Detroit Grand Prix organizers outline expanded youth programs, economic impact and TV deal ahead of May race

Organizers of the Detroit Grand Prix told Detroit City Council on a regularly scheduled meeting that the event will expand community programming, keep a multi-series racing lineup downtown and expects increased economic impact due to a new broadcast deal.

The presentation laid out why the race matters beyond motorsport: organizers said the event returned downtown to drive tourism dollars, provide free public access and create paid internship and youth-development opportunities that they described as career pipelines into motorsports and related trades.

Leddy Azar, presenting on behalf of the Grand Prix team, said the event retained a Council for Responsible Sport gold-level sustainability certification and reported record attendance. "We had 150,000 fans in attendance," Azar said, adding that an economic-impact study conducted after the 2023 event found a $105,000,000 economic effect. Azar told council members the NTT IndyCar Series will remain the headline series, with Firestone Indy NXT and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship also on the downtown schedule.

Azar described expanded youth and workforce programs tied to the race footprint. The presentation said programs include NXG youth karting (ages 10–15), paid internships with Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan, the Mobility Innovation Club, a digital mural internship, and a motorsports correspondent internship. Azar summarized the NXG karting format as a multi-level, two-day curriculum of classroom and track work and said the Detroit team plans to open applications and share dates with council. "It's STEM and life-skills development," Azar said of the karting program.

On business participation, Azar said the Small Business Straightaway will select 21 businesses from council districts to exhibit on race weekend for free and that organizers will offer Michigan Black Business Alliance scholarships to help some businesses build capacity when an event activation is not the best match. She said the event is emphasizing local contracting and tracking increases in Detroit and Michigan-based vendors year over year.

Azar outlined operational changes to shrink build-out times and reduce traffic impacts, including a new block-and-panel fence system and earlier staging for hospitality suites. She said track build begins in earnest May 18, with some hospitality and pit work starting in April. Organizers also highlighted a new multi-year broadcast arrangement for the NTT IndyCar Series with Fox and said they expect the deal to boost viewership and out-of-state attendance.

Council members asked about city coordination on transit, local hiring, internships and economic metrics. Council Member Scott Benson praised the youth programs and the work to keep free public access for part of the venue; he asked the presenter to circulate application links and outreach information to council and neighborhood channels. Azar said the Grand Prix team is pursuing DDOT outreach for transit messaging but that free mass transit routes for event days have been declined in prior years.

Organizers said there will be continued emphasis on free public viewing areas, on-site career development programming and targeted outreach to increase downtown visitation from surrounding regions. Azar closed by inviting council to follow up on contractor and vendor participation and said the event team will circulate application portals and calendar dates to council offices.

The council did not take a formal vote on the presentation; it served as an informational briefing and Q&A.