DRCFA History and Mission
Mission
Our Goal is very simple, to be the best convention destination in the world.
Who we are
We are a team of passionate Detroiters who love to share our amazing city with everyone who visits. As hospitality ambassadors we are proud participants in the resurgence of Detroit. Our character is authentic and our service is genuine.
What we believe
We care greatly for our guests and for one another. Our diversity is our strength. We respect one another’s talents by working together and we aspire to create lasting memories for every visitor to Detroit.
How we succeed
We succeed by creating an environment with trustworthy, enthusiastic and caring people who embrace change. We work together as one very determined team focused entirely on the success of every event. We are only satisfied if we have exceeded expectations.
Recent History
Huntington Place is one of the largest convention centers in the country. 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 Huntington Place for the purposes of improving and expanding the facility, as outlined in Michigan Legislative Act 554. 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 completed a major capital improvement project that upgraded and increased the center's exhibit space, amenities and technological capacity in 2017. The project assured the facility remains among the nation's most sought-after locations for major shows and conventions, including the North American International Auto Show, an event that has a contract with Huntington Place through 2026.
On Dec. 29, 2022 Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Senate Bills 1222 and 1223 to allow for additional bond issuances and capital expenditures associated with Huntington Place so the convention facility may be expanded to accommodate more convention business and development in the area.
Venue Origins
The complex is located on the site where Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, a French colonist, landed on the banks of the Detroit River on July 24, 1701, and claimed the area for France in the name of King Louis XIV.
Built by the City of Detroit, it officially opened Aug. 15, 1960, as Cobo Hall and was named in honor of former Detroit Mayor Albert Cobo. It was Cobo’s vision to build a convention center, and it was realized only after he died in office in 1957 at age 63. The center and its attached arena cost $56 million to build (about $441 million today, when adjusted for inflation) and took four years to complete.
The first convention at Cobo Center was the Florist Telegraph Delivery (FTD) in 1960. The first event was the 43rd Auto Industry Dinner on Oct. 17, 1960; President Dwight D. Eisenhower was the keynote speaker, and the ceremony aired live on WXYZ-TV.
The 12,000-seat Cobo Arena opened in 1960 and was home to the Detroit Pistons from 1961-1978. It has hosted concerts by acts such as the Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Aretha Franklin, the Rolling Stones, the Who, Bruce Springsteen, Queen, Kiss, the Supremes, and many others. The arena also has hosted presidential speeches, boxing, wrestling, and figure skating. On June 23, 1963 Dr. Martin Luther King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech at Cobo Arena to an audience of 25,000, three months before delivering the speech in Washington D.C.
Largest Naming Rights Deal for a Convention Center in U.S.
In February 2019, a 22-year, $33 million deal for naming rights of the convention center was announced in which Detroit-based Chemical Financial Corp. acquired the naming rights. However, Chemical delayed putting its name on the building because shortly thereafter, it was announced the bank would be merging with TCF Financial Corp. The merger closed in August 2019, and on Aug. 27, 2019, the building was officially renamed the TCF Center.
In December 2020, a little more than a year after Chemical merged with TCF, TCF announced it was merging with Columbus, Ohio-based Huntington Bank. That merger officially closed in June 2021. On Dec. 9, 2021, the facility was officially renamed Huntington Place.