Legislature Clears Way for Detroit Convention Center Makeover

A redevelopment plan for Huntington Place would add hundreds of new hotel rooms and create riverfront connectivity.

1 minute read

December 26, 2022, 6:00 AM PST

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Giant inflatable yellow rubber ducky placed in plaza at Huntington Place, Detroit with pedestrians milling around

Davslens Photography / Huntington Place, Detroit

Detroit’s Huntington Place Convention Center could soon be getting a major makeover that would include hundreds of new hotel rooms aimed at drawing more conventions to the city, reports David Eggert in Crain’s Detroit Business.

“The overall effort could make the area — a complex cobweb of infrastructure that is uninviting to pedestrians — more conducive to a big hotel development that would attract more convention business to the city.” The convention center is managed by the Detroit Regional Convention Facility Authority. As Eggerts explains, “The state's Convention Facility Development Fund, which is funded by hotel and liquor taxes and takes in roughly $100 million yearly, is primarily distributed to counties and the authority.”

The redevelopment would be enabled by a set of bills passed by the state legislature and awaiting Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s signature. “The legislation would let the authority enter into public-private arrangements, lift a $279 million spending cap, authorize $299 million in new bonding and expand the facility's definition to include bike paths, plazas, green space and roads necessary or convenient for use in connection with the facility.”

The authority also wants to connect Second Avenue to the adjacent riverwalk west of the convention center to provide more connectivity.

Wednesday, December 21, 2022 in Crain's Detroit Business

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Aerial view of single-family homes with swimming pools in San Diego, California.

San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule

The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.

March 9, 2025 - Axios

Canadian flag in foreground with blurred Canadian Parliament building in background in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Has President Trump Met His Match?

Doug Ford, the no-nonsense premier of Canada's most populous province, Ontario, is taking on Trump where it hurts — making American energy more expensive.

March 11, 2025 - Toronto Star

Close-up of green ULEZ sign in London, UK.

Study: London ULEZ Rapidly Cleaning up Air Pollution

Expanding the city’s ultra low-emission zone has resulted in dramatic drops in particle emissions in inner and outer London.

March 10, 2025 - Smart Cities World

Burned car and home in Los Angeles after 2019 wildfire.

The Unseen Aftermath: Wildfires’ Lasting Health and Emotional Burden

Wildfires in Los Angeles not only pose immediate physical health risks but also lead to long-term respiratory problems and mental health struggles, underscoring the need for a coordinated public health response to mitigate their lasting effects.

March 16 - UCLA Health

View of Central Park lake with people sitting on lakeside rocks and NYC high-rises in background.

Public Parks as Climate Resilience Tools

Designed with green infrastructure, parks can mitigate flooding, reduce urban heat, and enhance climate resilience, offering cost-effective solutions to environmental challenges while benefiting communities.

March 16 - Grist

Cyclists and a red T train on the Longfellow Bridge in Boston, MA at sunset.

What the Proposed Federal Budget Means for Transit, Rail

The proposed FY 2025 budget keeps spending for public transit and passenger rail essentially the same as in 2024.

March 16 - American Public Transportation Association

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.