Lions fans explode in delight about draft choice on record setting night in Detroit

The Detroit Lions faithful were rewarded for their patience Thursday night and exploded in cheers when the team traded up and selected a desperately needed cornerback from the University of Alabama with its first pick in the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit.

The Lions were set to select near the end of the night at No. 29 until the team traded with the Dallas Cowboys for the No. 24 slot and picked cornerback Terrion Arnold. Draft analysts had said the Lions needed a defensive back after the team released cornerback Cam Sutton following domestic violence allegations and Sutton's hesitancy to turn himself in to authorities.

Several fans chanted "Arno," and the chants only grew louder when the newest member of the pride walked on stage and announced, "I'm home." Inner circle Lions "superfans" seated in the Draft Theater swarmed Arnold for photos after his selection was announced.

The Alabama player's selection came on a night when Detroit set an NFL draft first day attendance record and received praises from attendees from inside the state and out for its hospitality and atmosphere. The developments prompted Visit Detroit spokesman Christopher Moyer to vow that Motown would set more records and put the three-day draft attendance record set in Nashville, Tenn., in 2019 in the city's sights.

Dan Thayer, of Kalamazoo, said he loved the Lions' pick of Arnold and lauded the pipeline of standout Alabama players coming to Detroit over the last few seasons. The Lions' first round choice last year was Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs.

"I'm excited to see another 'Bama guy come into the system. They've been strong so far, and Arnold seems like an absolute dog," said Thayer, 29. "Clearly he's a star in his own words."

In a clip shown on ESPN, Arnold promised his high school janitor that he would be given a jersey from his new NFL team after the player gave him an Alabama jersey.

Thayer said he expects a divisional championship from the Lions next season and maybe even a Super Bowl.

"Three years ago you would have sounded insane. After this past season that's what I want to see," Thayer said, referring to the Lions appearance in the National Football Conference championship game. "It (the Draft) has been an incredible experience. Detroit showed out extremely well, and the audience has been unbelievable, and downtown's never looked better."

Crowd cheers Vikings' pick of McCarthy

A Michigan quarterback got a hometown welcome when the Minnesota Vikings drafted J.J. McCarthy with the 10th pick Thursday night in the NFL Draft.

The Vikings traded with another team to select earlier in the draft so they could get McCarthy, who led Michigan to college's national football championship.

Cheers rang out from the crowd stretching back to Campus Martius and Monroe Street, even though McCarthy went to a division rival. Maize and blue jerseys with McCarthy's No. 9 could be seen dotting the crowd and heard particularly loudly.

Detroit sets draft record

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Thursday night that Detroit had set a league draft record with Day 1 attendance of more than 275,000 people.

The NFL number is attendance within the draft footprint, said Christopher Moyer with Visit Detroit. The police estimate of 400,000 is for all of the people who visited the city on Thursday, he said.

"The message is: Come back tomorrow," Moyer said. "We're going to keep setting records."

Draft imprint hits capacity

Detroit's NFL Draft footprint hit maximum capacity around 6:30 p.m. Thursday, prompting officials to shut off entry for the rest of the evening and causing some fans to try to go around police.

Workers who left the imprint and tried to get back in were denied entry. They stood at the gate near Fort Street and Lafayette, arguing with police to get back in.

As more crowds arrived, people started using the exits as entrances, hopping over fences and trying to bypass police. Police succeeded in blocking them, yelling "This is an exit. Turn around."

By 6:45 p.m., the NFL One Pass app said the draft area was closed and would not reopen for the rest of the evening. The app advised fans to visit Grand Circus Park or go to other Draft Day in the D viewing parties.

“We’ve just been waiting here for 20 minutes, and the police told us to be patient and wait for people to leave to get back in, but now we’re hearing they’re closing it off,” said Justin Williams, 47, of Saginaw. “This is very disappointing.”

“It’s crazy. It wasn’t even that busy around 5 p.m. We were just leaving to check out the other areas,” said Adam Ware, 35, of Montrose. “It’s not like we’re coming back tomorrow. We only slotted today for this.”

Detroit police officials said there were no incidents or arrests.

“We are currently at maximum capacity,” a police spokesman told The Detroit News.

Around 7:35 p.m., police deployed in large numbers to block the major intersections at Washington Blvd. and Michigan Ave. as herds of people left the footprint area to find other places where they can watch the draft. Police are transitioning to the task of directing traffic, with more than a handful at each intersection.

