Detroit Auto Show Could Move To Novi

[artds]

Detroit Auto Show Could Move To Novi
Tuesday, May 5, 2009

NOVI, Mich. -- A leader of Detroit's auto show has met with suburban officials about moving the annual event from Cobo Center to Novi in 2011.

The Detroit Auto Dealers Association said it will hold the show at Cobo Center through 2010 because that's when the contract expires.

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/1.../detail.html#-

[Detroitej72]

Thanks Mon the Con, thanks for nothing.

But hey, you won!

[Fnemecek]

Lovely. If it moves, can we rename Rock Financial Showplace the MonCon Showplace?

[texorama]

This was heavily rotated on WWJ for most of the day. Could be just a negotiating tactic, but there's certainly a lot of smoke . . .

[Novine]

A lot of hot air until anyone can show the 10 - 20 shows that are going to fill that space the rest of the year. Otherwise, it will be just as much of a money pit as Cobo.

[iheartthed]

The only thing those journalists would hate more than being in Detroit for a week during January is being in suburban Detroit for a week during January. I think it would go to L.A. or Chicago before it went to Novi.

[MIRepublic]

It was already discussed, but unless they are going to cut the show in half [[if not by even more than that), the Showplace simply doesn't have the space or the hotel infrastructure in the immediate vicinity to host a show the size of the NAIAS.

[Russix]

This is titled as a fallback plan. You need to explore the options. Monica Conyers has a 70% disapproval rating with city residents. Most likely this issue will need to take a deep breath and hold it for the summer. In the meantime it’s important that we demonstrate to the show’s organizers that we’re working on alternatives to accommodate them and that we’re not placing all of our eggs in one basket. Does anyone really want to see the autoshow go to Novi? Most would say no. The city council need to accept the fact that Cobo itself is a burden on the city but that economic activity associated from it is so immensely valuable that they should be willing to accept even a deal that gives them nothing without any say. Not that I promote a deal that removes the city from being represented, just that it’s that important.

[trstar]

Nope, not going to happen.

Still smoke and mirrors.

If anything, Cobo could be MORE right-sized given the shrinking number of auto models. Regardless, there's time to craft an agreement that works for the entire region - including Detroit.

[John]

This story was posted on the Macomb Daily site this morning and has attracted quite a few ignorant comments. They make the Free Press message borads look like an intellectual forum.

http://www.macombdaily.com/articles/...2821995593.txt

[Det_ard]

It'd be dumb to have the region's major convention center anywhere but in downtown Detroit. That said, we're a pretty dumb bunch. If city council is too dumb to get out of their own way, having it in Novi is the least worst alternative.

From the WDIV story,

Local 4 learned it would cost about $150 million to expand the showplace nearly 1-million square feet to make it big enough to accommodate the North American International Auto Show.

That's half the cost of expanding/refurbishing Cobo. Advantage Novi. Add in the cost advantages of a non-union, non-corrupt workforce and the deserved bad reputation of the people you have to deal with at Cobo and Novi may have a real shot.

It would suck for Detroit and be dumb for the region but it works for Novi, LBP and the DADA.

[R8RBOB]

To the residents of Novi and Oakland County, this is a ploy. Don't believe the hype. If the Auto Show was to move to Novi, a deal would have been already been finalized. Leaking a story about talks tell me that they are sending a shout-out to Detroit to get their $hit together.

I read the comments from the Free Press and the Macomb Daily and those posters sound as if they are from another planet. They believe that the Auto Show is indeed coming to Novi. That it is a done deal. Well, if it did happened, oh well life goes on.

[irish_mafia]

I think that people should take Brooks at his word on three things:
1) He has no desire to re-visit a deal that was made by thinking parties from each of the major governmental bodies involved. [[City council obviously doesn't count based on the collective volume of brain power in the room).
2) If they get rid of the derelicts in Detroit that are causing the problem [[MonCon, etc) he might have discussions with sane people
3) Preparations have been in the works for a while for "plan B" in Oakland County and it will be ready to go. He has been instrumental in bringing business to SE Michigan even while Detroit politicians and others within the state have done their part to drive business away. He won't let this show get easily grabbed by Chicago if he can help it.

[Grundyke]

Novi does not have the
size or infrastructure of amenities. Even if they did they exist already so this show is only a positive if it happened. The show will go to Chicago and Government Motors and Ford move their headquarters to New York City. After all what reason will they have to stay here once the NAIAS is gone? It will not be loyalty, not in this day and age.

[Red Devil]

How is a show that is put on by the Detroit Auto Dealers Association going to move to LA or Chicago? Those cities have their own auto shows. NAIAS will either stay in Cobo or disappear like the Grand Prix.

[MIRepublic]

The point is that they are most definitely not moving to Novi, either. As you said, they will be in Cobo or they won't be in existence unless they want to turn it into some dinky event, whereby they'd be better off renting some conference room in a hotel. lol