Detroit auto show sells out exhibit space for 2011 show
The show floor for the 2011 North American International Auto Show is sold out and organizers are expecting a larger media turnout than this year.
The theme for the show will be to showcase both green technology and the rebound of the automotive industry, said Barron Meade, chairman of the 2011 show and president of Detroit-based Meade Automotive Inc.
“It's part of making sure that there is always something at the show that is a story line,” Meade said during a media event to kick-off the show planning.
Detroit Mayor Dave Bing and Wayne County Executive Bob Ficano both spoke, emphasizing the show's importance to metro Detroit.
Filling the 750,000 square feet of convention space will be at least one company that skipped last year, Irvine, Calif.-based Fisker Automotive Inc., Meade said.
“We'd like another 150,000 square feet and we'd fill it,” he said.
Show attendance in 2010 topped 2009 with 715,000 visitors compared to 650 in 2009, Meade said.
He also said Cobo Center, where the show is held, will have several upgrades for the 2011 show, such as a new heating and cooling system, a new catering company, security upgrades and aesthetic improvements.
Meade said another 5,000 journalists are expected to attend the show in 2011, mostly foreign journalists from countries seeing a rise in the automotive industry such as China, India and Brazil.
Bing said the auto show will highlight positives aspects of the industry and the city.
“The industry has gone through some difficult times, and a lot of people have given up on it as they gave up on our city,” Bing said. “but things are coming back for the industry and for the city.”
He also vowed to continue pushing for improvements at Cobo.
Ficano emphasized the importance of the auto show as the “trademark” for the region, and said the auto show is the time to showcase the region.
“This is part of us sharing what we're made of with the rest of the world,” he said.
The theme for the show will be to showcase both green technology and the rebound of the automotive industry, said Barron Meade, chairman of the 2011 show and president of Detroit-based Meade Automotive Inc.
“It's part of making sure that there is always something at the show that is a story line,” Meade said during a media event to kick-off the show planning.
Detroit Mayor Dave Bing and Wayne County Executive Bob Ficano both spoke, emphasizing the show's importance to metro Detroit.
Filling the 750,000 square feet of convention space will be at least one company that skipped last year, Irvine, Calif.-based Fisker Automotive Inc., Meade said.
“We'd like another 150,000 square feet and we'd fill it,” he said.
Show attendance in 2010 topped 2009 with 715,000 visitors compared to 650 in 2009, Meade said.
He also said Cobo Center, where the show is held, will have several upgrades for the 2011 show, such as a new heating and cooling system, a new catering company, security upgrades and aesthetic improvements.
Meade said another 5,000 journalists are expected to attend the show in 2011, mostly foreign journalists from countries seeing a rise in the automotive industry such as China, India and Brazil.
Bing said the auto show will highlight positives aspects of the industry and the city.
“The industry has gone through some difficult times, and a lot of people have given up on it as they gave up on our city,” Bing said. “but things are coming back for the industry and for the city.”
He also vowed to continue pushing for improvements at Cobo.
Ficano emphasized the importance of the auto show as the “trademark” for the region, and said the auto show is the time to showcase the region.
“This is part of us sharing what we're made of with the rest of the world,” he said.