The NFL app reminded fans that Friday's draft area would open at noon.

Dancing between picks

While some fans looked for exits as temperatures dropped, others stayed warm by huddling together or dancing between picks.

Livonia native Tyler Lance boldly wore green and yellow overalls and a cheese head hat in support of the Green Bay Packers, who currently have the 25th pick in the first round. He plans to go to every day of the three-day draft and said he never thought Detroit would host something like it.

"Good for the city. … It's something you reserve for like New York, LA or Chicago. It's normally something that Detroit doesn't get the chance to host," said Lance, 26. "Even though I'm not a Lions fan, I'm more than happy to show up and support the city."

When the draft footprint reached maximum capacity, Lance was all the way back in Hart Plaza. But he was able to get closer to the stage as the night moved on and the Packers' 25th pick approached. He plans to stay until at least then.

Indiana family cheers Bears' pick

The Chicago Bears' second pick in the first round, University of Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze, was met with cheers from Maria and Justin Milam, who brought their two girls, ages five and three, to Detroit from northwest Indiana.

"It's not every year that you get a No. 1 pick," Maria said, referring to the Bears' selection of USC quarterback Caleb Willaims. "We're just looking for that spark in Chicago because it's electrifying when the team is just rocking."

The couple was ecstatic, already planning what games to attend next season. Maria hadn't been to Detroit since she was a teenager and said it seems like the city is starting to boom.

"It's been really cool to see since it's been so long and now I'm coming back as an adult," Maria said. "It was such a good experience for us to have as a family with our kids. We're trying to make memories for them."

Michigan Central get blue

The Michigan Central, the former train station being renovated by Ford Motor Co., was bathed in Honolulu blue lights on Thursday night.

A sea of Honolulu blue

The capacity crowd included football fans from all over the country who had descended downtown for the first day of the three-day NFL Draft, decked out in gear from their favorite teams.

Many said they were enjoying the camaraderie of being around fans from other cities, while Detroit Lions fans represented the majority of draft goers as evidenced by the sea of Honolulu Blue jersey and other gear along the streets.

Some drove, others flew to be part of the action. An estimated 300,000 to 400,000 people are expected to visit Detroit for the draft, which officially starts at 8 p.m. Thursday.

'We should've stayed'

At Honest John’s in Midtown, Detroiter Michael Ballentine and his friends rushed in to watch Chicago’s first draft pick. As Eminem walked out on the stage, he cried out “We were just there! We should’ve stayed!”

“We just left because my friend was wearing shorts. We should have been there to see Em come out though,” said Bellentine, 54, who lives on Six Mile.

“We had a great time. Detroit did an outstanding job putting it on. Maybe they could have better prepared with crowd control. We saw some issues as we were leaving but nothing serious. Our city isn’t coming back, it’s been back. I hope people come more often.”

'It's worth being up front'

Mary, 30, and Nolan Thomas, 33, moved to Detroit from Tennessee last year and had been waiting in their front row spots for the draft to start since noon. They first arrived downtown at 9 a.m. to make sure they were among the first to enter the venue.

"It's worth being up front," Mary said. "We'll be in a nursing home next time this happens."

Nolan grew up in Detroit and said the city has changed and gotten a lot nicer.

Marc and Juanita Rangel traveled from Kansas City and were eager to see who their respective teams, the Steelers and the Cowboys, picked in round one. While the couple has accepted they will always root for different teams, they still enjoy getting dressed up and attending the draft together. Marc wore a black and yellow striped suit with a Steelers sombrero while Juanita sported a sequined Cowboys dress with matching boots and a hat.

"We attended the draft last year and … you know she had such a good time, we had a good time, we wanted to come back," Marc said.

It was the couple's first time in Detroit and they finished the 11 hour drive late Wednesday. They had spent some time at Hollywood Casino in Greektown and then traveled over the border to Little Caesars in Windsor.

"This is the first time that we've been to Detroit or even to Michigan, so we've had a blast," Marc said. "It's exciting to be here, I'm looking forward to some offensive line help this year."

Buffalo Bills mafia members Ashleigh Dopp, 41, and Joanie Dekoker, 67, were feeling excited and hopeful that their team may move up a few spots in the draft and pick up some good receivers.

