DETROIT — Every four years the world’s finest athletes take the stage to compete in the Olympic Games. This year Detroit will host its own version when employees from five downtown companies compete in the inaugural Live Downtown Games July 23-27. Opening ceremonies and the first competitive event will take place July 23 at 11 a.m. in Campus Martius Park and will include a program update at the one year mark of the Live Downtown incentive program.
“Live Downtown has created camaraderie among the five companies that launched the program a year ago,” said Dave Blaszkiewicz, president and CEO of the Downtown Detroit Partnership. “We are excited so many people have taken advantage of the program. It has created a sense of community – and now competition – in downtown Detroit.”
The Live Downtown Games mark the one-year anniversary of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Compuware, DTE Energy, Quicken Loans and Strategic Staffing Solutions’ launch of the Live Downtown program, which is coordinated by the Downtown Detroit Partnership. The program provides incentives to employees who move downtown and helps retain those who are already living there. This celebration between Live Downtown participants is the next step in creating a unique environment that promotes collaboration, networking and friendly competition among businesses.
Over the course of five days, employees from each Live Downtown company will compete in a series of field day and Olympic-style activities daily from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in various downtown Detroit locations. The Opening Ceremony will be held at Campus Martius Park on Monday, July 23. Evening tournament-style activities also will take place. All employees will be encouraged to “check in” via social media to designated restaurants around town to earn points for their team.
The competition will be based on a point system with the winner crowned at the closing ceremonies on Friday, July 27, which corresponds with the Opening Ceremonies of the 30th Olympiad in London. A final schedule of activities is listed below, and includes field day at DTE Energy’s campus, community philanthropic event benefitting Forgotten Harvest, and a Detroit Trivia challenge.
Schedule of Events
Monday, July 23
11 a.m. Opening Ceremonies, Campus Martius Park
11:30 a.m. Executive Bungee Run
11:45 a.m. – 1 p.m. Team competition – obstacle course at Cadillac Square
6 p.m. – 9 p.m. Competitive Volleyball Tournament, Compuware, One Campus Martius
6 p.m. – 10 p.m. Restaurant week
Tuesday, July 24
11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Philanthropy Day – food drive and canned food build, Compuware atrium
6 p.m. – 9 p.m. Competitive Volleyball Tournament, Compuware, One Campus Martius
6 p.m. – 10 p.m. Restaurant week
Wednesday, July 25
11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Field Day, DTE Energy campus, One Energy Way
6 p.m. – 9 p.m. Competitive Volleyball Tournament, Compuware, One Campus Martius
6 p.m. – 10 p.m. Restaurant week
Thursday, July 26
11 a.m. – 1p.m. Competitive Volleyball Championship, Compuware
6 p.m. – 9 p.m. Detroit Trivia, Bookie’s Tavern, 2208 Cass Avenue Detroit
Friday, July 27
11 a.m. – 12 p.m. Detroit Trivia Championship, Campus Martius
12 p.m. – 1 p.m. Closing ceremonies with Live Downtown Games winner announced at Campus Martius Park
Restaurant Week
Restaurants for the competition will offer specials to Live Downtown employees Monday, July 23, through Wednesday, July 25, 6-10 p.m.
· Anchor Bar, 450 W. Fort Street, Detroit
· Golden Fleece, 569 Monroe, Detroit
· Grand Trunk Pub, 612 Woodward, Detroit
· Tom’s Oyster Bar , 519 E. Jefferson, Detroit
· Vicente’s Cuban Cuisine, 1250 Library, Detroit
The Live Downtown Games program announcement was made during a celebratory news conference by executives from each company at BCBSM headquarters on June 6, culminating the Blues’ move of 3,400 employees to downtown Detroit. Daily updates will be posted at http://downtowndetroit.org/summergames/. The official hashtag of the Live Downtown Games is #DETgames.
Live Downtown was created to incentivize people working in downtown Detroit to consider investing in a home in the city they work. The program has focused on and will continue to focus on building density in downtown and the following nearby neighborhoods: Corktown, Lafayette Park, Eastern Market, Woodbridge and the Midtown areas of Brush Park, Cass Park, Art Center, and Lower Cass. For more information on the Live Downtown program, visit http://www.detroitlivedowntown.org/.
