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Canceled events in metro Detroit this year could cost area more than $176M in spending

Posted at 7:04 AM, Jul 08, 2020
and last updated 2020-07-08 07:43:11-04

(WXYZ) — The coronavirus pandemic has canceled more than 100 major events throughout metro Detroit, which could cost the region nearly $200 million in direct spending. That's according to an analysis from the Detroit Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Related: Crippled by COVID-19, Detroit's tourism industry finds new ways to promote The Motor City

According to DMCBV statistics, there have been 113 major events canceled so far in metro Detroit. That goes from the beginning of March through the middle of November.

Those events would've brought 348,629 attendees to the metro Detroit region, and would've had direct spending of $176.1 million in the area.

This only accounts for events that the DCMVB worked on, which doesn't include the largest event the city sees – the North American International Auto Show.

In 2019, the NAIAS had nearly 750,000 people attend the show which added up to an economic impact of more than $400 million, according to the auto show.

The largest direct spending event was expected to be the Alcoholics Anonymous World Services International Convention, happening at Ford Field from July 2 - July 5. Around 50,000 people were expected to attend the event, with direct spending estimated to be just under $47 million.

The next largest event would have been the FIRST Robotics Championship, which would've brought another estimated 50,000 people to the region for several nights with direct spending just over $40 million.

Every year, around 19 million visitors come to the metro Detroit region, but this year, the DCMVB projects they will over have just over 14 million people coming to the area for the entire year.

Additional Coronavirus information and resources:

Click here for a page with resources including a COVID-19 overview from the CDC, details on cases in Michigan, a timeline of Governor Gretchen Whitmer's orders since the outbreak, coronavirus' impact on Southeast Michigan, and links to more information from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the CDC and the WHO.

View a global coronavirus tracker with data from Johns Hopkins University.

See complete coverage on our Coronavirus Continuing Coverage page.

Visit our The Rebound Detroit, a place where we are working to help people impacted financially from the coronavirus. We have all the information on everything available to help you through this crisis and how to access it.