Cobo Center/Huntington Place

Huntington Place, formerly known as Cobo Center and Cobo Hall, is a major convention center located on Detroit's riverfront at 1 Washington Boulevard. Originally built by the City of Detroit and opening in 1960, the facility has served as a central venue for events ranging from the North American International Auto Show to political conventions and concerts. Its history is intertwined with the ambitions of former Detroit Mayor Albert Cobo, and the building has undergone several ownership changes and renamings since the 1960s, reflecting shifts in municipal governance and corporate sponsorship.

History

Construction of what would become Huntington Place was a significant undertaking for Detroit, and the facility opened on August 15, 1960, as Cobo Hall. It was named in honor of Albert Cobo, who served as mayor from 1950 to 1957 and championed the idea of a large-scale convention facility for the city. Cobo died in office in 1957 and did not live to see his vision realized, but the center was dedicated to his memory upon its completion. The project cost $56 million at the time, equivalent to approximately $441 million in 2024 dollars when adjusted for inflation. The complex spans 17 acres along the Detroit River.

The naming rights history is worth knowing, particularly given the confusion it has caused among longtime Detroiters. The facility operated as Cobo Hall until 2010, then became Cobo Center, and subsequently the TCF Center in 2019 when TCF Bank secured naming rights. That didn't last long. In December 2021, following the merger of TCF Bank and Huntington Bank, the convention center officially became known as Huntington Place. Each name change reflected a shift in the sponsorship arrangement rather than a change in the building's ownership or function. The Detroit Regional Convention Facility Authority currently owns the building, while ASM Global manages its day-to-day operations.

The Detroit Regional Convention Facility Authority was created to remove direct municipal control over the facility and place it under a regional governance structure, a move that came amid Detroit's well-documented fiscal challenges. The Authority's board draws representation from the city and surrounding regional governments, and its mandate is focused on maximizing the economic contribution of the facility to the broader metropolitan area.

Name Changes Timeline

Name	Years	Reason
Cobo Hall	1960–2010	Original name, honoring Mayor Albert Cobo
Cobo Center	2010–2019	Rebranding by Detroit Regional Convention Facility Authority
TCF Center	2019–2021	Naming rights acquired by TCF Bank
Huntington Place	2021–present	TCF Bank merged with Huntington Bank in 2021

Architecture and Facilities

The building was designed in a mid-century modernist style and sits on a footprint that stretches along the Detroit River waterfront. It contains over 700,000 square feet of exhibition space across multiple halls, making it one of the larger convention facilities in the Midwest. The main exhibition floors can be reconfigured to accommodate everything from auto show floor layouts to trade show booths and concert staging. An attached arena, known as Cobo Arena, opened alongside the main hall in 1960 and operated as a separate events venue for decades before eventually being integrated into the broader convention complex.

Renovations over the years have updated the facility's electrical infrastructure, loading dock capacity, and technology systems to keep pace with the demands of large-scale trade shows. The convention center connects to a network of nearby hotels via skywalks and covered pedestrian links, which is a practical consideration for multi-day convention attendees during Detroit's winters.

Geography

Huntington Place sits on Detroit's international riverfront, occupying a site of considerable historical weight. The land on which it stands is near where Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac landed in 1701, claiming the area for France and establishing what would become the city of Detroit. Its address is 1 Washington Boulevard, placing it within easy reach of major thoroughfares and within walking distance of the downtown core. The facility's coordinates are 42°19′34″N 83°2′49″W.

The convention center's location along the riverfront places it near the Ambassador Bridge corridor and the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, which has practical implications for international visitors. Visitors wishing to cross into Windsor, Ontario, by public transit can use the tunnel bus service, which departs from Tunnel Plaza near Mariners' Church, a short walk from the convention center. The service runs approximately every two hours and the fare is $15 CAD, payable by debit card only. It's worth noting for auto show attendees and convention-goers that this transit link makes a day trip to Windsor straightforward without requiring a vehicle.

The proximity to the Detroit River also shapes the broader experience of the site. The riverfront walk connects Huntington Place to Hart Plaza and the broader RiverWalk system, giving pedestrians direct access to the waterfront. Detroit's ongoing waterfront development efforts have brought new green space, seating, and programming to the area immediately surrounding the convention center, though the pace and scope of those improvements have at times drawn criticism from local residents and civic organizations who argue that public access and neighborhood connectivity remain incomplete.

Culture

Huntington Place has long served as a cultural venue for Detroit, hosting a wide range of events beyond its primary convention function. Cobo Arena, which opened in 1960 alongside Cobo Hall, was the home of the Detroit Pistons from 1961 to 1978. Over those 17 years, the arena brought a generation of professional basketball to downtown Detroit before the Pistons relocated to the Pontiac Silverdome. The arena also hosted concerts by the Doors, Jimi Hendrix, the Rolling Stones, and Queen, among many others, cementing its place in the city's musical history.

Not just music and sports. The facility has also served as the venue for presidential speeches, boxing matches, professional wrestling events, figure skating competitions, and local graduation ceremonies. The building contains a notable collection of public art integrated into its interior spaces.

The North American International Auto Show, held annually at the facility since 1965, is its most prominent recurring event, drawing automotive executives, journalists, and enthusiasts from around the world to see new model unveilings and concept vehicles. The show's presence at Huntington Place has made the building synonymous with the American automotive industry's annual showcase, and its return each year is a major driver of hotel bookings and hospitality revenue across the metro area.

Notable Figures

While Huntington Place is a public venue rather than a residence, the building has been closely associated with numerous notable figures throughout its history. Albert Cobo, the former mayor for whom the facility was originally named, remains a significant figure in its legacy, despite the controversies surrounding his policies on public housing and urban development.

Hundreds of musicians, athletes, and political leaders have performed or spoken at Cobo Arena and Huntington Place over the decades. Presidents have delivered speeches within its halls, and iconic recording artists have performed for audiences of thousands. The Auto Show has attracted chief executives and designers from virtually every major global automaker, making Huntington Place a recurring fixture in the international automotive calendar.

Economy

Huntington Place plays a substantial role in the Detroit area's economy, generating revenue through event bookings, tourism, and related visitor spending. The North American International Auto Show, in particular, produces a significant economic impact, bringing thousands of out-of-town visitors who spend money at local hotels, restaurants, and retailers during the event's run. The facility's operation also supports employment both directly through its permanent staff and indirectly through the contractors, vendors, and service providers who support each event.

The ability to attract large-scale conventions and trade shows contributes to Detroit's broader case as a destination city for business travel. Renovations and infrastructure upgrades at the facility are treated as economic development investments by the Detroit Regional Convention Facility Authority, with the expectation that a competitive and modern convention center will attract events that might otherwise go to Chicago, Cleveland, or other Midwestern cities. The Authority's management approach is oriented toward measuring the regional economic return of each major booking, using visitor counts and hotel night data to assess performance.