The pair is familiar with Detroit after attending back-to-back Bills games at Ford Field when they were snowed out of their own stadium in 2022.

"We actually truly love Detroit. They're very welcoming, similar to Buffalo," Dopp said.

Dekoker, who goes by Mama J and has attended 222 consecutive Bills games, has been to at least four NFL drafts before.

Big Sean gives big shoutout

Big Sean, a Detroit rapper whose real name is Sean Anderson, opened the NFL Draft Theater with his song “Paradise,” saying “Detroit is the greatest city on the planet.” He wore a black Lions Aidan Hutchinson jersey and jeans.

“I see everyone repping real hard, but you gotta understand Dan Campbell went from an 0-16 season to the NFC championship. That in itself deserves respect,” Big Sean said to the crowd, who cheered for the beloved coach.

Campbell played on the Lions team that went 0-16 in 2008-09.

“I know a lot people’s lives are gonna change tonight… to work so hard only to see the pursuit of happiness come true," Big Sean said. "We appreciate you and let’s celebrate.”

Big Sean proceeded to perform 30 minutes of his biggest hits with snippets of every reference in his music when he mentions Detroit.

He subtly commented that the crowd may not be his biggest fans but he hoped everyone has a good time.

Some in the theater area were screaming, cheering for his performance, while most of the crowd stood still keeping their spots for the 8 p.m. first pick moment.

“He was as great as he usually is, always reppin' the city proudly. But you can tell a lot of the crowd isn’t from here and isn’t here for a concert, which is why we came,” said Liz Londo, from Taylor.

Father and son reunited

Fans packed in behind the NFL Draft Theatre to catch a glimpse of their teams' picks hours before the first round was scheduled to start.

While the majority clearly favored the Detroit Lions, some, like Tommy McCormick, wore the New England Patriots' red, white and blue. McCormick flew into Detroit from Denver to meet his father and see who the Patriots pick with the No. 3 overall selection.

"My dad and I, we've always watched it like growing up and now every year I'll go home for it to watch it with him, and this year we decided we wanted to meet up in Detroit," said McCormick, 25, who was seeing the draft for the first time in person.

Des Moines native Harold Otis knew he had to take his son Creighton out to see the draft after the pair traveled to Kansas City last year and got hooked. They sported matching Philadelphia Eagles jackets and glasses and had staked out front-row spots to view the Draft Theatre.

"Last year, we went to Kansas City, which is only two hours away, … so we got a little taste of the draft then," Otis said. "The city's definitely well taken care of and looking clean, so definitely enjoying the time here."

Draft stage becomes a magnet

At Hart Plaza, guests packed in to see the Vince Lombardi Trophy, while there were lines for local businesses selling food, for seeing Super Bowl rings and for taking photos with mannequins dressed in new uniforms.

Little Caesars has its own stage, and Rocket Mortgage has a mock Dream Home set up.

Between Hart Plaza and Campus Martius are three large television screens for fans to watch the stage production just a half mile down the way.

By 6 p.m., herds of people started flocking to the NFL Draft stage in Cadillac Square where Detroit Rapper Big Sean was set to perform.

Getting a draft experience

Just like the pros, fans could test their skills in throwing, jumping and 40-yard dash competitions at the Hart Plaza draft experience. Several linked up to take photos with the Vince Lombardi trophy and view over 50 past Super Bowl rings that were on display.

They could also take their own mock draft photos on stage, shop for swag and sample food and drinks from places like Brome modern eatery, M Cantina and La Mara cuisine.

Minnesota Vikings fan Tabb Lonergan made the eight-hour drive Wednesday night down to Detroit from Gwinn, a small town in the Upper Peninsula. He lived in Metro Detroit for about 10 years but moved back to the UP in 2015.

He is looking forward to attending next year's draft in Green Bay, a significantly shorter drive for him compared with Detroit.

'Definitely a new Detroit'

Arielle Joyner, owner of Joyner Juicery on Woodward in Midtown, saw steady business on the first day of the draft event.

She’s expecting a busier Friday and Saturday so she’s extended hours and offering 25% off purchases.

The Detroit native said events like this are “really changing the perception people had of Detroit.”

“It definitely drives traffic, which is really awesome,” Joyner added. “Detroit has been expanding and bringing a lot of jobs. … It’s definitely a new Detroit.”

Hookah owner tries to cash in

Crowds and crowds of fans, many clad in Lions gear, trekked down Woodward Avenue at 5:30 p.m. Thursday to make it to the draft event downtown.

