DETROIT (WXYZ) — The city of Detroit is counting down to the 2024 NFL draft.
The event, which is set to bring in tens of thousands of visitors, is scheduled to take place April 25-27th. Marking 150 days until the event, the city announced their plans to host the draft in the heart of downtown Detroit on Monday.
The city says they're still working out logistics for the draft and surrounding events but mentioned plans for Hart Plaza and Campus Martius Park.
As the city hammers out logistics, small businesses say they're getting prepared for the influx of visitors too.
“It’s never too early to start preparing. We have an upstairs too so we’re trying to figure out things to really get ahead of it because it’s going to be here before you know it,” said Michael Hans who is the manager at Greenwich Time Pub in Cadillac Square.
Hans says this year Greenwich has already gotten a taste of the big crowds as lions celebrate one of their best seasons in years.
“We’re excited about the fact that the draft is coming. I think it’s going to be great for the city. I was here to witness the 2006 Super Bowl and just the amount of revenue generated from that was spectacular. We’re hoping for the same thing,” said Hans.
The staff at Mootz Pizzeria + Bar on Library Street say they’ve also started seeing big crowds this fall as a result of the Lions season. Manager Remington Berg says he’s hoping to see the same thing during the 2024 draft.
“We’ve already had some big days with Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Metallica. So we’ve already had some pretty big days like that so we’re definitely prepared for draft day,” said Berg. “We love to see what Detroit is becoming right now.”
Berg says before draft day arrives, they’re hoping to complete an expansion into the space next door. Construction is already underway.
“Right now we do 100 to 120 people, but, with this expansion, we’re looking to increase that by at least 50%, so we can definitely hold that capacity that it’s going to bring to the city,” said Berg.
Some businesses are also getting support from local associations.
The Metro Detroit Black Business Alliance (MDBBA) says they’ve already started working with small business owners to make sure they are prepared for the influx of business in the coming months.
“To date, we have successfully certified local businesses making them eligible to potentially secure contracts related to the NFL draft in Detroit,” said MDBBA CEO Kai Bowman at a press conference Monday. “It’s crucial that we assist these small businesses in building the necessary capacity enabling them not only to thrive during major events but also to sustain growth over time.”
The MDBBA says in addition to the certifications, they've been able to help business owners by waiving vendor fees.
