The Parade Company plans new headquarters along Detroit River, launches $45 million campaign
DETROIT (FOX 2) - The Parade Company, the force behind America's Thanksgiving Parade, launched a campaign this week to help build a new headquarters along the Detroit River.
"I’ll tell you, it’s time for a new home. We’ve been working six years on this broadhead armory idea," said Tony Michaels, president and CEO of the company. "We build all of the floats here, they’re three-year contracts. We build every one of these floats. We do all the costuming our team is here of 16, hundreds of volunteers helping, and it all happens in this building which it’s time to go."
Michaels says while their current headquarters on Mount Elliott has been wonderful, with more contracts in the pipeline their sights are set higher and it’s time for a new state-of-the-art home.
"These are steel, wood. They have animation to them, they are 3 to 4-month projects, and they need to be done in a great facility," he said.
They are now hoping the community can invest in the new building.
"We’ve been able to garner about 20% of the money needed to build the building, but the number’s big -- it’s $45 million, and we’re going to get it done, we really are. It’s going to be very special for the city, the riverfront, the neighborhood, kids and families, and The Parade Company itself," Michaels said.