Auto show to become outdoor event
The North American International Auto Show will not be taking place in Detroit this year due to the ongoing pandemic. Instead, the event will take a new shape in the form of Motor Bella, an outdoor automotive event at the M1 Concourse from Sept. 21 to Sept. 26 in Pontiac. The 87-acre motorsports club and race track is planning for a multitude of displays including vehicle showcases, original equipment manufacturer and technology exhibits, off-road and track demonstrations. The concourse has room for about 1.6 million square feet of exhibitor and display space.
Jordan Zlotoff, CEO of M1 Concourse, has been in talks with the Detroit Auto Dealers Association throughout the pandemic. The decision to reformat the event came in the last few weeks. Motor Bella was originally planned to be an outdoor showcase accompanying the North American International Auto Show.
Over 774,000 people attended the 2019 auto show in Detroit. The event’s move to Pontiac is a big deal for the city, which has struggled to draw and maintain foot traffic through its revitalization process. Plans are in the works to offer a shuttle service from spots around the city to the concourse.
“We’ll be working with the city of Pontiac, the
Pontiac Regional Chamber, Main Street Pontiac and Oakland County. We want to make sure Pontiac puts its best foot forward and that it’s a positive experience for a number of different organizations around the city,” Zlotoff said. “We would consider having small businesses present, we’d love to be able to support Pontiac businesses any way we can. We’re open to various ideas.”
The event is being described as a “multi-sensory” experience, with over 10-acres of land available on the southeast side of the concourse for a new offroading component.
Construction on a 28,500 square-foot event center was set to wrap up in October. Zlotoff said they’ll be looking to speed up the process to open the $35 million facility in time for Motor Bella. It will feature a second-floor balcony overlooking the 1.5-mile long race track and a public restaurant.
“The pandemic has caused changes in our society and world in ways not previously imagined, and we all should be looking for new and highly creative ways of doing business,” Rod Alberts, executive director of the event, said. “This new event captures that creative spirit. It will provide new mobility experiences and increasingly innovative approaches to tapping into the industry and its products.”
Press previews will take place on Sept. 21 alongside
AutoMobili-D, which runs through a half-day on Sept. 23. The industry preview will be held from Sept. 22 to the half-day on Sept. 23. The public show will occur from Sept. 23 to Sept. 26.
“The news about relocating the Auto Show to M1 Concourse this year again focuses on Pontiac as an epicenter of automotive history and development” Deirdre Waterman, mayor of Pontiac, said. “We are excited and proud to be a partner in hosting this incredible event which will highlight Pontiac’s transformational progress. Just as the North American International Auto Show is reinventing itself, Pontiac has progressed on a trajectory of economic development and innovation.”