Detroit selected to host 2019 U.S. Figure Skating Championships

[jkl]

The official Hotel will be announced the week of April 16. Final negotiations are going on with the downtown hotels as far as rates. I asked my source at the Detroit Sports Commission to verify if there would be a spectator shuttle to DSC for those who want to watch the Juvenile, Intermediate and Novice events.

 

[TanithandBenFan]

The official Hotel will be announced the week of April 16. Final negotiations are going on with the downtown hotels as far as rates. I asked my source at the Detroit Sports Commission to verify if there would be a spectator shuttle to DSC for those who want to watch the Juvenile, Intermediate and Novice events.

Any word if tickets will go on sale that week too?

 

[jkl]

Any word if tickets will go on sale that week too?

No word on ticket sales just yet

 

[TanithandBenFan]

No word on ticket sales just yet

I'm sure they'll drag it into May when I'm traveling almost every week because tickets always seem to go on sale at my most inconvenient times.

 

[Jarrett]

Maybe Phil Hersh got his way and they cancelled U.S. Nationals and all the skaters are going to Japanese Nationals.

 

[TanithandBenFan]

The official Hotel will be announced the week of April 16. Final negotiations are going on with the downtown hotels as far as rates. I asked my source at the Detroit Sports Commission to verify if there would be a spectator shuttle to DSC for those who want to watch the Juvenile, Intermediate and Novice events.

The week of April 16 has almost come and gone. But I'm not surprised they haven't delivered by any promised deadlines since their website still says tickets will go on sale in March.

 

[TanithandBenFan]

I emailed the LOC, and all-event tickets will go on sale Friday, April 27 at 10am EST. They had no information on prices.

 

[Carolla5501]

I emailed the LOC, and all-event tickets will go on sale Friday, April 27 at 10am EST. They had no information on prices.

Anyone taking bets on them making that date?

 

[Coco]

Yeah! I'm off work that day and can obsessively stay online.

 

[jkl]

My contact checked in and the Pre Sale is this Wednesday at 10am EST. The sale to the general public is Friday at 10am as posted above. There is no update on Hotels or a shuttle to the DSC.

 

[Coco]

Hi @jkl is there a code for the presale?

 

[jkl]

Hi @jkl is there a code for the presale?

I haven't heard it but when I do....

 

[TanithandBenFan]

Hi @jkl is there a code for the presale?

The code usually gets emailed to USFS and FOFS members shortly before the tickets go on sale (sometimes not until the moment they go on sale).

 

[TanithandBenFan]

The website has been updated to say there will NOT be a shuttle to DSC:

http://2019uschampionships.com/tickets/

PLEASE NOTE: Spectator Transportation is not being provided for access to the Detroit Skating Club. The Detroit Skating Club is located in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., and is approximately a 30-minute drive from the Little Caesars Arena which is located in downtown Detroit.

 

[Willin]

Ugh the organization of this seems to be a mess. They're a huge skating club, so you think they'd have their stuff together...

Then again I think this was the club that hosted synchro sectionals the year we had a whole bunch of issues?

 

[Sylvia]

Ugh the organization of this seems to be a mess. They're a huge skating club, so you think they'd have their stuff together...

The Detroit Sports Commission and the Detroit SC cannot announce anything until they get the green light from USFS.

ETA:

The original USFS press release states: "U.S. Figure Skating will plan the 2019 U.S. Championships with support locally from the Detroit Sports Commission, 313 Presents and the Detroit Skating Club."

https://www.313presents.com/about-313-presents

Headquartered in the heart of The District Detroit, 313 Presents is a joint venture between Olympia Entertainment and Palace Sports & Entertainment, offering fans, artists, booking agents and touring attractions an unmatched platform of premier entertainment destinations. 313 Presents is responsible for delivering unforgettable fan experiences via best in class booking, production, accounting, marketing and public relations services for world-class entertainment events, concerts, family shows and community functions at Little Caesars Arena, Fox Theatre, Comerica Park, DTE Energy Music Theatre, Meadow Brook Amphitheatre and Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill. 313 Presents also manages booking, marketing and production of events for City Theatre.

 

[jkl]

I just spoke with my contact at the Detroit Sports Commission. The list of hotels and their rates will be released in a "week or two". I told him that fans might be reluctant to buy tickets until they knew the prices and locations of hotels. He said that contracts were still being signed. I was told that there would be hotels in all price ranges and hotel chains. There will be hotels in the Bloomfield Hills area that will have special rates. There will be no spectator shuttle for fans from hotels in the area to the Detroit Skating Club. The shuttles from both Bloomfield Hills and downtown Detroit to the competition venues will be for competitors and officials only. He told me that USFS told the Sports Commission and the LOC that providing shuttles for spectators was not a requirement for hosting the competition. (If that surprises you I have a condo to sell you!)

 

[Debbie S]

Looks like they tinkered with the schedule a bit, presumably so NBC can show Nathan's SP live. Men's SP will be split along with the Pairs FS on Saturday afternoon, with the FD in the evening. Ladies FS has been moved to Friday night (so I guess this means it will be on NBCSN or OC?). I wonder if the FD will be live on NBC (which it should be!) or if they relegate it to cable. No football playoff games that weekend, so there shouldn't be a conflict.

http://2019uschampionships.com/schedule/

Still no new info about tickets. And I haven't received an e-mail even though I subscribed to their updates - has anyone else gotten anything?