Tony Biggs, owner of my Hookah 2Go on Woodward in Midtown, watched as the QLine continuously filled and emptied with folks.

“Look at all of these people getting off of this QLine that right there smells and spells money,” Biggs said. “It’s a continuous steady flow of traffic.”

He expanded his hours to open at 3 p.m. instead of 7 p.m.

“I took time off my regular job to be here for this,” Biggs said. “I’ll be here until midnight.”

Draft entry gets congested

Around 5:15 p.m., the NFL One Pass reported that Draft Entry 2 on Griswold "is exceptionally congested and causing delays."

The app advised fans to try Draft Entry 1 or Entry 3 instead.

Captain Fan Man draws crowd

Plenty of Lions fans mingling in the Draft Experience area were looking to get a quick photo with Terrell Autrey, 47, a Lions loyalist who goes by Captain Fan Man and was decked out in a jersey, helmet, heavyweight Lions belt and a shield.

Autrey, a Detroiter who’s been a season ticket holder for a decade, said he had confidence that Lions General Manager Brad Holmes would make the right picks for his team.

“He’s a genius,” Autrey said, and isn’t afraid to make decisive decisions. Captain Fan Man said he hopes his team can snag a defensive star or two preferably a high-quality defensive end.

As the crowds moved around him Thursday, Autrey said the only event he’s seen in Detroit that compares is the 2006 Super Bowl, where he recalls cheering for star Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis.

“That was like the closest ever to this,” he said. “But this is a nice environment. I like the way it’s going. I was here about nine in the morning. I’m staying here until the draft is over. I hope we move up.”

Captain Fan Man said he’s been looking forward to this weekend for a long time.

“Everyone who knows me knows I’m a Lions fan. Every time someone ask me (about the draft), I just start laughing and giggling,” he said. “But yes, this is very big for me and a lot of lions fans. This is huge.”

Corktown getting some fans

On Woodward Avenue, food trucks have stationed overnight in parking lots in front of QLine stops, with lines of people. Groups of people, almost all representing blue Lions jerseys, were walking south to the action near the draft stage.

The opposite was happening in Corktown, where merchants hoped to benefit from a spillover of fans from downtown. Businesses had set up under tents leading up to the Corner Ballpark, the former Tigers Stadium where PAL is hosting free kid-friendly events.

Friends, Max Polston and Truman McCormick, both 13 from Grand Haven, traveled with their parents to Detroit Thursday for the festivities. They said the enjoyed the PAL activities most so far.

“We got to try on the Lions new helmets and uniforms. And try on a full football player uniform, which was heavy,” said Polston. “And we played flag football, which was fun. We’re hoping to see some players today. I hope J.J. McCarthy (Michigan quarterback) doesn’t get picked in the first round. I want him for us.”

McCarthy was picked 10th overall by the Minnesota Vikings.

Police presence felt

In downtown Detroit, people can be seen walking around the federal courthouse, making their way to the coney islands and Campus Martius. Some visitors could be heard looking at their Google maps, and noticing the city’s map uniquely has been updated into a 3D visual.

Detroit police officers were issuing several orange parking tickets in zones where no parking signs are posted for the event. Helicopters can be heard above and ambulances from a distance.

The police presence is heavy — on foot, horseback, blocking streets. Police Chief James White has said no officer is being given a day off during the three-day draft.

Officers have set up a lot of security checkpoints and metal detectors on sidewalks well beyond the Draft Experience fence.

A tailgate for 32 teams

Excitement not felt since the Lions' home playoff victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in late January coursed through the streets of downtown ahead of Thursday's first round draft selection.

It felt like a tailgate for all 32 teams as children clad in Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers jerseys tossed the ball around with others representing the Honolulu blue and Buccaneer red in the shadow of the Spirit of Detroit statue, decked out in a custom NFL Draft jersey himself.

The line to take a photo in the NFL clock wound down Woodward Avenue as the final hours ticked by. Fans had already staked out prime spots at the barricades directly behind the Draft Theatre at the Monroe Street Midway lot, with some arriving to stand in line as early as 5 a.m.

Some fans, like Steve and Dana Freeman, traveled all the way from Fort Payne, Alabama, to watch the Bears make the first pick on the draft. While Steve grew up in Alabama, his grandfather is from Chicago and he latched onto the Bears at an early age.

