DETROIT (WWJ) – The city of Detroit and the surrounding area is set to host nearly 100 major events in 2022, with various sporting events, conventions and forums coming to the city.
Visit Detroit, the visitors and convention bureau for the metro area, says these major events will bring in nearly $200 million to the region this year, and beyond.
During Visit Detroit’s annual partnership meeting at the MotorCity Casino’s SoundBoard on Tuesday, officials not only touted the wide range of events in Detroit in 2022, but unveiled a national marketing campaign aimed at parlaying that success into the future.
The “Detroit Wins” campaign rolled out on Tuesday will consist of advertising in high-profile publications such as The New York Times and Wall Street Journal, beginning this week.
Claude Molinari, Visit Detroit president and CEO, said the campaign is a way of elevating the city’s image and letting sports and event organizers know the city and region are “open for business and that other marquee events have shown their confidence by committing to bring their event.”
Molinari says in this next year the city will welcome a high volume of high-profile conventions and sporting events, leading to about 115,000 room nights in area hotels.
“Two of those events – the American Bus Association and CONNECT – have the potential to bring several more future events because their attendees organize and plan events,” Molinari said.
Among the major sporting events coming to Detroit this year will be the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, which will be held at Little Caesars Arena March 17-19. Molinari says that event is expected to bring 25,000 people to the city that weekend.
And they’re excited about it.
“The day that was announced, every hotel in the city was sold out. And the tickets went on sale in November, and they sold out in three days,” Molinari told WWJ’s Ryan Marshall during Tuesday’s event.
Michigan State football coach Mel Tucker spoke during the meeting, and Molinari says some of his ideas resonated with him, in terms of boosting the city’s event-hosting profile.
“Coach Tucker is talking about so many things like ‘there are clues to success and if you follow success, you’ll be able to pick up on the clues and how you can emulate them and put them in your own life,’” Molinari said. “And I think that coach Tucker really inspired our members today and he’s just such an inspirational character and we were thrilled to have him.”
Other major events scheduled to bring thousands of visitors to the city in 2022 include a national Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority meeting, Michigan Elite Volleyball Academy, Special Olympics, National Science Teaching Association meeting and International Women’s Forum.
It is not only conventions and sports that are headed to Detroit, Molinari said. The city has gained traction as a popular cruise ship stop on the Great Lakes and will welcome 42 port arrivals in 2022, including Viking Cruise Lines, the largest and most recognized river cruise line.
A full list of events coming to Detroit this year can be found on the Visit Detroit website.
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