Officials from the Detroit Sports Commission, Olympia Entertainment and the Detroit Skating Club "made their pitch Thursday to host" the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in '18, and if Detroit wins the bid, the event "will be shared between Little Caesars Arena and the Detroit Skating Club," according to Al Willman of the DETROIT NEWS. Detroit is one of three cities being considered as host. The proposal "calls for Little Caesars Arena to host the higher-profile junior- and championship-level events." U.S. Figure Skating Senior Dir of Events Bob Dunlop said, "We like to look at past experiences at NHL-quality venues. That is exactly what we’re looking for." The date of the official announcement "is still to be determined, but is expected sometime in August" (DETROIT NEWS, 7/1). In Detroit, Mike Brudenell notes Red Wings Owner Mike Ilitch’s Olympia Entertainment group is part of a bid "to lure the championships to Detroit for the first time since" '94. The championships "will serve as the final qualifying event before selection" of the U.S. Olympic Figure Skating Team for '18 PyeongChang Games. Brudenell notes the Detroit area is a "figure-skating mecca for competitors from around the country and the world" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 7/1). Detroit Sports Commission Senior Dir of Events Dave Beachnau said that "hosting the skating event would help prove to the nation that Detroit is on the upswing." Meanwhile, Dunlop said that he "was very impressed with the progress made in the city since he last visited" in '13 (CRAINSDETROIT.com, 6/30).