The pair drove roughly 700 miles to Detroit on Wednesday on the back of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

"We got up early yesterday morning and just took off, it took us 11 and a half hours to get here," Steve, 49, said.

Detroit isn't their first draft experience, but Steve said it was different compared to previous years in Las Vegas and Nashville. It's his and Dana's first time visiting the city.

"I love the architecture and everything around here, everything's been amazing. It's actually a lot better than what we thought it was going to be," Steve said. "As we started walking around, we just loved all the buildings and all the people who've been amazing, everybody's really friendly."

One eatery seeing slow business

George Antonopoulos, owner of Athens Souvlaki Greek and American restaurant inside the Penobscot Building with an entrance off Fort Street, said his business was down 50% every day this week, including the draft kick-off day on Thursday.

Antonopoulos’ main customers are office employees, and many of them were told to stay home during draft week.

He’s planning to extend his hours from closing at 3 p.m. to closing at 10 p.m., hoping more crowds come in later.

“We’ve been telling people that we're gonna stay late all day, I have three chalkboards … telling people to come in. I passed out fliers earlier this week,” Antonopoulos said “What else can I do?”

'Everybody's been awesome'

Even local residents were representing different teams.

Plymouth native Jacob Sanchez, 21, inherited his love for the Green Bay Packers from his family in the Upper Peninsula. He arrived downtown at 7:30 a.m. to make sure he was first through the gates and could stake out a good spot near the back of the Draft Theatre.

"The draft only comes around once in a lifetime, twice if you're lucky," said Sanchez, who wore a classic Wisconsin cheese head hat.

Each team selects around 15 lucky inner circle fans to watch the draft from inside the theater. Several of these fans are draft veterans, such as friends and Minnesota Vikings fans Tali Roberts and Jonathan Newman from Nashville. While the two weren't selected for the inner circle this year, they stuck to their Vikings roots and made the eight-hour drive out to Detroit anyway.

The pair stood out from the crowd with full Viking face paint, braids, horned helmets and furry boots. Several passersby even stopped them for photos.

This is Roberts' fourth draft but her first time in Detroit. Other than the Vikings, the camaraderie is what brings the pair out to the draft every year.

"Everybody's been awesome," said Roberts, 56. "All of us being together — it only happens in Canton (Ohio, where the Hall of Fame is located) and at the draft, where all the teams are at the same place, that's why I love it."

Captain Seahawks draws gawkers

Wallace Watts, better known by the moniker Captain Seahawk, couldn't help but draw attention walking around downtown in a bedazzled green suit, white wig and seahawk hat. He is one of the Hawks' inner circle fans, along with Cammie Watts, who goes by Cam Hawk while in her own glittery costume and pink Seahawks hat.

The pair have been attending drafts for the last five years and remarked on how well-represented Lions fans were in the crowd Thursday afternoon. Cammie has never been to Detroit but said she's loving it so far. Her favorite part of the draft is sharing the love of football with everyone.

"What would we do if we didn't have football? What if we didn't have that excitement in our life?" Watts, 55, said.

'Deli sees 'really steady' business

Danny Zaghir, owner of Frank’s Deli inside the Buhl Building on Griswold near the draft entrance, said business on Thursday afternoon was “really steady.”

He put a chalkboard sign on Griswold to get new guests inside.

“We have had a lot new faces. We’ve had our regular customers, too, but most of them are working from home,” Zaghir said. “This weekend we are definitely relying on the people coming for the draft. And they haven’t disappointed.”

The New York style deli, which also sells grocery items, extended its hours to close at 11 p.m. for the big event.

“We doubled up on all of our food,” Zaghir said. “We try to be as low-cost as possible.”

Cowboy loves fellow fans

Cowboys inner circle fan and Austin native Mateo Franco, 47, estimated he's been to at least 12 NFL drafts. Franco, a former bull rider himself, wore Cowboys chaps and an oversized cowboy hat to support his team.

For him, the best part of the draft is the fans. It presents a unique opportunity for fans from all 32 teams to get along.

"Football is family. Yeah, family is fun. And this community right here doesn't get any better than that," Franco said.

Three teams, one bond

Fans from across the country flocked to downtown Detroit for the draft event on Thursday.

