A closer look at the NFL draft theater built in downtown Detroit
As the NFL makes final preparations for draft festivities this week, officials on Tuesday highlighted the unique décor and vibrant atmosphere being cultivated in and beyond downtown Detroit.
From the moment football fans arrive at Detroit Metro Airport and make their way downtown to the NFL draft theater at Campus Martius, they’ll be exposed to banners, billboards and wallscapes that showcase Detroit's artistic and architectural charm.
Daphne Wood, NFL director of events, shared insight into the design process, highlighting collaborative efforts with local groups to ensure representation of Detroit's diverse perspectives. Theater decor will include elaborate LED displays that change colors to match each of the 32 NFL teams, creating an interactive and engaging atmosphere throughout the campus and within the recently constructed NFL draft theater.
“Detroit offers a great backdrop and is a great host for this event,” said Steve Farago, NFL director of event operations. “Detroit just has a strong passion, a strong culture in football, music, food and art that's really going to come to life over the three days.”
Fun facts about the NFL draft theater:
It will hold over 1,500 people each day of the draft.
It has 2 million square feet of operational space for fans and back-of-house space for crews.
It's lit up by 50 million LED pixels.
It took four weeks to build the theater structure, which started on March 29.
A green room sponsored by Lowe’s was set up behind the stage for players and their families with white couches and chairs, living room-type amenities and TVs.
Beyond being the hub for the NFL draft, the theater will host daily free concerts celebrating Detroit’s rich musical heritage.
More: Big Sean, Detroit Youth Choir tapped as NFL Draft concert performers
The entertainment lineup kicks off Thursday with Detroit artist Angela Davis performing “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” followed by Caleb Caroll, who has performed at Detroit Lions games and will sing the national anthem before the evening’s festivities start at 8 p.m. Thursday, complete with the National Guard and a flyover.
A draft concert series starts at 6:15 p.m. Thursday with Big Sean, before draft selections begin. The Detroit Youth Choir will perform at 6 p.m. Friday, leading into draft selections and Friday evening will conclude with a fireworks display set to Detroit music.
On Saturday, Michigan native singer and songwriter Bazzi will perform, closing out the concert series after draft selections are complete.
Fans can join festivities for free on a first-come, first-served basis, with admission through the NFL One Pass application.
The event footprint extends from Campus Martius Park down the Woodward Corridor to Hart Plaza, offering a host of experiences for both adults and children.
This event spans three full days of entertainment and activities starting at noon Thursday and Friday for fans, with gates opening at 9 a.m. Saturday.
More: A guide to breakfast, lunch and dinner near downtown Detroit during the NFL draft
Brendel Hightower is an assistant editor at the Detroit Free Press. Contact her at bhightower@freepress.com. Support local journalism: Subscribe to the Detroit Free Press.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: A closer look at the NFL draft theater built in downtown Detroit
