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Where Is Novi Exactly?May 26, 2009For those of you who have never heard of Novi, Mich., don’t worry – I’ll bet you’re far from being the only ones. Novi is located in the southeastern corner of the state, just more than a half hour outside of Detroit. With a population of 50,000 residents or so, Novi’s claim to fame up until this point has been the Twelve Oaks Mall that was built there in the ’70s, making it a major shopping destination for the region. Now, the city’s gunning for something much bigger to make a mark for itself – the North American Intl. Auto Show, which currently is held at Detroit’s Cobo Center. Detroit and Cobo have collectively dropped the ball over and over again during the past few years as auto show organizers have begged for an expansion for the jam-packed event. So far, everything possible has gone wrong. The latest debacle involved the Detroit City Council voting down funds that would have been used for an expansion after several misfires had occurred. Meanwhile, in a little town that most people have no clue exists, a plan was brewing to snag the show from Detroit by expanding Novi’s Rock Financial Showplace, a 245,000 square foot convention center. It might seem farfetched that a show that bills itself as “international” would move to such a small town, but Novi has a powerful ally in the form of a Senate committee that recently approved legislation to fund the $135 million expansion of the Showplace if Cobo can’t get its act together by July 1. The real question, though, is whether the show would even consider going to Novi. Rod Alberts, the auto show’s manager, said he’s had plenty of other cities courting his event, and most of them are nowhere near southeast Michigan. Posted by Rachel Wimberly on May 26, 2009 | Comments (2) Industries: Associations, Catering, Conferences, CVBs & Venues, Destinations, Destinations, Events, Exhibiting, Food & Beverage, Management Update, Meetings, People, People, People, People, Production Technology, Show Management, Site Selection, Speakers, Speakers & Entertainment, Technology, Tradeshows, Tradeshows
May 26, 2009
In response to: Where Is Novi Exactly? NoviRes commented: Rachel, you're right that Novi is best known for 12 Oaks Mall. But Novi is more than just the retail center of southeast Michigan. For entertainment, you can catch a show at "Second City" - Detroit or join the bar crowd for live music in our Main Street area. Want to get something to eat? Novi has more than the typical chain restaurants. You'll find some of SE Michigan's best in town and many excellent independently owned restaurants. Our diverse community is represented by the range of restaurants and stores that serve a growing international community including well-established Japanese and Indian communities. Want to relax and enjoy our great Michigan summers? Walled Lake on the north end of town provides a great place to relax by the water. For the more active minded, Lakeshore Park provides over 600 acres of open space where you can ride over 10 miles of mountain bike trails or hike back into the woods until the sounds of the woods replace the sounds of the suburbs. We're also home ot many of Detroit's professional athletes including the Red Wings who have their own "Little Sweden" in Novi. All of this is conveniently located at the interchange of 3 major freeways and just 30 minutes from downtown Detroit, Detroit Metro Airport and Ann Arbor, home of the University of Michigan. Novi may not be the biggest city in the state but we're more than ready to take on the challenge of hosting the Auto Show or any other major event that comes our way.
May 27, 2009
In response to: Where Is Novi Exactly? SEMichigan Opportunity commented: Thank you for writing about regional efforts to either improve the existing Cobo Hall in Detroit or provide a reasonable alternative in southeast Michigan (Novi). These efforts are serious and provide a primary and a back-up for the North American International Auto Show to stay the premier show. Chrylser HQ is in Auburn Hills (along with the Palace where Pistons play), Ford is in Dearobrn. It is not that unusual for a metro area to have active thriving suburbs (Anaheim, CA). Novi is known in many circles and is in a great location. A new custom-built convention center there would be a great venue.
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