Travel Massive Ann Arbor’s Exclusive Tour of the District Detroit Preview Center

On February 9th, Travel Massive Ann Arbor went on an amazing and exclusive tour of the District Detroit Preview Center. Curious to know what went on? Here you go!

We had a wide variety of attendees from all over the state (one Travel Massive member made the trip all the way from Grand Rapids—a good two-hour drive!) Representatives from Travel Michigan and other tourism bureaus, travel writers, media experts, tour guides, and travel agents were in attendance, creating a nice mix of industry insiders.

We could not have held this event without the support of Dan Fuoco, Interactive Marketing Manager at the Detroit Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau. He organized an exclusive tour of the District Detroit Preview Center (which is closed to the general public) as well as post-tour networking at the nearby Centaur Bar. The Detroit Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau generously provided food and drinks for all attendees.

In case you haven’t heard, Detroit is going through a bit of a renaissance—due in part to the District Detroit, one of the largest sports and entertainment developments in the country. Once complete, it will unite six world-class theaters, five neighborhoods, and three professional sports venues.

Thanks to our friends at the Detroit Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau, we had a unique opportunity to visit the District Detroit Preview Center at Comerica Park. Richard Heapes from Street-Works Development, who is overseeing the project, gave us a VIP tour of the state-of-the-art facility. He began with the history of the 50-block area, its current state, and the vision to create one vibrant, walkable destination that will transform the entire city. He then walked us through the Preview Center’s multimedia exhibits, which include high-tech 3D models of Little Caesars Arena, Detroit sports memorabilia, and even a full-sized replica of an arena suite.

With over 50 attendees, this was our chapter’s largest event to date and therefore a resounding success. It was truly energizing to be in Detroit and not only hear about its future but to see and feel the changes throughout the city. The Preview Center was truly stunning and we are so excited to see the District Detroit as it comes to fruition over the next few years.

Vinal Desai Burbeck is the Travel Massive Ann Arbor Chapter Leader and founded Wanderlark, a travel & event planning company. She is the Chief Experience Officer, and designs experiences with the larger mission of helping her clients travel more, travel better and feel happier.