Detroit City Council votes put a halt to Cobo Center expansion

Posted: Feb 25, 2009
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The North American International Auto Show may be in trouble. The Detroit City Council voted 5-3 to disapprove the transfer of the Cobo Center to regional authority. The move puts a stop to the $288 million expansion project and renovation approved by the Michigan Legislature last year. There is no word whether Detroit Mayor Ken Cockrel Jr. will use a veto as an option.

Co-chairman of the Detroit Auto Show, Doug Fox, said that he and his group are meeting with German automakers at the Geneva Motor Show next week, reports Automotive News. He said most of those German automakers have committed to the Detroit Auto Show but expansion and renovation are necessary incentives for those manufacturers.

He said that German companies are responsible for about 30 percent of the Detroit Auto Show floor space and about 40 percent of the dollars spent to exhibit at the show. He said that if Detroit loses key German automakers it could lose its spot as the no.1 auto show in the U.S.


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  • zermatt

    I am not surprised.

    At one point the Detroit show was getting global attention. In the last 3 years the rest of the world has essentially said that Detroit doesn't matter.

    Geneva is the place to be for the Winter/Spring shows and Frankfurt is the place in the fall (on the odd years). The Paris show is also looking like a good Fall event.

    Let me see… Paris, Geneva, Frankfurt… That sounds like fun.

    Detroit…. Run for your life!

  • Ivan Gutierrez

    Well at least in North America we still have the LA Auto Show. I went to the 2008 LA show and it was awesome, but then again it was my first major auto show so it was going to be awesome regardless. I was going to go to Detroit but school got in the way, and after realizing that so many manufacturers weren't going I couldn't care less. I wish LA would become the major show of North America cause I'll take LA over detroit anyday.

  • zermatt

    I have not been to LA's show, but attend the Chicago show religiously.

    I have also been to the Frankfurt show a number of time over the past 15 years (mostly tied to a trip for work) and that is the show to make a special effort for.

    If is so large that I typically allot one and a half days for it. Lots of new car introductions and important concepts are introduced at this show. It is very cool.

    Besides, it is close to the Porsche & Mercedes factories and a factory tour/museum visit is a good way to send a a day, too. BMW is a day trip by train and they have a very comprehensive tour and a good museum.

    I better be careful here, I am talking myself into a Germany trip in September.

  • zermatt

    I am not surprised.

    At one point the Detroit show was getting global attention. In the last 3 years the rest of the world has essentially said that Detroit doesn't matter.

    Geneva is the place to be for the Winter/Spring shows and Frankfurt is the place in the fall (on the odd years). The Paris show is also looking like a good Fall event.

    Let me see… Paris, Geneva, Frankfurt… That sounds like fun.

    Detroit…. Run for your life!

  • Ivan Gutierrez

    Well at least in North America we still have the LA Auto Show. I went to the 2008 LA show and it was awesome, but then again it was my first major auto show so it was going to be awesome regardless. I was going to go to Detroit but school got in the way, and after realizing that so many manufacturers weren't going I couldn't care less. I wish LA would become the major show of North America cause I'll take LA over detroit anyday.

  • zermatt

    I have not been to LA's show, but attend the Chicago show religiously.

    I have also been to the Frankfurt show a number of time over the past 15 years (mostly tied to a trip for work) and that is the show to make a special effort for.

    If is so large that I typically allot one and a half days for it. Lots of new car introductions and important concepts are introduced at this show. It is very cool.

    Besides, it is close to the Porsche & Mercedes factories and a factory tour/museum visit is a good way to send a a day, too. BMW is a day trip by train and they have a very comprehensive tour and a good museum.

    I better be careful here, I am talking myself into a Germany trip in September.