Huntington Place

What Huntington Place does

Huntington Place is a 2.4 million sq. ft. convention and event facility on Detroit's riverfront, originally opened in 1960 as Cobo Hall and renamed in 2023. It is owned by the City of Detroit and operated by the Detroit Regional Convention Facility Authority (DRCFA), a public body created in 2009 through an intergovernmental agreement among Michigan, the City of Detroit, and Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties, with day-to-day management handled by Legends Global. The facility offers 723,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space (623,000 contiguous), 200,000 sq. ft. of meeting space across 98 rooms, a 40,000 sq. ft. Grand Riverview Ballroom, a four-story Riverview Atrium, and outdoor Huntington Square/Terrace space, accommodating more than one million visitors annually. It is the 16th largest convention center in the U.S. and the largest LEED Gold-certified venue in Michigan (recertified three times, most recently March 2025).

Name

Huntington Place

Legal name

Huntington Place

Website

https://huntingtonplacedetroit.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Huntington Place is a 2.4 million sq. ft. convention center in Detroit, Michigan, operated by the DRCFA under a long-term city lease and managed by Legends Global. It hosts trade shows, conventions, corporate events, and galas for event organizers, exhibitors, and attendees, with exclusive in-house catering, electrical, and AV partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Convention and Event Venue Services

akta.pro primary industry

Convention & Exhibition Centers (Public Convention Centers, Civic Centers) (THAHAAAA)

Keywords

• Convention center services
• Event venue rental
• Exhibition facilities
• Meeting space
• Event catering

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Venue Space Rental: Rental of exhibit halls, meeting rooms, ballrooms, and outdoor spaces to event organizers. Includes initial setup of tables, chairs, and lecterns. Pricing varies by space type and configuration.
2. Ancillary Services: Exclusive services including cleaning, electrical (Freeman), food and beverage (Sodexo Live!), internet, telephone, plumbing, compressed air, and stagehand labor. Revenue from ordering deadlines (advance/standard/on-site rates with 25% premium for late orders).
3. Parking Revenue: Daily parking starting at $25, Group Parking Arrangement (GPA) at $28 single use or $35 with in/out privileges. Monthly parking leases available. Parking generates significant ancillary revenue.
4. Advertising and Branding: Digital and print advertising opportunities including hanging banners ($3,200), marquee advertising ($500/15-sec slide per day, $5,000/day exclusive takeover), corner board advertising, atrium monitors, meeting room monitors, and space rental for custom branding.
5. Catering and Food Service: Exclusive catering partnership with Sodexo Live! for all food and beverage services. Revenue includes booth catering, banquet services, concessions, and custom menus. Outside food and beverages are not permitted.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Huntington Place is a 2.4 million square foot convention and meeting facility located in downtown Detroit, Michigan. The venue offers exhibit halls, meeting rooms, and ballrooms along with ancillary event services such as food and beverage, audio-visual production, internet, and event coordination. It is used to host trade shows, conventions, corporate meetings, consumer events, and large-scale public gatherings.

Product overview

Huntington Place is a premier convention center in Detroit offering a comprehensive portfolio of event venues and services. The core offering consists of 723,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space, 200,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, the 40,000 sq. ft. Grand Riverview Ballroom, a three-story Riverview Atrium, and outdoor Huntington Square/Terrace spaces. The venue operates an integrated service model with exclusive partners: Sodexo Live! for catering, Freeman for electrical services, and Premier Creative Group for AV services. Notable technology offerings include Motor City Mart (checkout-free shopping via Amazon Just Walk Out), over 100 digital advertising monitors, complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi, and extensive digital signage. Additional services include parking (2,596 spaces), plumbing/compressed air, stagehand labor, and the Show Your Badge discount program for attendees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Venue Rental - Exhibit Halls

Quantifiable outcome

• Achieved LEED Gold recertification (third time) with 62 points under LEED O+M v4.1, scoring 11/33 in energy management, 10/15 in water efficiency, 4/8 in waste diversion, 9/14 in transportation, and 18/20 in Human Experience
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, core and minor.

