Chemical Bank Will Rename Detroit’s Cobo Center by End of 2019

March 6, 2019

Last month, the Detroit Regional Convention Facility Authority awarded Chemical Bank the exclusive naming rights for Cobo Center via a 22-year, $1.5 million-per-year agreement.

According to Claude Molinari, general manager of the downtown Detroit facility, the DRCFA’s selection of Chemical Bank represents strong financial future and a big move toward Cobo becoming a self-sustaining facility by 2024.

“This unprecedented naming rights agreement is a great win for all parties,” Molinari said. “Chemical Bank makes a strong statement of commitment to the region and secured naming rights to a convention center that is growing in notoriety every day.”

By the end of this year, the bank and the DRCFA will announce Cobo’s new name, which will remain as-is until that time, he added. 

Cobo

Securing a naming rights initiative for the convention center has been a longtime goal of the DRCFA, according to Larry Alexander, DRCFA chairman and president and CEO of the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau.

“Our announcement today gives us all an important message: that public-private partnerships work, and that we continue to dedicate ourselves to serving the customers of this great Center and to the rebuilding of a truly great American city,” Alexander said. “There could not be a better partner than Chemical Bank.”

While most convention centers throughout the U.S. typically are named after local public officials, Cobo isn’t the only U.S. convention facility that has recently granted naming rights to a financial institution in exchange for sponsorship funds.

In early April of 2016, Huntington Bank struck a deal to obtain the naming rights of the Cleveland Convention Center, which became the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland just in time for the Republican National Convention in July of that year. 

According to local news reports, Huntington Bancshares Inc. announced the agreement between FirstMerit Corp. and Cuyahoga County as a merger between Huntington Bank and FirstMerit drew closer to completion. Huntington took on all terms of the original 20-year, $10.3 million deal approved between the county council and FirstMerit in the fall of 2015. 

“This is part of the implementation of the group plan and will allow us to do some investments in the malls that really make this convention center not only continue to be state-of-the-art but really provide the kind of amenities…that will make this a prime place where people will be able to walk and play and things you need to do in a downtown area,” said Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson during a September 2015 news conference when the naming rights deal with FirstMerit was announced.   

The agreement also included signage rights and branding inclusion for Huntington’s customized convention center logo.

Paid for with county sales taxes, the $425 million HCCC and the Global Center for Health Innovation opened in June 2013. 

Thanks to the Chemical Bank deal, Michigan taxpayers will receive significant benefit in sponsorship revenue to offset the cost of operating the convention center, Molinari said.

Mich. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said she believes this new collaboration and long-term commitment to the city of Detroit and greater region will make a real, meaningful difference for Michiganders.

“I’m eager to partner with the business community to make sure we bring more investment to our state, boost local economies in cities like Detroit, and connect more Michiganders to good-paying jobs,” Whitmer said.

 

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Partner Voices
Less than six months ago, Lisa Messina joined the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) as the first-ever chief sales officer after leading the sales team at Caesars Entertainment. A 12-year Las Vegas resident, Messina is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and serves on MPI International’s board of directors. TSNN had a chance to catch up with this dynamic leader and talk to her about her vision for the new role, current shifts in the trade show industry, creating more diversity and equity within the organization, and advice to future female leaders. Lisa Messina, Chief Sales Officer, LVCVA With Las Vegas becoming The Greatest Arena on EarthTM, what are some of the things you’re most excited about in your role? Our team was at The Big Game’s handoff ceremony earlier this month, and I couldn’t help but think, “We’re going to crush it next year!”  These high-profile events and venues not only drive excitement, but also provide unmatched opportunities for event planners. Allegiant Stadium hosts events from 10 to 65,000 people and offers on-field experiences. Formula 1 Grand Prix will take place in Las Vegas in November, after the year-one F1 race, the four-story paddock building will be available for buyouts and will also offer daily ride-along experiences that will be available for groups. And, of course, the MSG Sphere officially announced that it will open in September, ahead of schedule, with a U2 residency. It’s going to be the most technologically advanced venue as far as lighting, sound, feel, and even scent, and it will be available for buyouts and next-level sponsorships inside and outside. There’s no ceiling to what you can do when you’re doing events in Las Vegas.  Allegiant Stadium As the trade show and convention business returns to the pre-pandemic levels, what shifts are you noticing and how do you think they will impact the industry going forward? Our trade show organizers are very focused on driving customer experience. Most of our organizers are reporting stronger exhibitor numbers and increased numbers of new exhibitors, with trade shows proving to be almost or above 2019 levels. Now our organizers are really doubling down on driving attendance and focusing on the data to provide that individualized, customized experience to help attendees meet their goals and get the best value. Some companies continue to be cautiously optimistic with their organizational spend when it comes to sending attendees, but I think it will continue to improve. As the U.S. Travel Association makes more progress on the U.S. visa situation, we also expect a growing influx of international attendees. What are some innovative ways the LVCVA helps trade show and convention organizers deliver the most value for their events? We focus on customer experience in the same way that trade show organizers are thinking about it. We got rave reviews with the West Hall Expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), so over the next two years, we will be renovating the North and the Central halls, which will include not just the same look and feel, but also the digital experiences that can be leveraged for branding and sponsorship opportunities.  Vegas Loop, the underground transportation system designed by The Boring Company, is also a way we have enhanced the customer experience. Vegas Loop at the LVCC has transported more than 900,000 convention attendees across the campus since its 2021 launch. Last summer, Resorts World and The Boring Company opened the first resort stop at the Resorts World Las Vegas , with plans to expand throughout the resort corridor, including downtown Las Vegas, Allegiant Stadium and Harry Reid International Airport. The LVCVA also purchased the Las Vegas Monorail in 2020, the 3.9-mile-long elevated transportation system that connects eight resorts directly to the convention center campus. This is the only rail system in the world that integrates fares directly into show badges and registration. For trade show organizers, these transportation options mean saving time, money and effort when it comes to moving groups from the hotels to LVCC and around the city. Also, the more we can focus on building the infrastructure around the convention center, the more it supports the customer experience and ultimately supports our trade show organizers. Scheduled to debut in Q4, Fontainebleau Las Vegas will offer 3,700 hotel rooms and 550,000 square feet of meeting and convention space next to LVCC.  What are some of the plans for advancing DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) within your organization? We’re currently partnering with instead of working with a leading consulting firm, to lay the foundation and create a solid DEI plan and be the leader when it comes to DEI initiatives. The heart of that journey with the consulting firm is also talking to our customers about their strategic approaches to DEI and driving innovation in this space.  What are your favorite ways to recharge? My husband and I have an RV and we’re outdoorsy people. So, while we have over 150,000 world-class hotel rooms and renowned restaurants right outside our doorstep, one of my favorite things to do is get out to Red Rock Canyon, the Valley of Fire, and Lake Mead. Five of the top national parks are within a three-hour drive from Las Vegas, so there’s a lot you can do. We love balancing the energy of Las Vegas with nature, and we’re noticing that a lot of attendees add activities off the Strip when they come here.  Valley of Fire What advice would you give to women following leadership paths in destination marketing? I think it’s about being laser-focused on what you want to accomplish; building a team around you that lifts you and helps you achieve your goals; and being humble and realizing that you do it as a group. No one gets this done alone. Thankfully, there are a lot of women in leadership in this organization, in our customers’ organizations, and in this city that we can be really proud of. We’re a formidable force that is making things happen.   This interview has been edited and condensed. This article is exclusively sponsored by the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority. For more information, visit HERE.