Detroit Grand Prix ready to roar with lessons learned in return to downtown

The 2024 Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix marks the second straight year the race will run through the streets of downtown Detroit — the place it began 40 years ago — and organizers believe this year’s event will top 2023.

Part of the reason for that optimism is the introduction of some new offerings for the May 31-June 2 event.

Tailgating is an option this year and the footprint for local vendors selling food, drinks, apparel and other items is expanding. Meanwhile, construction of the 1.7-mile track and surrounding infrastructure began earlier this year with more thought put into traffic patterns.

Detroit Grand Prix President Michael Montri said the success of last year’s event makes for a greater possibility of surpassing that this year.

“There was a lot of gratification in seeing how last year turned out,” Montri said. “Our team worked hard to pull that off and it was a really positive event for a lot of people. That makes year two easier. Sometimes you see a dropoff in year two. I haven’t seen any signs of a sophomore slump. It’s a great thing for us and the city to be proud of.”

Ticket sales are going strong, Montri said. Less than 1,000 seats were left for Sunday’s big race. Good seats were still available for Friday and Saturday.

Greater accessibility and inclusivity were made possible by bringing the race back downtown from Belle Isle. That paid off for downtown businesses, many of which saw a boost thanks to increased foot traffic.

This year, the footprint for local vendors is being expanded farther north up Woodward Avenue between Jefferson Avenue and Campus Martius and there will be vendors throughout Hart Plaza, Montri said, similar to the setup for the 2024 NFL Draft. The Small Business Straightaway is being moved from Cadillac Square to Campus Martius, where more than 20 local businesses will have a spot free of charge.

“It’s really exciting. There are dozens of business owners across the footprint of the city who apply,” Montri said. “We provide spots free of charge thanks to the support of our community partners. It’s a great way to expose brands and brick-and-mortar spaces to people who attend the event. I’ve heard a lot of success stories from last year from people who visited the brick-and-mortar stores following the race.”

Comerica Bank Free Prix Day is set for May 31 when race fans can get free general admission seating in Grandstands 1 and 9. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Tailgating will be offered in the Franklin Garage across from the pit lane. Tailgating packages that include four general admission tickets and a parking pass cost $380 for May 31 and $540 for June 1 and June 2.

Rooftop viewing passes priced $30-$165 allow fans to watch the races from the top of the Franklin, Port Atwater and Center garages. The Michelob Ultra Turn 3 Club, at Jefferson and Griswold, will feature food and drinks, with tickets priced $225-$1,090.

Electronic pop act JVNA and EDM artist Illenium will perform at 6:15 p.m. and 8 p.m., respectively, June 1 at Cadillac Square.

Lessons learned in return downtown

Around 150,000 people hit downtown Detroit for the three-day event in 2023 and Montri expects similar numbers this year. Attendance on Belle Isle topped out at about 100,000.

“I don’t see any reason why this year should be any different. Our ticket sales and sponsorships are up year-over-year to this point,” Montri said. “We’re expecting similar or larger crowds than last year. Our free concert (June 1) at Cadillac Square should be well attended, but it’s always tough to predict the weather.”

The success of the three-day event doesn’t mean organizers couldn’t find ways to improve it.

One major lesson organizers learned from last year is constructing a track in the heart of downtown is a lot different than building a track on Belle Isle. Work on Jefferson Avenue began May 18. Work on everything south of Jefferson began May 1. Montri said more thought has gone into looking at traffic patterns and the best time for construction.

“It’s a whole different ball game being in year two back downtown,” he said. “We know a little more about what to expect. The nuances of building a racetrack right downtown — it’s a much different animal than building on Belle Isle. We built everything between 7 p.m.-7 a.m. last year. What we learned is that might not be the best for workers and with traffic for pedestrians. It gets more backed up at night sometimes depending on what’s going on. It’s easier to work on the track during the day.

“We’ve figured out how to have a lower impact on traffic. That’s the beauty of the circuit. No businesses will be impacted. Owners of the businesses on Jefferson will have access. The Renaissance Center is fully accessible. The tunnel to Canada stays open the whole time.”

The economic impact from the 2023 event was as strong as organizers expected. Montri said he expects spending during this year’s event to top the $104 million brought in over the three-day 2023 Detroit Grand Prix. The last time the race ran on Belle Isle, in 2022, it brought in about $58 million.

Montri said moving the event back downtown has benefited a lot of stakeholders.

During its return to downtown Detroit last year, “What we saw was people parking downtown, taking the QLine to the circuit. We saw people walking down Woodward. A lot of people stopped in businesses and shopped,” Montri said. “They had lunch and dinner in restaurants, stopped in bars. That’s a huge plus.”

Busy year for Detroit

The 2024 Detroit Grand Prix is the latest in what has so far been a big year for events in Detroit. The races follow two Detroit Lions home playoff games, the NCAA men’s basketball tournament Midwest regional and the record-setting 2024 NFL Draft. The Grand Prix is a week after the annual Movement Music Festival, which draws thousands of people from around the world, and about a month before the 2024 Rocket Mortgage Classic PGA Tour golf tournament.

Visit Detroit Senior Communications Director Chris Moyer told Crain’s that the spotlight placed on the city over the course of this year is changing perceptions about Detroit.

“Business leaders, city officials and various stakeholders are coming together to make sure we’re spotlighting all the good in the city of Detroit and Southeast Michigan,” Moyer said. “It’s starting to get noticed on a national scale, and I think it’s going to benefit the city for years to come.

“People like to move to, work in, invest in and visit places that have a vibrancy to them. We have great events happening, great quality of life. Detroit has always had things happening. For too long, the narrative was that Detroit was on the way down. The great stories weren’t being told. People in the rest of the state and nationally are starting to see what Detroit has to offer. The city never went away. There were always great things happening, now the perception is changing.”

Montri believes the Detroit Grand Prix has established itself as a solid event for the community. Race sponsors this year include Chevrolet, Lear and Cadillac Racing. The race has more than 90 partners, including Comerica Bank, Delta Air Lines, Faygo, Meijer, MotorCity Casino and Rocket Mortgage.

“It’s a great event to entertain clients, for employees and guests,” he said. “We’ve been flexible throughout things like the pandemic to ensure the return sponsors get is positive. And we’ve become the kickoff to the summer season for sponsorships. The Rocket Mortgage Classic follows us. They do a great job. We like our location on the calendar. Being a week after the Indianapolis 500 helps, too, because that’s the most popular event in our sport and we’re able to take some of the momentum from that.”

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