that no amount of promotion is going to change. Putting time, money and effort into making Detroit the best city possible is more important than trying to come up with an idea that would draw a family from Lima to come up for a week.

I don't see why Detroit can't also be a tourist destination. It has a strong history and cultural legacy that makes it ripe for tourism if it could be coordinated well. Add to that the city is located smack dab in the middle of two high volume tourism cities, Chicago and Toronto. Plus a Detroit tourism boost could be a big boon for the northern Michigan tourism industry.

[poobert]

I don't see why Detroit can't also be a tourist destination. It has a strong history and cultural legacy that makes it ripe for tourism if it could be coordinated well. Add to that the city is located smack dab in the middle of two high volume tourism cities, Chicago and Toronto. Plus a Detroit tourism boost could be a big boon for the northern Michigan tourism industry.

The problem is that Detroit is not a pass-through city unless you're going to or from Canada. The rest of America has to effectively make a special trip to Detroit, by going north to enter the peninsula.

There isn't really the infrastructure for tourism, either. You absolutely must rent a car to get around here. I've never been to a city where you couldn't get off at the airport and hop on a train or bus, for very little cost and just as little figuring, and get to the city center. This includes foreign countries where I had little knowledge of the language. Yet in my home city I sure as hell couldn't tell you how to get downtown from the airport other than a damned Metro Car or a bus that barely ever runs.

Detroit is nice if you happen to be here, or want to travel the whole US I think it is an essential stop, but certainly not a destination in itself. Yeah we have some really nice stuff, but so do other cities. We're not the only city in the US with a major art museum.

[iheartthed]

The problem is that Detroit is not a pass-through city unless you're going to or from Canada. The rest of America has to effectively make a special trip to Detroit, by going north to enter the peninsula.

Very few major cities in the U.S. are pass-through cities... And those that are tend not to be major tourist destinations [[Cleveland, St. Louis). But my point wasn't that Detroit would benefit from travelers going to Toronto from Chicago or vice-versa. My point is that Detroit is just close enough to both cities that it could benefit from attracting travelers for short trips who are already planning to travel to either of those cities. Kinda like how tourists to NYC might also make a side trip to Boston, DC or Philly.

There isn't really the infrastructure for tourism, either. You absolutely must rent a car to get around here. I've never been to a city where you couldn't get off at the airport and hop on a train or bus, for very little cost and just as little figuring, and get to the city center. This includes foreign countries where I had little knowledge of the language. Yet in my home city I sure as hell couldn't tell you how to get downtown from the airport other than a damned Metro Car or a bus that barely ever runs.

Agreed, but it's not impossible. Detroit could start by promoting tourism to areas like downtown or Midtown, where you don't need to travel much once you're there. And the MegaBus from Chicago already drops people off downtown and at Wayne State...

I do quite a bit of urban tourism and I've thought about the pluses and minuses of Detroit tourism quite a lot. I do think Detroit can make it work with the right leadership. And there is a LOT of money to be made in tourism that could go a long way to help pay for city services...

[DetroitPlanner]

The problem is that Detroit is not a pass-through city unless you're going to or from Canada. The rest of America has to effectively make a special trip to Detroit, by going north to enter the peninsula.

Neither are Banff, Hawaii, Orlando, or Traverse City. You don't need to be a pass through city to be a tourist destination. If Maimi didn't have ports or connections to Latin America, it would still be a great destination because of what they have turned it into.

[Richard]

The problem is that Detroit is not a pass-through city unless you're going to or from Canada. The rest of America has to effectively make a special trip to Detroit, by going north to enter the peninsula.

There isn't really the infrastructure for tourism, either. You absolutely must rent a car to get around here. I've never been to a city where you couldn't get off at the airport and hop on a train or bus, for very little cost and just as little figuring, and get to the city center. This includes foreign countries where I had little knowledge of the language. Yet in my home city I sure as hell couldn't tell you how to get downtown from the airport other than a damned Metro Car or a bus that barely ever runs.

Detroit is nice if you happen to be here, or want to travel the whole US I think it is an essential stop, but certainly not a destination in itself. Yeah we have some really nice stuff, but so do other cities. We're not the only city in the US with a major art museum.

Try Disney World in Orlando,fly into the airport and you will either rent a car or walk a couple of miles to public transportation then spend the better part of a full day getting there.

Orlando is also a pass through city its attractions make it a destination,Detroit was a world class city ,the bones are still there they just need some dusting off.

