In Detroit, an unidentified man set fire to the Huntington Place convention center, the main venue for the Detroit Auto Show. The incident occurred on April 28 around 9 a.m., but city officials only reported it a few days later.
Details of the Arson and Consequences
Surveillance camera footage shows a man dressed entirely in black entering the hall and spraying a flammable liquid from a plastic bottle. He then takes another bottle from a black bag and repeats the action. After that, the suspect briefly disappears around a corner, returns, lights a piece of paper, and throws it onto the carpet, which instantly ignites.
Fortunately, no one was injured, and the fire caused only “minimal damage.” Law enforcement has appealed to the public for help in finding the perpetrator. It is currently unknown whether the police will be able to apprehend the suspect.
The Decline of the Detroit Auto Show
Huntington Place is best known as the venue for the Detroit Auto Show, which was once one of the world’s most prestigious automotive exhibitions. However, its popularity has sharply declined in recent years. In 2025, the event attracted only 275,000 visitors, and organizers did not even release data for this year, which may indicate an even greater drop in interest.
Besides the auto show, Huntington Place hosts other events, including Sneaker Con, Auto-Sens Detroit, and the Movement electronic music festival.
“65 years of legacy: A year-long celebration of Huntington Place history! On December 9, 2021, we proudly became…” — a post on the Huntington Place Facebook page.
This incident is another blow to the reputation of a venue that is already going through hard times. While the arson did not cause serious damage, it drew attention to security issues and the general decline of events held at the center. It is worth noting that the Detroit Auto Show, which once attracted over 800,000 visitors, now barely draws a third of that number, reflecting a deep crisis in the region’s automotive industry and a shift in public priorities.