 

[Debbie S]

He told me that USFS told the Sports Commission and the LOC that providing shuttles for spectators was not a requirement for hosting the competition. (If that surprises you I have a condo to sell you!)

It doesn't surprise me, but could locals shed some light on the best way to get to/from the arena and the Marriott (Renaissance Center)? From the maps I've seen, it looks like you take the People Mover (stop next to hotel) to a bus/light rail stop and then take that to the arena. The bus line stop closest to the hotel looks somewhat far to walk in January temps, but maybe the map makes it look further than it is. Is Uber/Lyft really the best option?

 

[mysticchic]

Uber and Lyft are really good in detroit. The hotel at Rencen is close to the people mover. Only a few blocks. The venue is pretty close also. Hotels in Dearborn are pretty close.
DSC is pretty much a figure head and works/supplies volunteers. USFS runs Skate America and Nationals. It's been this way for many years now.
There are a lot of Air BNB down by the venue https://www.airbnb.com/s/Detroit--MI. You might want to book soon. There are a few bed and breakfast there.
A cool place to meet up would be Vivios by Eastern Market http://www.viviosdetroit.net/ (they might be willing to shuttle a group to LC), Mexican Village (they might even give you a private room), Slows BBQ.

 

[skatesindreams]

Lack of accessible transport; or information about it, makes it increasingly unlikely that I will be there; much as I would prefer otherwise!

 

[purple skates]

Uber and Lyft are really good in detroit. The hotel at Rencen is close to the people mover. Only a few blocks. The venue is pretty close also. Hotels in Dearborn are pretty close.
DSC is pretty much a figure head and works/supplies volunteers. USFS runs Skate America and Nationals. It's been this way for many years now.
There are a lot of Air BNB down by the venue https://www.airbnb.com/s/Detroit--MI. You might want to book soon. There are a few bed and breakfast there.
A cool place to meet up would be Vivios by Eastern Market http://www.viviosdetroit.net/ (they might be willing to shuttle a group to LC), Mexican Village (they might even give you a private room), Slows BBQ.

IIRC, the People Mover has a stop at the RenCen. The Q-Line is a few blocks away. You can get to the Q-Line from the People Mover, from what I’ve read. I’ve never ridden on the Q-Line and rarely ride the People Mover.

I always drive when visiting Detroit.

 

[quartz]

^ yes, you don't even have to leave the RenCen to catch the People Mover - there is a stop right on the 3rd or 4th level.

 

[mysticchic]

I just noticed the Jr (Juv, nov, and such) are the next week. Out where DSC is you need a car to get anywhere. It's not walking to anything.

 

[mysticchic]

^ yes, you don't even have to leave the RenCen to catch the People Mover - there is a stop right on the 3rd or 4th level.

Are you coming to Detroit?

 

[Jarrett]

http://2019uschampionships.com/tickets/ has a link to purchase tickets on ticketmaster but it doesn't appear to work yet. I don't know if this is new but I didn't notice it before.

 

[sk9tingfan]

What I am trying to understand is why the organizing committee didn't check out other major events taking place simultaneously during that week. Hotel rooms near the arena usually go for between ~$120-$154 per night. With the contention of the Auto Show, I would expect these nightly rates to be jacked up by a factor of at least 25% and possibly more if you want to be anywhere near the transportation routes.

 

[maureenfarone]

@Debbie S google maps shows .5 mile walking from the Ren Center to the Congress St. Qline stop. Here is a website for estimating uber/lyft/taxi fares: https://www.google.com/search?q=rid...7j69i65j0l4.6389j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

 

[emilieh]

IIRC, the People Mover has a stop at the RenCen. The Q-Line is a few blocks away. You can get to the Q-Line from the People Mover, from what I’ve read. I’ve never ridden on the Q-Line and rarely ride the People Mover.

I had a friend that lived right by the Grand Circus People Mover stop for a while. As long as it's not completely frigid, I'd probably choose to walk from Grand Circus to the arena instead of worrying about transferring. I don't think it's more than a 10 minute walk, past the big theatres, the baseball stadium, and some restaurants. I'm a city dweller, though, and am used to walking and taking transit.

 

[BittyBug]

What I am trying to understand is why the organizing committee didn't check out other major events taking place simultaneously during that week. Hotel rooms near the arena usually go for between ~$120-$154 per night. With the contention of the Auto Show, I would expect these nightly rates to be jacked up by a factor of at least 25% and possibly more if you want to be anywhere near the transportation routes.

Responsibility for awarding the event lies with U.S. Figure Skating, and it is they who should have vetted any potential conflicts.

Bids are supposed to be submitted with signed hotel agreements that indicate the number of allotted rooms and the rates, since the availability and pricing of accommodations is a factor in evaluating bids. So why the LOC doesn't already have hotel contracts is a mystery to me, but if they don't, fault likes with USFS for having awarded the bid without this component in place.

And overall, the success of the event is the responsibility of U.S. Figure Skating. They dictate the parameters and they select the LOC that they charge with delivering on those parameters, so it is incumbent on USFS to manage the LOC. If they don't, it's not the LOC's fault, it's the fault of USFS.