Joe Walker, 43, of Scranton, Pennsylvania; Rich Aston, 52, of San Antonio, Texas; and David Johnson, 43, of Chicago, all drove hours to make it to opening day of the draft.

All three are supporting different teams, but were together enjoying Detroit and the draft festivities. They had no difficulties traveling into the city.

Johnson, a Bears fan, said “there's hardly no traffic compared to Chicago.”

Walker’s cheering for the Dallas Cowboys and “hoping they pick the best player available.”

Aston, who drove 19 hours from Texas to hang out with his friends on draft day, wants his Pittsburgh Steelers to pick players for “some O-line help," referring to the offensive line.

Food trucks get deluged

Orlando Washington, who runs the food truck BRO-rritos Burritos and Tacos, had a brief lull in customers streaming to and from from the Draft Experience on Thursday afternoon. He said he expected the crowd sizes downtown would be so large in the coming days “we’ll probably never see it again.”

“I’m just glad I can contribute and help feed the hungry (fans),” said the native Detroiter.

He figures it could easily be the best couple days of the year, sales-wise, for his truck.

”I think it’s just phenomenal. I mean, it’s like we’re nonstop already. We probably haven’t seen the worst yet … or the best,” Washington said, laughing.

Many food trucks like Washington’s already had long lines around the downtown draft zone Thursday afternoon. Restaurants and exclusive draft parties, many with their own security, also were rapidly filling with hours still to go before the Chicago Bears are scheduled to make the first pick after 8 p.m.

Pot, art merchants fight for fans

Marijuana companies weren’t missing their chance to advertise to the out-of-towners, sponsoring some of the parties — and advertising on billboard box trucks with big screens that were rolling around downtown, and on airplanes pulling banners overhead.

The company Leaf and Bud, which claims to be Detroit’s biggest dispensary, had both the ground and air covered with ads.

Other vendors were hawking everything from candy, to cheap sunglasses to wooden sculptures and other types of art imported from Senegal.

Mbaye Niang, who runs Niang African Art, usually positions his wares under a tent in Campus Martius Park. But that spot is overtaken with the draft stage area, so Niang shifted to the corner of Park and Woodward avenues to try his luck with the NFL fans, who were queuing to enter the draft party nearby.

Niang acknowledged there was a stark contrast between the typical customer interested in African art and the fans dressed in various colorful team jerseys. But he remained hopeful that many would have their interest piqued, perhaps as they headed for home or back to their hotels later in the day.

“I like the vibe that it brings,” said Niang, 42, who has lived in Detroit more than two decades, about the draft.

Still, he said it’s important that it’s not a one-off advertising event for the city. Longer-term investments need to be made, including in downtown, which Niang still noted has many empty buildings.

“Monday, Tuesday it’s going to go back to normal … when you take all these banners down, and all this, then we go back to normal,” Niang said. “So invest in the city first. Bring things, and in the people who work here, like the everyday Detroiters. You see what I’m saying? And then you can advertise all you want, and bring all the people back.”

He added: “Don’t just put up a big show and then tomorrow you close everything back up and … it’s a ghost town.”

Traffic crawling on I-94

Four hours before the draft's start, hundreds of cars packed Interstate 94 and the Lodge Freeway leading into downtown. Two rear-end accidents were assisted by Michigan State Police. Those heading into the city should expect at least 45 minutes for traffic congestion on I-94.

Authorities were also monitoring traffic above I-94 Cecil Avenue where cars slowed down to take photos and look at the new D-E-T-R-O-I-T gateway sign.

Taking earlier exits like Warren, school-aged kids could be seen dressed in NFL gear, waiting for Detroit Department of Transportation buses at stops to get downtown. Traffic is dense, especially in the university district.In Midtown, there were no visible visitors in the museum district around 4 p.m.

Traffic on I-375 south leading into downtown was backed up at a dead stop for at least a half-mile at 4:30 p.m.

Sticker shock for parking

Big events usually mean jacked-up parking prices in Detroit, and Thursday was no exception.

Most parking lots in downtown are charging $100. One on Gratiot was charging $70.

'So far, so good'

Anita's Kitchen on Jefferson Avenue is having a "so far, so good" experience, General Manager Lauren Peterson said Thursday afternoon.

“We’ve had a lot of walk-ins, a lot of people eating before they go in. It's been really steady, not like crazy wild. Everyone’s been pretty controlled," Peterson said.

