Excitement is building for the 2024 NFL draft as Detroit tourism leaders unveiled new details on Friday of how the draft will unfold in the Motor City this April.
Officials announced the draft footprint Friday, including a stage and viewing area around Campus Martius and Hart Plaza. Attendees can also view the draft along the South Woodward Corridor.
"With today's release of draft renderings, fans locally and across the nation now have a first look of how the iconic streets of Detroit will provide a remarkable stage for the NFL," said Claude Molinari, Visit Detroit president and CEO.
This spring will mark the first time Detroit hosts the NFL draft, with the potential to bring in thousands of visitors and economic gains rivaling the 2006 Super Bowl in Detroit.
"The draft itself is an incredible opportunity to showcase Detroit as a viable destination for visitors from around the world and to have hundreds of thousands of people in person and millions of people on TV focused on our city, I think it's going to be fantastic," Molinari said.
What to know: About the 2024 NFL draft in Detroit, with Dave Beachnau
Officials picked Detroit to host the 2024 NFL draft in March 2022, generating lots of buzz from city leaders and developers as planning got started.
Ahead of the draft, Detroit neighborhoods are hosting seven free events across the city. The "On the Clock Tour" began in January, with sporting activities, food and more.
Visit Detroit and the Detroit Sports Commission are raising $10 million among various partners for the event and the NFL will pump "five-to-seven times" that amount into the draft for production needs, according to Molinari. The two groups will also use the draft money to donate $1 million to Detroit-based charities.
The draft will take place in the heart of downtown Detroit , in the areas of Campus Martius, Cadillac Square, Monroe Street Midway and Hart Plaza. It will be presented by Bud Light and feature free activities, promoting visitors to explore Detroit.
"I think this is a great opportunity for the residents of Detroit, southeast Michigan and the state of Michigan to showcase our vibrant region," Molinari said. "We want to be able to show that Detroit is a great place to visit, to live, invest in and to stay."
The NFL draft will take place in downtown Detroit from April 25-27.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 2024 NFL draft: What Campus Martius, Hart Plaza will look like