• JW Marriott Detroit Water SquarestrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2027600-room hotel directly connected to Huntington Place via Skybridge, opening Fall 2027. Will offer seamless access for convention attendees with luxury amenities on Detroit's waterfront. Giffels Webster is the civil engineer for this project.
• Sodexo Live!coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive in-house catering partner providing all food and beverage services at Huntington Place. Led by District Executive Head Chef Stephan Blaze and Executive Head Chef Robert Stretch. Provides elevated, innovative dining experiences showcasing fresh, locally sourced ingredients with modern Detroit cuisine.
• FreemancoreTechnology or IntegrationExclusive electrical contractor at Huntington Place. Provides comprehensive electrical services including power distribution, lighting, and electrical infrastructure for events through online ordering portal.
• Premier Creative GroupcoreTechnology or IntegrationPreferred in-house audio-visual provider delivering full-service AV solutions including production support, scenic design, and hybrid meeting packages. Over 30 years industry experience with on-site account and technical teams.
• Visit DetroitstrategicGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial tourism partner promoting Detroit as a convention and event destination. Cross-promotes Huntington Place as the premier venue for conventions and events in the Detroit area.
• Detroit Riverfront ConservancystrategicGTM or Marketing PartnerNonprofit partner managing the award-winning Detroit River Walk. Huntington Place sits along the riverfront, providing guests access to scenic waterfront paths and parks.
• Huntington BankminorOthersProvides three ATMs conveniently located throughout the facility for guest access to cash.
• Legends GlobalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal venue management company that manages Huntington Place. Provides operational expertise, sustainability initiatives through ACTS Committee, and Global Acts initiative for diversity and community engagement.
• City of DetroitstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity government entity that owns the facility under a long-term lease arrangement managed by the DRCFA. Partners on capital improvement projects and city initiatives.
• Amazon (Just Walk Out Technology)coreTechnology or IntegrationProvides the Just Walk Out technology powering Motor City Mart, Huntington Place's checkout-free convenience store. Uses computer vision and machine learning to automatically detect when products are taken from or returned to shelves.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Moscone Center: A major convention center in San Francisco, California. Comparable as a large urban convention venue in a major city hosting tech conferences, trade shows, and corporate events with similar exhibit and meeting room offerings.
• Orange County Convention Center: The second-largest convention center in the United States, located in Orlando, Florida. Comparable as a top-tier convention venue with massive exhibit space, meeting rooms, and integrated event services targeting national trade shows and conventions.
• McCormick Place: The largest convention center in North America, located in Chicago. Directly comparable as a major Midwestern convention venue hosting large-scale trade shows, conventions, and corporate events with similar exhibit hall and meeting room offerings.
• Jacob K. Javits Convention Center: A major convention center in New York City that recently completed a major expansion. Comparable as a large urban convention venue hosting trade shows, conventions, and consumer events with similar event services infrastructure.
• Colorado Convention Center: A major convention center in Denver, Colorado. Comparable as a mid-size to large convention venue hosting trade shows, conventions, and corporate events with similar scale of exhibit and meeting space.
• Georgia World Congress Center: A major convention center in downtown Atlanta, Georgia. Comparable as a large-scale Southeastern convention venue hosting trade shows, conventions, and major events with similar exhibit and meeting space offerings.
• Las Vegas Convention Center: A major convention venue in Las Vegas that recently completed a major expansion. Comparable as a premier destination convention center hosting large trade shows and corporate events with extensive exhibit and meeting facilities.
• Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center: A major convention center in Dallas, Texas. Comparable as a large convention venue in a major metropolitan area hosting trade shows, conventions, and corporate events with similar exhibit and meeting space offerings.
• Henry B. González Convention Center: A major convention center in San Antonio, Texas. Comparable as a similarly-sized convention venue hosting trade shows, conventions, and corporate events with similar exhibit and meeting space offerings.

Broad incumbents

• ASM Global: The parent company of Legends Global, which manages Huntington Place. ASM Global is the world's largest venue management company operating hundreds of convention centers, arenas, and stadiums globally, providing operational expertise and best practices that directly benefit Huntington Place.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cobocenter
• Facebookfacebook.com/huntingtonplacedetroit

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Huntington Place