Michigan Matters: Region Gears Up to Bid on NFL Draft, NCAA Final Four and Other Sporting Events!
Southfield (CBS Detroit) - It was the tremendous effort that went into gaining the Super Bowl in 2006 that led business titan Roger Penske to swing into action along with others to bring back the Grand Prix back to the Motor City a year later.
That, according to Bud Denker, president of Penske Corp who appeared at the Detroit Free Press' sold out Breakfast Club forum at the Townsend Hotel on Thursday, is how the Motor City will gain other national sporting events.
Denker appeared at the Free Press forum along with Rod Wood, president of the Detroit Lions, and Denise Ilitch, CEO of Ilitch Enterprises, whose family owns the Detroit Tigers and Red Wings and who also served as one of the original co-chairs of the 2005 Major League Baseball Game All-Star Week in Detroit.
CBS 62's MICHIGAN MATTERS Senior Producer/Host and Free Press Columnist Carol Cain moderated the event (which is presented by DTE Energy Foundation) and Free Press Editor Peter Bhatia also posed questions from the audience. Highlights of the forum will air on "Michigan Matters" 11:30 am this Sunday on CBS 62.
The panel agreed Detroit needs to continue working to change the city's image, bring in more money to help support going after these events and increase the number of hotel rooms available.
Detroit's comeback and leaders including Dan Gilbert worked to help gain the upcoming Rocket Mortgage Classic, a PGA Tour tournament at Detroit Golf Club in two weeks for the first time ever.
Wood talked about going after the 2022 NFL draft in hopes it could be held at Ford Field.
The sold-out breakfast forum attracted CEOs and sports celebrities like Detroit Lions Lomas Brown, boxing legend Tommy "Hitman" Hearns, boxing promoter Jackie Kallen, Tony Harrison, current Super Welterweight Champion of the world, and Scotty Buchzeiger, a former boxer working with Harrison to raise the city's profile in boxing circles.
Watch MICHIGAN MATTERS Sunday at 11:30am on CBS 62