“Motor City” rebound? Sport as a catalyst to reviving downtown Detroit: A case study

Abstract

Major urban cities across the United States have strategically considered sport-based economic development. This investigation examined the role that sport played in revitalization of downtown Detroit, Michigan, the 18th largest city in the United States. Detroit is home to four professional sport franchises, three of which have sport facilities anchored in downtown. Historically, Detroit has been known for its role in the global automobile industry and the prowess of its professional sport teams. Due to Detroit’s major demographic and economic losses due to the downturn of the automobile industry, viable strategic options for sustaining the economy are needed. This case study utilized interviews with an expert panel of economic development stakeholders. Semistructured questions were used to facilitate the interview. From the interviews, three themes emerged: (1) sport facilities and franchises as an economic development catalyst of downtown; (2) sport’s role in enhancing the image of downtown; and (3) challenges to the role of sport in the revitalization of downtown Detroit. Important findings of the study included: (1) sport plays a role in driving the economy of downtown Detroit; (2) sport facilities and their programming are important attractions for downtown revitalization in Detroit; and (3) sport cannot solely sustain the economy in the city nor the downtown area and its use as an economic development tool must be considered cautiously.