'Let's Meet in The D!' Program Unveiled to Diversify and Grow Detroit Region's Economy

'Let's Meet in The D!' Program Unveiled to Diversify and Grow Detroit Region's Economy

		The Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau unveiled a new Tourism Brand Identity for metro Detroit at its annual membership meeting on Jan. 31, 2007 at the Detroit Opera House. (PRNewsFoto/Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau) DETROIT, MI UNITED STATES

   Regional leaders invite local companies to choose metro Detroit for
meetings; Destination holds promise to spur new industry growth

    DETROIT, May 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Detroit Metro Convention &
Visitors Bureau (DMCVB) Chairman Christopher Ilitch today (May 20)
announced a two-year effort to spur economic development in southeast
Michigan by encouraging local businesses and associations to consider
holding their meetings in the region. DMCVB President and Chief Executive
Officer Larry Alexander joined Ilitch to unveil a first-of-its-kind
initiative called "Let's Meet in The D!" to actively recruit companies and
associations to host meetings in metro Detroit and named 13 early adopter
companies that committed to the "Let's Meet in The D!" program even before
it was formally announced.

    "There is significant opportunity for local businesses to help grow and
diversify our regional economy," explained Ilitch, who is also president
and CEO of Ilitch Holdings, Inc. "Our destination product is the best it's
been in nearly half a century and we're now well-positioned to capitalize
on the meetings, conventions and tourism market. 'Let's Meet in The D!' is
about keeping dollars in the local economy, creating jobs in the region,
demonstrating pride in our hometown, changing perceptions of our region,
and jump starting a meetings and tourism industry that is ripe for
significant growth."

    'Early Adopters' Help Build Momentum

    Ilitch noted that he wanted to use his tenure as chairman of the DMCVB
board to champion an initiative that could positively impact the region. He
shared the plans with the DMCVB Executive Committee last month and
announced that Little Caesars, which is owned by Michael and Marian Ilitch,
would be the first to commit to the effort. The company is moving the
Little Caesars 2009 worldwide conference for franchisees from Las Vegas to
Detroit next spring. The meeting, which will bring over 1,500 people to
Detroit and will have an estimated regional direct spending impact of $1.4
million, is just one of several that Little Caesars and the other Ilitch
companies will hold in the region.

    Over the last several weeks, Ilitch has actively recruited other early
adopters to join the program in an effort to give it a running start for
its official launch today.

    General Motors, the largest employer in the region and a true leader in
supporting the communities where it does business, has identified over 15
meetings that will be scheduled in Detroit over the next two years as a
result of "Let's Meet in The D!"

    "When we moved our headquarters to the Renaissance Center a decade ago,
we envisioned a future when the city would become a destination point for
people to live, work and play," said Troy Clarke, president, General Motors
North America. "We're pleased that the city's transformation has led not
only to new office, retail and residential development, but to becoming the
destination for major events that showcase our region to the world. Now,
businesses and organizations based here can leverage our destination and
spur economic growth at the same time. We are proud to be a part of it."

    Other early adopter companies are: Bank of America, Blue Cross Blue
Shield of Michigan, Crain Communications, Deloitte, Detroit Medical Center,
ePrize, Ford Motor Company, Michigan Economic Development Corporation,
Northwest Airlines, Strategic Staffing Solutions, and Verizon Wireless.
Several other companies have expressed interest and should be officially on
board with the program in the next 60 days.

    Leveraging Strengths to Spark Growth

    "As individuals and leaders in the business community, we can make a
difference by taking action to spark our growth, and meetings and
conventions can significantly impact our local economy," said Ilitch.
"Today, meetings and conventions represent only just over three percent of
our local economy," Ilitch explained. "We believe we can double that number
simply by leveraging our strengths to develop the fastest-growing segment
of this industry -- the small meetings market. We simply need to engage
everyone in the community to get behind this effort!"

