OUR STORY

Working Towards a Better Tomorrow

The Michigan Legislature passed Public Act. No. 63 of 2009 creating the Detroit Regional Convention Facility Authority (the Authority) and granting it power to assume operational control of Cobo Center for the purposes of improving and expanding the facility. The first steps in achieving the ultimate goal of expansion were: to develop an organizational structure to govern the facility; to build an interim professional executive management team to manage the transition of facility's operations, finances, procurement and construction goals; to evaluate and assume all of the facility's existing contractual liabilities; and to hire employees to ensure a seamless transfer of the facility's operations on Sept. 15, 2009. The Authority accomplished all of these goals within four weeks in order to meet the state-mandated transfer date.

The Authority is comprised of five board members appointed to represent the respective interests of the state of Michigan, the city of Detroit, and Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties. The Authority has been widely heralded as southeastern Michigan's first major step towards true regional cooperation.

The Authority is currently managing a major capital improvement project that will upgrade and increase the center's exhibit space, amenities and technological capacity. The project will assure the facility remains among the nation's most sought-after locations for major shows and conventions, including the North American International Auto Show.