Renaissance Center
Renaissance Center
It is arguably the most jaw-dropping sight in all of Detroit, Henry Ford’s 1973 GM dream vision, the Renaissance Center. This stunning, sky-scraping spot is actually a total of seven interconnected skyscrapers in downtown Detroit, located right along the citie's international riverfront. This fantastic spot serves as GM’s riverfront headquarters, the 727’ complex holding eateries, shops, concept showrooms, a 4-screen theater, high-profile meeting areas, and even a 73-story hotel! Over 17,000 tenants and visitors pass through the GM RENCEN each year, an understandable statistic once you know a few more, like that there are a total of 1,300 hotel rooms inside, 29 restaurants, a 1,100 seat food court, 73 stories, 3 miles of riverfront walkways, and even its very own zip code! Talk about some impressive numbers!
One of our absolute favorite things about the RENCEN for your group is the daily free tours offered to the public. One of these tours lasts about an hour and will take you through all the rich GM and Detroit history involved with this building, plus take you through the showroom, Wintergarden, Plaza and Promenade, Lobby and Pavilion, Borealis, and Circulation Ring. This is the best way to learn about, and see all of, the RENCEN, hands down (plus it’s free!). These tours happen daily at noon and 2 pm and have a limit of 25 per group, so it is first come first serve.
Remember, this is a place to ‘dine, shop, play, stay, and meet’, the epicenter of the Detroit Business District, so you can do almost anything while here! Grab a bite to eat at the Food Court or any of the fine dining spots like Andiamo or go shop around for that perfect Detroit souvenir. A visit to the GM Renaissance Center is a look into regional history, economics, architecture, and culture all at once, so be sure not to miss this stop!
