Peter Palmer: 2020 North American International Auto Show Canceled Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

The North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit has been canceled as the Coronavirus continues to spread throughout Michigan. The cancellation comes as the Federal Emergency Management Agency is expected to repurpose the TCF Center, the venue in which NAIAS is held in downtown Detroit, as a temporary field hospital.

All tickets purchased for the 2020 North American International Auto Show, including the Public Show, Industry Preview, and Charity Preview will be fully refunded.

“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, and we will do what we can to support our community’s fight against the Coronavirus outbreak,” said NAIAS Executive Director Rod Alberts. “With the more than 100 convention centers and facilities around the country being considered to potentially serve as temporary hospitals, it became clear to us that TCF Center would be an inevitable option to serve as a care facility to satisfy our community’s urgent health needs.”

NAIAS Moved to 2021

The North American International Auto Show was scheduled for June for the first time this year (normally it’s held in January). With the TCF Center serving as a field hospital for the foreseeable future, NAIAS will not commence again until June of 2021. Current NAIAS Chairman Doug North said show officials are discussing plans for a fundraising activity later this year. That event would benefit the children’s charities that were designated as beneficiaries of the 2020 Charity Preview event.

“We know these organizations rely on the money raised at Charity Preview to fund many wonderful support services for the most vulnerable in our community,” North said. “With this in mind, we will be in touch with the charities in the near future to present some ideas.”

North, who will serve as Chairman of the 2021 North American International Auto Show, also expressed gratitude to the show’s stakeholders.

“The level of excitement for the 2020 show was extraordinary, and we deeply appreciate all of the support from our OEM partners and our more than 200 valued sponsors, as well as the city of Detroit and the state of Michigan,” he continued. “We will be ready to unleash this energy and enthusiasm when June 2021 rolls around to produce the absolute best show and experience ever. We look forward to literally redefining the auto show landscape with fresh ideas and innovative opportunities for mobility activations and partnerships.”

Related: Automakers around the globe respond to the Coronavirus.

Ticket Refunds & Donations

Charity Preview ticket holders will be given the option of a refund, or the opportunity to donate the proceeds of their refund to one of the nine designated Charity Preview beneficiaries. The NAIAS ticket office will be in contact with all ticket holders. Likewise, the NAIAS sponsorship team will be in contact with each sponsor directly to answer questions regarding refunds and their contracts.

“One of the hallmarks of NAIAS since the very beginning has been our commitment to being socially responsible,” Alberts said. “Our thoughts continue to be with those whose lives have been impacted by this devastating virus. And we support the city and state’s mission to help preserve life in the face of this challenging situation.”

2021 North American International Auto Show

· Motor Bella: Friday, June 11 – Monday, June 14

· The Gallery: Monday, June 14

· Press Preview: Tuesday, June 15 – Wednesday, June 16

· AutoMobili-D Powered by PlanetM: Tuesday, June 15 – Thursday, June 17

· Industry Preview: Wednesday, June 16 – Thursday, June 17

· Charity Preview: Friday, June 18

· Public Show: Saturday, June 19 – Saturday, June 26

The Automoblog staff covers automotive industry news, trends, and technology along with new vehicle releases. Automoblog is owned and operated by Gearhead Media LLC., based in Detroit, Michigan and Berlin, Germany.

Original article: 2020 North American International Auto Show Canceled Amid Coronavirus Outbreak