Detroit organizers seek to exploit NFL Draft success with talks for NBA events

Detroit workers are deconstructing the stages, the fans are gone and all that's left of a historic week is to revel in a well-planned and played NFL Draft, and look for more ways to showcase a resurgent city, organizers said.

After some 775,000 fans poured into the city for the three-day draft, breaking attendance records each day, Detroit officials are looking for the next extravaganza to showcase the city, said Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan.

The feedback for the three-day event with "no issues, all smiles" that began Thursday was swift. Duggan cited media accounts in addition to visitor reaction.

"We set out to change our image nationally," Duggan said over the weekend. "I'm looking at the Wall Street Journal and USA Today, and all it is is praise for Detroit and how the city's turned around, as well as how well we're in the Draft."

Duggan said he met with NBA officials Saturday to discuss All-Star games and having the NBA draft or a tournament in the city.

"There's no doubt that interest in Detroit on being a part of these events has gone up tremendously in the last 72 hours," he said.

Even Gov. Gretchen Whitmer weighed in, saying "we have shown the world what the Motor City is all about."

The city is already looking to host the NCAA Men's Final Four in 2027 at Ford Field. National semifinals are set for a championship game tipping off April 5, 2027. The bid was an effort led by the Detroit Sports Commission, Visit Detroit, Michigan State University, the city of Detroit, Ford Field and the Detroit Lions.

The NFL Draft was the lead-off to summer activities in the city, said Christopher Moyer, spokesman for Visit Detroit, the official visitor site for Metro Detroit, including Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties.

"There's no slowing down after this event," Moyer said Sunday. "I've talked with a lot of business owners in the area today and the response is just overwhelmingly happy."

More events, like Movement music festival Memorial Day weekend, the Grand Prix downtown and the Rocket Mortgage Classic golf tournament in June, he said, should continue to cement the Motor City's reputation for putting on a good party.

"We're not stopping, we're continuing this positive momentum to show Detroit is a place to invest, work, play and visit," he said.

Detroit's turn at the NFL Draft smashed the single-day record on Thursday, when 275,000 people packed Campus Martius for the opening round. The surge continued Friday night, where the total eclipsed 500,000. The draft was at-capacity each of the first two nights and was forced to turn people away. It shattered records Saturday, too, Moyer said.

The overall attendance of 775,000 visitors set a record for the draft, surpassing 600,000 set in Nashville in 2019. The Detroit tally includes visitors at Corner Ballpark in Corktown, at Draft Day in the D watchbparties and the NFL downtown footprint over the three days.

No major incidents were reported over the three days, said Detroit police spokesman Dan Donakowski. There were two shootings following the event Saturday night after the day's event ended and not within the draft areas. Duggan said police Chief James White curbed access to Greektown four times Friday night due to overcapacity.

"The real hero of this draft is Chief (James) White. We didn't hear of incidents in the outside activation spaces, either, so I'm very proud of our department," Duggan said. "I think you'll hear more often the impression Detroit Police have made."

The attendance number is expected to grow. Visit Detroit is working with the Detroit Police Department on an estimate for visitors who never went in the main arena for the draft but watched it at nearby parties in Greektown and Eastern Market. Details were expected to be discussed at a press conference recapping the event Monday morning.

The massive buildup from the NFL dome-like stage, including AstroTurf, wood and fencing are being recycled to turn an east-side Detroit building for Detroit Dog Rescue into a free spay and neuter clinic for city residents. It will take the NFL nine days to load out supplies expected Monday through May 6. Afterward, major streets will reopen and return to business as usual.

"This event shows people around the world that any event can be hosted in Detroit and everyone will be welcomed in Detroit," Moyer said. "Whether its three days of the NFL Draft, two days of Taylor Swift concerts or breaking records for WWE Summer Slam, we know how to host people, how to welcome them and how to do it safely.

Duggan: 'People poured in'

Duggan described his joy in seeing visitors who haven't been in the city for a while. He said he was flattered to announce a Lion's draft pick with legend Barry Sanders. He said slight technical issues Thursday when fans were lined up over a block to get in led him to open the gates an hour early.

"That was how confident we were about preparation. People poured in. Everyone was smiling, getting their picture taken," Duggan said.

He estimated he took 2,000 pictures on the first day, mostly with suburbanites. "They all say the same thing, 'The city looks beautiful. We're really proud,' and that's been the great thing. I heard suburbanites say, 'We' more than I have in my lifetime. It is a whole different environment here and I think the entire region is proud of it. "

Duggan said he hopes this spurs people to move back into the city. Many have returned downtown and it's slowed population of the city because the city "can't build housing fast enough."