    "Let's Meet in The D!" encourages local companies to consider the metro
region as a location for meetings. It also establishes a network of
proactive ambassadors showcasing our destination, investing in our
communities and supporting our local economy. Businesses are also asked to
use their relationships with trade and professional organizations to
encourage them to consider Detroit as a possible meeting location.

    "'Let's Meet in The D!' is actually quite simple: it is about making a
difference," explained Ilitch. "Business and community leaders want to help
build and diversify our economy here. This simple and highly actionable
initiative can bring immediate positive benefits to the region, most
notably new jobs. The fact is, whether it's a meeting of 50 or a meeting of
5,000, if every local business leader considered hosting just 10 percent of
the meetings they currently hold outside the region within southeast
Michigan, the results would be staggering."

    'Product Trial' -- DMCVB Expects Positive Impact on Perceptions

    "We make this pitch regularly to companies and organizations outside
Detroit, but we have not been as focused on talking to our own business
community," said Alexander. "Our region is an extremely cost-effective
option and hosting meetings here can positively influence outside
perceptions of our community, in the same way marquee events like the
All-Star Game, Super Bowl or Grand Prix and the upcoming PGA Championship,
do."

    After people visit our region, they are impressed, overwhelmingly
pleased with their experience, and often indicate that their perception of
metro Detroit has changed for the better.

    Over the last five years, the region has seen the addition of several
new state-of-the-art host facilities including new and recently remodeled
hotels, banquet and meeting facilities. Among these, the Greektown, MGM
Grand Detroit and MotorCity Casino Hotel, as well as the Royal Park Hotel
in Rochester, Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center, Best Western Sterling
Inn, Hyatt - Dearborn, Hyatt Place - Utica, and the soon-to-open Westin
Book Cadillac and Doubletree Fort Shelby, have added high quality rooms,
meeting space and other high-end amenities across metro Detroit. The
region's leisure product has also been enhanced with new developments
including the Detroit International Riverfront, the re-imagined Detroit
Institute of Arts, Michigan's top tourist attraction -- The Henry Ford, the
venerable Somerset Collection, and new shopping experiences such as The
Mall at Partridge Creek in Clinton Township, Mich. In addition, there is a
tremendous number of entertainment and professional sports venues.

    Plus, the region is highly accessible. Sixty percent of the U.S. is
within a five-hour drive or 90-minute flight of southeast Michigan. And,
those coming through Detroit Metropolitan Airport will experience one of
the world's most highly rated airports.

    The region also boasts a strong creative industry to support meetings
and events. So no matter what meeting need a company might have -- from
staging to production to marketing and event coordination to
transportation, businesses will find top talent to meet those needs.

    Local Businesses to Benefit

    "From audio-visual to florists to transportation companies, a myriad of
businesses benefit by each and every meeting that is hosted here," added
Alexander. "We need those of us who make this region our home to actively
recruit business to the region -- from small meetings to large, from
startup businesses to industry trade associations to multi-national
companies -- utilizing our own contacts can produce real results."

    The DMCVB plans to release ongoing results for the program on a regular
basis and provide an economic impact study to demonstrate the results. For
details about hosting your next meeting in Detroit, go to
http://www.visitdetroit.com and click on "meetings" or contact DMCVB Director of
Sales Carla Conner-Penzabene at (313) 202-1938 or cvsales@visitdetroit.com.

    About the DMCVB

    The Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau is a private,
not-for-profit organization whose mission is to market and sell the
metropolitan Detroit area on a worldwide basis as a destination for leisure
and business travel including conventions, trade shows, corporate meetings,
tours and incentive travel and as a film location to maximize additional
visitors, visitor expenditures, state and local tax revenues, and job
opportunities. More than 800 businesses are represented in the DMCVB's
membership. The DMCVB was founded in 1896 as the world's first convention
and visitors bureau. http://www.visitdetroit.com.

    Editor's Note: Early adopter contacts and statements are available by
contacting Jennifer Haselhuhn of Ilitch Holdings, Inc. at (313) 983-6517,
or Renee Monforton of the DMCVB at (313) 202-1951.