The City of Detroit plans to keep all of the action surrounding the upcoming NFL Draft in one area.
Visit Detroit, the city's convention and visitors' bureau, and the Detroit Sports Commission provided an update Monday on plans for the draft, which will take place from April 25 to April 27.
The Detroit Free Press reported that while plans need to be finalized with the NFL, events will take place at Campus Martius, Hart Plaza, Cadillac Square, and the Monroe Street Midway.
Visit Detroit President and CEO Claude Molinari, a member of the draft organizing committee, promises a widespread, family-friendly atmosphere celebrating football.
"We all know Detroit hustles harder, we are harnessing that energy as we collaborate with our local partners and stakeholders in our draft planning," said Molinari, according to the Free Press.
Previous plans had placed the nerve centre of the draft near the Michigan Central Terminal, but the Free Press reported that it likely will not be held at the terminal. The terminal is owned by the Ford Motor Company and undergoing a massive restoration. The Ford family owns the host team, the Detroit Lions.
Hundreds of thousands of people from around the world will converge on Detroit for the draft, which is expected to provide a massive economic boost to the regional economy. Super Bowl XL, played at Ford Field in 2006, brought about $260-million US to the area.
The region also hosted Super Bowl XVI in 1982 at the Pontiac Silverdome. It has never hosted an NFL Draft.
The 2023 NFL Draft, held in Kansas City, drew an average of six million TV viewers over the three days. The 2025 draft is scheduled for Green Bay, Wisconsin.
