[skyfan]

Cobo Center gets ready to show off

When visitors to the North American International Auto Show arrive this month, they'll see a lot of changes in Cobo Center as Detroit's convention center goes through the finishing touches of its multiyear, $279-million expansion and upgrade.

Cobo — with its new spacious and open look and expansive view of the riverfront — has already been winning new convention and meeting business compared with previous years.

"The restoration and reinvention of Cobo Center has put Detroit back into the mix for meeting and convention planners worldwide," said Patrick Bero, CEO and chief financial officer of the Detroit Regional Convention Facility Authority.

Cobo renovations since the last North American International Auto Show

■ Streetscape improvements in front of Cobo will be completed, although landscaping will wait until weather permits.

■ Huge video screen coming: A concrete base and steel superstructure that will support a giant video display on the front of Cobo facing Jefferson are complete. Installation of the glass panel canopy and the 6,253-square-foot digital video display will be completed by next June 30.

■ North entrance: A new north entrance along Congress is finished. It includes two large video displays on the corner — one facing north up Washington Boulevard and the other facing east along Congress. The video displays each have a viewable area of 1,382 square feet.

■ Meeting rooms: Two levels of meeting rooms and two new smaller ballrooms on the south side along the Detroit River are ready for use. There also is a new Atwater Lounge area on Level 1 adjacent to the Atrium.

■ Michigan Hall has been renovated and integrated with the Atrium and has a new glass-enclosed prefunction area.

■ New carpeting has been installed in more areas, and more meeting rooms on Levels 3 and 4 have been renovated

http://www.freep.com/story/money/bus...show/21168403/