Famous Michigan Arena Cobo Center To Change Its Name Soon
The iconic Cobo Center which has been in Detroit for decades used for the Auto Show will be changing its name soon. The reason for the name change is because Cobo Center, sold their naming rights recently to a Detroit based company, Chemical Bank. According to WILX, the deal is for 22 years and will give arena and convention center 1.5 million dollars annually. Chemical Bank hasn't said what the new name is yet but will announce it later this year.
The name Cobo Center was picked because it was named after 7 year mayor Albert Cobo. But people have been wanting to change it for years, or at least take his name off of it, as Albert Cobo was known to segregate parts of Detroit during his time as mayor. Cobo Center opened in downtown Detroit in 1960, it was known as Cobo Hall, and it housed the Detroit Pistons for a bit in the 1960s and 70s. With the opening of the Joe Louis Arena at the end of the 1970s Cobo Hall was turned into Cobo Center and used mostly for conferences and performance events.
You can see more on the name change and why they are buying Cobo Center here.