Detroit leaders say Super Bowl’s just the start

Excerpts from the article:

After years of build-up and the event’s role as a catalyst for economic development and regional cooperation, they say it’s important to think about new goals even before game day.

“We want to begin this dialogue and get creative minds thinking and talking,” said Jim Townsend, executive director of the Tourism Economic Development Council. The council, an arm of the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau, is working on a Jan. 23 panel discussion on the topic as part of the bureau’s annual meeting.

Beyond sports, the region can use the Super Bowl momentum to increase its tourism potential. Townsend said a regional branding effort is planned for next year.

The region’s automotive and musical heritage are good reasons to promote Woodward Avenue, which is part of a national scenic byway program through the Federal Highway Administration, said Heather Carmona, executive director of the Woodward Avenue Action Association. Carmona said another signature event is being planned for Woodward to complement the Woodward Dream Cruise as a tourism draw.

“We have one of the only urban byways in the country and we have to celebrate that,” she said. “We need to package it and get people to appreciate it.”

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