Wayne County executive Robert Ficano promoted the proposed Cobo Hall expansion deal at Saturday’s Michigan Democratic Party convention. Ficano warned that if the 2.4 million square foot Cobo Convention/Exhibition Center located on the banks of the Detroit River is not expanded, the North American International Auto Show will move to other cities. “16,000 jobs are tied to the auto show,” he told cheering members of the 13th congressional district’s caucus. “If we don’t re-do Cobo Hall they will go to Chicago or L.A,” he warned. He noted that he wanted the deal to include a seven-person authority but it only boiled down to five.  

In order for the proposed expansion deal to pass, a majority of the Detroit City Council must vote in favor of turning the convention center over to a five-person authority board of appointees representing the city of Detroit, Wayne, Oakland and Macomb Counties and the Governor’s office.

Opponents of the expansion say that Detroit should not give up such a valid asset — a riverfront convention center — for $20 million to the city and $228 million in renovations. While supporters such as Ficano say an expansion is needed to keep the auto show in Detroit, opponents argue that with the auto show shrinking, bigger is not necessarily better.

Detroit City Council will vote Tuesday on the Cobo Hall deal.