"So the idea that we hit more than 700,000 and counting, is really remarkable and we will set the standards going forward," he said. "This may have been the first draft where the fan experience drove it as opposed to what is the efficient operation, and we did it with no problems."

Duggan lauded Rocket Mortgage founder Dan Gilbert for his contributions to rebuilding the city and hosting events. He said, "I'm sure Dan's getting calls for future events here."

"What's next? Grand Prix is coming," he said. "Almost everything we built is permanent. The pavilion will go away but what we've done with beautification and city maintaining the freeways and getting the fountain working again ... I think Detroiters are going to love the way the city looks for a long time."

Visitor feedback

Residents, workers and visitors gave positive feedback Saturday, after the crowd formed the world's largest hustle line dance and watched fireworks from the main stage in Cadillac Square.

Lifelong Detroiter Maxine Braxton attended NFL Draft events on Saturday with her family to support of her nephew, Detroiter Javon Foster, who was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars. She said they entered downtown effortlessly with the QLine, took the People Mover and walked around downtown's activities from Hart Plaza to Ford Field.

"It's been wonderful, absolutely wonderful," said Braxton, 81. "I'm just proud to see the city getting the respect that it should get. It's set up so nice. It's not overwhelming, even though it's a lot of people."

Richard Marsh usually works security for Cincinnati Bengals' local games. The loyal Bengals fan said he drove to Detroit from Florence, Kentucky, to reunite with the team with his wife.

The couple said they were impressed by how efficient and accessible the city was during their first visit. Michelle Marsh, 57, said parking was a simple process after Googling the best spots ahead of time.

"Thank goodness for GPS," said Richard Marsh, 57. "It seems pretty nice, actually. The parking, you do it online. Then, the shuttle busses to here and back to your parking? It's awesome."

Milwaukee residents Austin Gellings and Callaghan Mooney said they mainly lived off fast food until arriving at their hotel in downtown Detroit, which they said they weren't happy with, but exploring the city for the first time was a positive experience.

"I was surprised, I was thinking it would have more of a Milwaukee feel," Gellings said. "But it kind of gives more of ... a Chicago-feel just from the setting and all the large buildings ... It's a lot larger than I had thought. I just didn't know much about Detroit and what to expect."

Beyond the city's unique architecture, Mooney was more impressed by the goodwill local Lions fans extended to out-of-towner fans like himself, he said.

"There's not the banter that goes back and forth, like what we have with Bears fans, Vikings fans," Mooney said. "We love Lions fans, and the Lions fans have been super, super nice here. It's been awesome."

The draft attracted friends from across the border. Jackson Holloway, 24, and Brett Steele, 25 woke up early Saturday to make the three-hour drive from Canada in time for the last day of the Draft.

The Jaguars and Packers fans had always wanted to see the NFL Draft in person but the distance had always stopped them from making the trip, said Holloway of Smithville, Ontario.

"We just love football and thought it would be a nice bucket list thing to check off," Holloway said. "It's kind of surreal to be here and see the NFL Network guys right in front of us."

The pair spent their morning walking around Detroit's downtown and got to wave to NFL Network analysts Charles Davis and Daniel Jeremiah, he said.

"We Googled what the best thing to do was and we found a parking lot, then took a shuttle over," Holloway said. "It was very easy, pretty quick, pretty cheap too. We saw there was some parking that was 60 bucks, 80 bucks, and we were able to get it a little cheaper."

Navigating Detroit was still easy, said Steele, of Grimbsy, Ontario. Steele had visited the city a few times before for Lions' games, too.

Detroit "remained a whole different world from Windsor across the river," Holloway said.

Who deserves the most credit?

The event required years of planning, tens of millions of dollars by the NFL along with private partnerships. Detroit officials said the city spent $230,000 on murals; $1.53 million on improvements to streets and traffic signals, and tree planting and sprucing up medians in the city, but officials say a state grant covered those costs. The Downtown Detroit Partnership spent $2 million sprucing up downtown and five nearby parks.

The economic impact is expected to top $160 million, according to an early analysis from the East Lansing-based economic consulting firm Anderson Economic Group LLC. 

"The fans that showed up, especially Michigan and visitors that came with an open mind and open heart," Moyer said. "Second is all the people that worked at all the activations to be great ambassadors to represent Detroit and third is the public safety officers that helped everyone and kept us all safe. They deserve the most credit."

Logan Donald, 15, of Holt was proud to be in the city on Saturday morning, too.

The football fan wore a 49ers jersey. Saturday was his first day at the draft and his first glimpse at what an NFL Draft looked like.

"Everyone's really nice here," he said. "It don't matter where you're from or what fan you are, they're all really nice."

srahal@detroitnews.com

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