(Source: MIRS.news, Published 03/21/2024) Visit Detroit President Claude Molinari said he expects an economic impact of around $160 to $170 million from hosting the 2024 National Football League (NFL) Draft, which is being kicked off by a $10 million investment from Detroit’s organizing committee and the state to prepare the city.
Molinari was joined by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and House Speaker Joe Tate (D-Detroit) to talk about the importance of hosting the 2024 draft, which will take place April 25-27 in downtown Detroit.
When asked about the cost of preparing the city, he said the city’s organizing committee, the Detroit Sports Commission, is spending around $10 million, with some of that funding provided by the state and some through a fundraising effort.
“The economic impact of $160 to $170 million more than justifies a $10 million local organizing effort,” he said, adding that the draft will be the “largest and most inclusive sporting event in the state of Michigan, ever."
Those dollars will go towards construction, as well as things like taking down some stop lights temporarily, Molinari said.
He added that some road work has been accelerated a bit, but “the city has been going through a revival as it is,” and a majority of the work that’s going on downtown was already scheduled to take place.
As for the NFL, Molinari said he expects the League to spend around four times the investment of the organizing committee to ready the city.
In addition to the hundreds of thousands of visitors in Detroit, which Molinari said will likely help generate hundreds of millions in economic aid, “tens of millions of TV viewers will get to see the beauty of Detroit, which will help inspire more visitors, more investment and more opportunities for people around Michigan to thrive.”
Tate said in 2006, during the end of his own NFL career, SuperBowl 40 was held in Detroit, and he gave away his tickets to his brother.
“I’m not going to lose out this year,” Tate said.
Whitmer shouted out Michigan State University’s (MSU’s) recent March Madness Update during her speech, but when asked if she scheduled the 2:30 p.m. presser to directly follow MSU playing, Whitmer laughed.
“I didn’t schedule the press conference,” she said. “I’m glad Michigan State won, but I don't know who . . . picked the time. All I can say is I’m glad it’s before seven o’clock, when the Oakland U Grizzlies is, the next big game we’re rooting for.”
