Upscale boutique hotel "The Foundation" coming downtown, old fire dep HQ

**Chicago48** · July-02-14, 03:32 PM

Originally Posted by SpartanDawg

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...ned-into-hotel

the old fire headquarters across cobo hall right next to the crowne plaza will be a 100 room upscale hotel called The Foundation

I feel like the resurgence of Downtown Detroit's hotels have been in large part a trickle down effect of the massive Cobo renovation... all the renovations and now two new hotels will open within a year of each other in historic buildings that were sitting empty [[aloft in the david whitney being the other).. wonderful news

The city will need a LOT of convention business to make this many hotels work. Like Chicago or Orlando. The thing that Detroit has going for it is competitive prices and taxes for conventioneers. Other than that, Detroit has a steep hill to climb to get big conventions into the city.

**animatedmartian** · July-02-14, 04:07 PM

Originally Posted by Chicago48

The city will need a LOT of convention business to make this many hotels work. Like Chicago or Orlando. The thing that Detroit has going for it is competitive prices and taxes for conventioneers. Other than that, Detroit has a steep hill to climb to get big conventions into the city.

9 hotels is hardly "many" hotels.

**rb336** · July-02-14, 08:06 PM

Originally Posted by animatedmartian

9 hotels is hardly "many" hotels.

I can name 13 downtown hotels off the top of my head that I wouldn't worry about recommending. 14 if you count the Inn at Ferry Street.

**DetroitPlanner** · July-03-14, 07:26 AM

Originally Posted by rb336

I can name 13 downtown hotels off the top of my head that I wouldn't worry about recommending. 14 if you count the Inn at Ferry Street.

15 if you include the Viking! http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev..._Michigan.html

**stinkytofu** · July-03-14, 07:39 AM

Originally Posted by Chicago48

The city will need a LOT of convention business to make this many hotels work. Like Chicago or Orlando. The thing that Detroit has going for it is competitive prices and taxes for conventioneers. Other than that, Detroit has a steep hill to climb to get big conventions into the city.

Well, the good news is that Cobo has seen a very significant uptick in business the last year or so.

**DetroitPlanner** · July-03-14, 07:59 AM

Originally Posted by stinkytofu

Well, the good news is that Cobo has seen a very significant uptick in business the last year or so.

One year is not a trend. You need to sustain it over a much longer period of time. For example, it has been years since Detroit has hosted a Superbowl, All Star Game, or Final four. If you look at the trend of hosting major sporting events it has been a downward trend. Is this all bad? No. But don't place your bets before you sit at the table.

**stinkytofu** · July-03-14, 08:27 AM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

One year is not a trend. You need to sustain it over a much longer period of time. For example, it has been years since Detroit has hosted a Superbowl, All Star Game, or Final four. If you look at the trend of hosting major sporting events it has been a downward trend. Is this all bad? No. But don't place your bets before you sit at the table.

True, but we are comparing apples and oranges if you consider "old" Cobo to "new" Cobo. Cobo is now viewed infinitely better than it was just three or four years ago. That's not even taking into consideration they still have a good amount of work left. I would have to believe that the "new" Cobo has helped generate the additional business and don't see how that business would take a significant hit going forward. It's becoming a great facility.

**jt1** · July-03-14, 08:37 AM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

One year is not a trend. You need to sustain it over a much longer period of time. For example, it has been years since Detroit has hosted a Superbowl, All Star Game, or Final four. If you look at the trend of hosting major sporting events it has been a downward trend. Is this all bad? No. But don't place your bets before you sit at the table.

I agree however I recall reading an article that the number of events booked in the next three years are already more than in past years [[year over year). The books, if memory serves are much stronger in 2015 and 2016 as well. There are also more large scale events already booked.

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · July-05-14, 12:20 PM

Originally Posted by jt1

I agree however I recall reading an article that the number of events booked in the next three years are already more than in past years [[year over year). The books, if memory serves are much stronger in 2015 and 2016 as well. There are also more large scale events already booked.

This is true. Cobo already has many more non-Auto Show bookings in the coming years. Also, the improvements at Cobo free up time there so that other events can be booked during some of the time previously used for set up and break down for the Auto Show. Hotel room rates and occupancy levels have been on a consistent upswing in the last few years. But event-related hotel bookings are only part of the equation. All the new people living and working downtown themselves cause hotel bookings. All the new office tenants generate them, too. And we have already crossed over a once unthinkable threshhold [[I know this first hand from people I deal with every day): people from SE Michigan and even a little further out now regularly book a room downtown, with a plan to eat dinner, catch a game or show, spend a little time at a casino, have breakfast followed by a walk along the river. In short: hanging out in Detroit for a day or a night is now a thing a lot of people do, event without an event or obligation attached. That is probably the most valuable thing in the long run: getting locals to appreciate what's here.

**SpartanDawg** · July-03-14, 09:06 AM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

One year is not a trend. You need to sustain it over a much longer period of time. For example, it has been years since Detroit has hosted a Superbowl, All Star Game, or Final four. If you look at the trend of hosting major sporting events it has been a downward trend. Is this all bad? No. But don't place your bets before you sit at the table.

this is where the new Red wings arena will come into play.. i guarantee we host the NHL all-star game.. along with ncaa mens basketball tournament games every few years... along with many more concerts and events that flee to the palace currently because joe louis is such a POS

also JUST this year we had the winter classic events all in downtown at comerica... that brought in quite a few people

**rb336** · July-05-14, 03:33 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

One year is not a trend. You need to sustain it over a much longer period of time. For example, it has been years since Detroit has hosted a Superbowl, All Star Game, or Final four. If you look at the trend of hosting major sporting events it has been a downward trend. Is this all bad? No. But don't place your bets before you sit at the table.

bookings are higher for 1 year and 2 year lead times as well