This year's North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) has been canceled as its host venue, the TCF Center, will be repurposed into a temporary field hospital for COVID-19 patients. The event was scheduled for June in Detroit.
NAIAS is held annually at the TCF Center, previously known as the Cobo Center. According to the event's organizers, they had already anticipated the announcement by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
"Although we are disappointed, there is nothing more important to us than the health, safety, and well-being of the citizens of Detroit and Michigan," NAIAS Executive Director Rod Alberts said. We will do what we can to support our community's fight against the coronavirus outbreak."
The NAIAS is the latest addition to the long list of conventions and events that have been canceled in light of the coronavirus pandemic, which had started in China. The latest report puts the United States as the new epicenter of the disease. Most recently, it was announced that the legendary Indianapolis 500 race will be moved to Aug. 23, which originally maintains a Memorial Day weekend schedule.
Alberts said they were aware that the TCF Center would become one of the options to serve as a field hospital. Already, more than 100 facilities and convention centers are being considered to be repurposed as field hospitals across the U.S.
Last week, work had already started to convert Manhattan's Javits Center, host venue of the New York Auto Show, into a temporary hospital for coronavirus patients. It was announced earlier this month that the show will be moved to August, from its original April schedule.
Also known as the Detroit Auto Show, the NAIAS will be held in June 2021. Later this year, a fundraising activity is to be held to benefit the children's charities that were named beneficiaries of the 2020 Charity Preview event.
The 2020 Detroit Auto Show had been highly anticipated by fans as it was decided that the annual event be moved to summer from January. Fans had been requesting the organizers for years to move the event during the warmer months.
The NAIAS ticket office will reach all contact holders for refunds, organizers said. This includes ticket holders of the Charity Preview and Industry Preview. Those who already own tickets for the Charity Preview will be given the option to either donate to one of the nine beneficiaries or avail of the refund.
