WXYZ DETROIT — The second time around is just as sweet as the first. For the second year in a row, USA Today has voted Campus Martius Park in Detroit as the “Top Public Space” in America. Another proud moment for Detroit in the national spotlight.
To capture this repeat recognition, our coveted downtown park beat out cities big and small, including New Orleans, Cincinnati, Santa Fe, Knoxville, and Oxford, Mississippi. Over the past couple of decades, this gathering place has truly reinvented itself. It is, without question, the centerpiece of Detroit’s award-winning public spaces.
Major events such as the annual Detroit Tree Lighting ceremony, ice skating on the rink, Movie Night in the D, and of course, the record-setting NFL Draft, have all been showcased here. But each day, throughout the calendar year, Campus Martius is in use for relaxing, sight-seeing, listening to music, and enjoying a meal. Its mere presence and well-organized activities simply bring people from all walks of life together.
If our neighborhoods are the soul of our cities, parks have become the heartbeat of our communities. They are recognizable places where locals and out of town visitors can easily meet. This kind of nationwide publicity for Campus Martius helps to elevate the attention and progress of our city. Public and private leaders, combined with our non-profit community, have heavily invested into Detroit’s revitalization.
Campus Martius joins Detroit’s Riverwalk as a repeat #1 USA Today “Reader Choice” award winner. We congratulate the Downtown Detroit Partnership and its volunteer Ambassadors for their hard work. Together, they have made this park in Michigan’s largest city the talk of the nation.
I’m Mike Murri, V.P. & General Manager
Broadcast: May 16 - 19, 2024