I take Am Trac to Washing DC and use a company called Old Town Tours ,street car looking buses, they are in several cities and for twenty five dollars per day they take you to every destination on the route and stop back by every fifteen minutes so you use them and get off where you want to visit then when you are done you wait and go onto the next place you want to see, I also use them for public transportation instead of trying to learn the public transportation system on short notice.

http://www.trolleytours.com/

Multi day pass options

http://www.dctours.us/?event=offer.type&productType=TROLLEY&mpt=380&ctt_ id=1735066&ctt_adnw=Google&ctt_ch=ps&ctt_entity=tc &ctt_cli=11x23045x69389x513086&ctt_kw=old%20town%2 0trolley%20tours%20of%20washington%20dc&ctt_adid={ creative}&ctt_nwtype=search

http://www.trustedtours.com/store/ol...ington-dc.aspx

There are ways and options. Maybe a weekend package in Detroit to start out with that is all inclusive,hotel then hooked up with the trolly bus so no transportation is needed and it would be safe for the tourist.

[poobert]

Neither are Banff, Hawaii, Orlando, or Traverse City. You don't need to be a pass through city to be a tourist destination

No, you certainly don't, when you're Hawaii. We, however, are Detroit.

[Gistok]

Detroit already has an automotive museum near downtown. The Historical Museum has a collection of automobiles that would make many museums in the world jealous. Unfortunately most of them are never displayed and are rotting or possibly missing at/from Fort Wayne. The museum either needs to expand or move to larger quarters to display most of their collection. Also if the private collections of the automobile manufacturers and as well as some of the collectors in the area would loan their cars like the A-C-D Museum in Auburn IN operates we would have a fabulous place to visit.

P69, I have heard that the DHM also has a vast collection of early fashion wear, but over 90% is in storage, since the DHM doesn't have the space to show it. I always thought that the former Kresge HQ [[next to Masonic) would make a nice new Detroit Historical Museum, since it has plenty of space [[4 stories), and it has a monumental symmetrical museum look to it.

On the bad side, it's rather distant from the Museum District... and I'm not sure that the building could be converted easily... and not sure if the Michigan Tech Incubation folks could be moved to another site easily.

[p69rrh51]

P69, I have heard that the DHM also has a vast collection of early fashion wear, but over 90% is in storage, since the DHM doesn't have the space to show it. I always thought that the former Kresge HQ [[next to Masonic) would make a nice new Detroit Historical Museum, since it has plenty of space [[4 stories), and it has a monumental symmetrical museum look to it.

On the bad side, it's rather distant from the Museum District... and I'm not sure that the building could be converted easily... and not sure if the Michigan Tech Incubation folks could be moved to another site easily.

There were plans to expand the DHM before the mortgage meltdown. I like the William Kapp design building and its location just need to expand what we have. Also there were plans to expand the streets of Detroit to the 20th century which I thought was a worthwhile project.

[poobert]

There were plans to expand the DHM before the mortgage meltdown. I like the William Kapp design building and its location just need to expand what we have. Also there were plans to expand the streets of Detroit to the 20th century which I thought was a worthwhile project.

Before you all go redesigning musuems, the Detroit Historical Musuem is currently closed for major renovations:
http://detroithistorical.org/

While the footprint of the building will remain the same, everything will be renovated.

The Streets of Old Detroit will remain largely the same, and it does actually go into the 20th century, albeit only the early part.

[Packman41]

Detroit already has an automotive museum near downtown. The Historical Museum has a collection of automobiles that would make many museums in the world jealous. Unfortunately most of them are never displayed and are rotting or possibly missing at/from Fort Wayne. The museum either needs to expand or move to larger quarters to display most of their collection. Also if the private collections of the automobile manufacturers and as well as some of the collectors in the area would loan their cars like the A-C-D Museum in Auburn IN operates we would have a fabulous place to visit.

Actually, I saw a plan as you describe about 15 years ago where the Packard Motor Car Plant on EGB would have become that auto museum. This was well before the City of Detroit decided to take over the place, evict 90 rent paying tenants [[think Russell Industrial) and start to tear the building down. Once it was opened up, then the Visigoths and vandals descended and more importantly, mother nature.

This plan was to use only the main office building of the PMCC along EGB. It was going to be rehabbed into a showroom/museum and some of the cars in storage from the DHM would be displayed there. It would not be all Packard. The plan was to have different areas for other, independent manufacturers to be shown there too. Those cars would be supplied by either the DHM, local collectors or others. They did not want to compete with other museums that are/were heavily supported by existing auto makers, example: Chrysler Museum, The Henry Ford and Model T Piquette Plant.

But it was not to be. I don’t know if or far it got with DHM folks. But then the CofD decided to start to tear the building down instead. That ended it.

Too bad. In Germany the Audi, BMW and Mercedes Benz Museums are a huge draw.

[p69rrh51]

Before you all go redesigning musuems, the Detroit Historical Musuem is currently closed for major renovations:
http://detroithistorical.org/

While the footprint of the building will remain the same, everything will be renovated.

The Streets of Old Detroit will remain largely the same, and it does actually go into the 20th century, albeit only the early part.

