For the first time in recent memory, last year all four of Detroit’s professional sports teams, at some point, led their respective divisions. That success stoked added business at area hotels, casinos, stores, and restaurants, with more on the way. Starting this April, the Detroit Pistons and the Detroit Red Wings are well-positioned for playoff runs.
The Detroit Tigers, following the recent signing of Framber Valdez to a three-year, $115-million contract — the largest annual salary ever for a left-handed pitcher — are poised for another strong season and playoff run. They also re-signed All-Star pitcher Justin Verlander to a one-year contract, giving the team one of the best pitching lineups in Major League Baseball.
Moving to the gridiron, the Detroit Lions missed the playoffs after two years of postseason appearances. Whether they can turn their fortunes around depends on getting back to the basics by improving the offensive and defensive lines; they have plenty of talent at the skilled positions.
Overall, sports as a driver of economic activity works best when teams are winning. It also helps to have sports venues all in one area, especially in a revitalized downtown district like Detroit that has seen billions of dollars in investment over the past 15 years.
In other sports, the revived Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix is picking up speed, and the 2027 opening of the 15,000-seat AlumniFi Field for Detroit City FC will stoke added economic activity, while projecting a more positive image among world travelers. In fact, the annual Detroit Grand Prix had one of its best years ever in 2025, generating some $104 million in economic impact. That’s double the activity from when the race was previously held on Belle Isle.
On the links, the region hosts the annual Rocket Classic at the Detroit Golf Club, the LIV tournament at Saint John’s Resort in Plymouth Township, and in what may be an unprecedented run, a succession of seven major USGA championships are coming to the South Course at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Township.
The club will play host to two U.S. Opens (2034 and 2051), two U.S. Women’s Opens (2031 and 2042), and three amateur championships (2031, 2038, and 2047). The timing couldn’t be better, given Oakland Hills’ clubhouse, which was destroyed by a fire in 2022, is set to reopen this spring.
For hospitality developers, a steady stream of major events in the region helps drive investment in new and restored properties, according to Visit Detroit and the Detroit Sports Commission. Each organization reports renewed interest in drawing everything from the Final Four at Ford Field (April 3-5, 2027) to the Men’s Basketball Regional (Sweet 16/Elite 8) tournament at Little Caesars Arena (March 24-26, 2028).
The uptick in sporting events, coupled with added business conferences and related gatherings at Huntington Place, the Department at Hudson’s, and upscale venues like The Westin Book Cadillac Hotel, is driving even more investment.
Consider the 600-room JW Marriott Detroit Water Square hotel west of Huntington Place, the 210-room Detroit EDITION Hotel at Hudson’s Detroit, and the 180-room NoMad Hotel at Michigan Central Station will collectively add nearly 1,000 rooms in Detroit this year and next.
In the long term, the benefits of hosting major sporting events can’t be understated, given they boost our region’s standing, drive tourism, and generate new investment.
What’s more, sports creates positive bonds that span generations, foster friendships, and strengthen humanity.
