Auto show economic impact estimated at nearly $1 billion for City of Detroit

DETROIT (FOX 2) - As the new cars and test tracks are packed away those from ‘Visit Detroit’ a sponsor of the Detroit Auto Show - are taking stock.

"The show was on a higher level this year and I think people don’t recognize the auto industry has gone through such a disruption," said Claude Molinari, president of Visit Detroit. "Things have changed so much."

Most notably a priority to highlight Electric Vehicles. But the timing of this year's auto show coincided with a UAW strike and a huge union rally just feet away from Huntington Place.  

They were events with the potential to derail the auto show - but according to some, that's not what happened. 

"This is still - maybe not at the level it was prior to the pandemic - but it’s still the number one show in the world," he said.

This show was meant to attract a global audience and showcase the City of Detroit as much as the vehicles.

"Last week was one of the busiest weeks in the history of Detroit's metro hotel region. Occupancy levels are off the chart," said Molinari.

That includes the Detroit Foundation Hotel.

"It was great for us," said James Dannecker, the hotel's GM. "(A) really solid two weeks and then seeing what’s coming up in an October across the street, will probably be more of the same but in a different format."

Located directly across from Huntington Place, the hotel and the adjoining Apparatus Room Restaurant were banking on a successful show. 

And it appears as if it will live up to those standards.

"We’re doing 150 to 200 people definitely for lunch and then doing 250-plus for dinner on most nights and different things like that," he said.

In addition to a boost in the number of customers, the feedback from those same visitors has been positive.

"They (loved) how walkable the city was, and how much it has changed over the years," he said.

The trick now becomes how to capitalize on this momentum.

"I just hopes that it continues to build last year was still international travel was lagging a little bit," Dannecker said. "You saw the attendance start to increase more and more. Hopefully everyone wants to continue to be a part of it."

"It’s critical for our region to have the premiere auto show in the world, and we are behind making that happen," said Molinari.

It’s a little premature to say how much revenue the show brought in, but those in charge say it will likely be $1 billion.

That's factoring in international guests for the media preview as well the thousands who came to area to see it for themselves during the public show.