I know the DHM has been undergoing renovations, but that still does not relieve the space problem. If I remember most of the 20th century expansion centered on Hudson's. The museum has vast collections that it cannot display no matter how nice the renovations are.

[margaret]

I think Detroit could take better advantage of its location on the river and near amazing Great Lakes. I wonder if tourists would come for river and lake tours...sort of an inland Maritime experience...just an idea...the Great Lakes Maritime History is fascinating, and the city's French history, too...

[Kathleen]

I think Detroit could take better advantage of its location on the river and near amazing Great Lakes. I wonder if tourists would come for river and lake tours...sort of an inland Maritime experience...just an idea...the Great Lakes Maritime History is fascinating, and the city's French history, too...

Diamond Jack tours of the upper and lower Detroit River run May through Labor Day out of Hart Plaza and Wyandotte. They seem to do pretty well in attracting people for tours.

Detroit Princess has cruises. And there are other options out of Windsor.

[p69rrh51]

We also have probably the best Musky fishing in the world on Lake St. Clair. This and all the ideas on here plus existing tourist oriented activities are all good and well. We can chat about it til we are blue in the face but until the perception of the city changes nobody will ever come here! With the existing city structure, plus the animosity of the whole metro area towards the city we will NEVER be able to move forward! Time to change attitudes on all sides!

[313WX]

The problem is that Detroit is not a pass-through city unless you're going to or from Canada. The rest of America has to effectively make a special trip to Detroit, by going north to enter the peninsula.

I rarely hear people say "Hey, we're going up to Detroit for the weekend!!!" In fact, many of them don't even think Detroit exists. They may pass-through Detroit to access some tourist trap in another part of Michigan or to visit their relatives in the suburbs, but unless the person has some type of tie to city, it is essentially a pass-through or fly-over city to them.

[Kathleen]

I rarely hear people say "Hey, we're going up to Detroit for the weekend!!!" In fact, many of them don't even think Detroit exists. They may pass-through Detroit to access some tourist trap in another part of Michigan or to visit their relatives in the suburbs, but unless the person has some type of tie to city, it is essentially a pass-through or fly-over city to them.

Of course, we get strange looks from folks when we've said "Hey, we're going to Buffalo" or Cleveland or Pittsburgh for a 3-day weekend getaway. Both have a lot to offer in and around the city. It takes a certain type of tourist to visit Detroit and other Rust Belt cities!!

[Király]

I rarely hear people say "Hey, we're going up to Detroit for the weekend!!!"

Well, I am one of them, and I did exactly that right here in Vancouver where I live. People did indeed give me strange looks; some of them even told me that I was reckless or crazy or both. But go I did, and spent two unforgettable days. August 27-29, 2011. Except for two hours in Highland Park, ten minutes in Grosse Pointe Park I stayed in Detroit the whole time, and spent 100% of my tourist money in the city.

Detroit needs to play to its strengths if it is to offer something to tourists. It needs to ask what unique experiences it can offer to visitors, and build on that. Building more casinos or tacky museums is the wrong approach. I came to see:

• the fabulous Art Deco architecture, both the crumbling and the intact [[some of your schools are absolute masterpieces)
• vast empty fields in front of the city skyline
• the abandoned buildings, both outside and in
• Boston-Edison, Indian Village, Palmer Woods neighbourhoods
• The Birwood Wall
• Some of the grassroots urban renewal projects like community gardens
• Heidelberg Project
• Brush Park
• the Eastern Market
• Stepping across Alter Road to see how the landscape changes
• Belle Isle
• Duly's Coney Island on Vernor Hwy
• Some of the more wild neighbourhoods, like the area north of the City Airport
• and of course, to meet some of the locals.

I crammed all of that into less than 48 hours and it was an unforgettable experience. I hired the tour guide from detroiturbex.com and he showed me some hidden gems, like the Palmer Park Apartment District [[WOW! Amazing buildings.)

My only regret is that I didn't spend more time. I could have [[and should have) stayed a week. Other things I wish I had seen but didn't:

• The Guardian Building
• Motown Museum
• Detroit Institute of the Arts
• A Detroit Tigers game [[or Red Wings vs Canucks!)
• Midtown [[I know that that's the most happening part of town but I hardly saw any of it)
• Woodbridge
• Museum of African American History
• Slows in Corktown
• Motor City Blight Busters or Detroit Mower Gang in action
• Windsor [[flew in and out of there but hardly saw any of it)
• A gospel choir at one of the big Baptist churches
• Much more of the Eastern Market [[only stayed 10 minutes because I was rushing to meet somebody)

See? Lots to offer. And there's almost nothing of the above anywhere near where I live. There really is a gold mine of potential to market towards tourists like me, who admittedly may be small in number, but may be much more numerous than many realize.

I really must come back. Someday. And I'll bring my spending money with me.