There's No Place Like Detroit: Tigers, Other Attractions Make Local Economy Roar
For those of you who haven't figured it out yet, I am a huge Tigers fan. Along with our other great teams they have brought Detroit a terrific reputation as a major sports town. They have helped to improve our city's image and the team's success has brought in dollars … and lots of them.
The Tigers' opening weekend series against the New York Yankees had an economic impact of between $13 million and $15 million, including at least $5 million during Opening Day, according to the Detroit Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau. Now our Tigers are in the ALCS and the three-day series here this week against the Boston Red Sox will bring in even more dollars, as well as show off Detroit to the world on TV.
Last year, when the Tigers made the playoffs, local hotels, restaurants and other businesses could expect an economic boost of at least $26 million for the three championship games, the convention bureau said. The Anderson Economic Group, an economic research and consulting firm in East Lansing, came up with a similar benefit … $28.5 million from the three games.
This year should be no different. The economic impact of our Tigers' march toward the World Series should bring just as many dollars and continue to show Detroit in a great light.
Our spots teams are only part of the value of entertainment industry's impact on Detroit. According to a recent article in Crain's Detroit Business, a study by the Anderson Economic Group put the value of Detroit music industry at $1 billion. And there's more.
The sports and entertainment venues owned and/or operated by the Ilitches host 10 million of the estimated 20 million visitors to downtown Detroit annually, the convention bureau said. These venues include the Fox Theatre, City Theatre, Joe Louis Arena, Comerica Park and MotorCity Casino Hotel.
Our city's love of sports, the arts, music, theater, the entertainment industry provides Detroiters with a terrific mix of good jobs. Recent figures released by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget show that jobs in this field in Metro Detroit rose 8.43 percent from June of 2012 to June of 2013, adding 2,100 positions. That is expected to continue to grow.
Those are the kinds of results you get when your community supports the entertainment industry. The best news is more people are coming to Detroit to be part of it … as artists, musicians, actors, writers … or to simply be part of the audience to see how spectacular our teams, artists, and musicians are.
That's the spirit of Detroit, not some of the more negative stories you've seen on TV or read in the paper. As Tiger Manager Jim Leyland once said, "I don't pay attention to that stuff. We've turned the page on all of the things from the past."
Go Tigers! Go Detroit!