The restaurant is opening an outdoor patio food booth for fans Thursday-Saturday since it’s right by the entrance to the draft day events.

The fast-casual eatery with “an authentic Lebanese flair,” will have falafel, gyro pita, and shawarma sandwiches, fries and wings available at the patio from 3 p.m to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday.

Day trip to Detroit

Some Metro Detroiters drove downtown to embrace the unique experience of having the draft in the city.

Howell resident Dylan Matovski and his son Emerson, 12, took a day trip to Detroit. Matovski said that since the draft is in Detroit for the first time, he “just wanted to experience it” with his son.

“With the Lions being better now, it’s great to see the city enjoying that success and a lot of people coming out to just enjoy the nice weather and the experience,” he said.

Emerson, who plays on his local football team, said he might want to do the 40 yard-dash or the vertical jump in the NFL D, which are activities that draft visitors can partake in.

The Ramirez family, who are Chicago Bears fans, traveled to Detroit from Visalia, California, for the draft. The family had a layover in Dallas-Fort Worth Airport a few days ago, but they got stuck there because their flight to Detroit was canceled, said father Bosco Ramirez, 40. They spent a day and a half in Dallas, taking the opportunity to sightsee and try some Texas barbeque.

Ramirez’s mother, who lives in Saline, went with the family to the draft on Thursday. Ramirez said he’s “excited” about the draft. The Bears have the No. 1 pick, and he said the consensus is that the team will choose USC quarterback Caleb Williams.

“I mean it’s a great draft to go to if you’re a Bears fan, obviously,” he said. “We have two top 10 picks.”

Duggan welcomes fans, media

Speaking to reporters early Thursday afternoon, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said the people who are here "know this is a dramatically different city,"

"Everybody last summer who came to town for different conferences all said the same thing to me: 'Oh my God, this wasn't what I expected' or 'when did the riverfront get here?' or 'when did all these restaurants open up?' This draft feels important because you can't explain what's going on in Detroit, you have to experience it. 

"It's all part of changing our image," said Duggan, who has been invited by the Lions to announce one of their three Draft picks on Saturday. "Never thought I'd see the day I'd wake up and see two positive stories about Detroit in the New York Times. That hasn't happened in my lifetime.

"This is what we hope for," he said, "to reintroduce ourselves to the country."

Fans line up for fan experience

Hundreds of people were lined up late Thursday morning at Entry 2 on Griswold to enter the NFL Fan Experience.

The crowd included many Lions fans, sporting Honolulu blue jerseys or other Lions merchandise. Fans of other teams were interspersed within the sea of Lions faithful, including people supporting the Miami Dolphins, Pittsburgh Steelers, Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers. And some represented the University of Michigan, wearing UM hats or sweatshirts, apparently in honor of potential draftees quarterback J.J. McCarthy and running Blake Corum, among others.

Rachael Clapper of Fowlerville, near Lansing, was waiting in line with her eight-year-old daughter, Macklynn. Clapper wore a blue and green sweatshirt, and Macklynn had on Seattle Seahawks-themed face paint. Clapper said Captain SeaHawk and Kam Hawk — who are well-known Seahawks fans — are in Detroit for the draft, so she and her daughter wanted to meet them. They also came to the draft for the “whole experience.”

“We’re missing football big time,” Clapper said, “so this is kind of aiding in that.”

They’re just here for the day, and she said the drive to Detroit “was fantastic.” They took U.S. 23 and M-14. 

Steady stream of travelers at DTW

Hours ahead of the action, a steady stream of travelers in NFL jerseys poured into Detroit Metro Airport on Thursday morning.

Allie Goodman, of Naples, Florida, said she’d been looking forward to the draft ever since making travel arrangements in January after the Pro Bowl.

“We want to see all around Detroit,” said Goodman, 33. “We’re just looking forward to seeing our super fan friends, and obviously we want to welcome our draft picks.”

Bearing a construction hard hat modified with Miami Dolphins regalia in full aqua, blue, orange and white, Goodman said she was excited to explore Detroit for the first time and hopefully see Eminem perform.

The couple considered themselves hardcore Dolphins fans, having already traveled to see the 2022 NFL Draft in Las Vegas, NFL games in London and even a Super Bowl, said Jared Goodman, 34.

A love for both Detroit and Washington Commanders brought Marcus Ellis into the city on Thursday morning from D.C., the 47-year-old fan told The News.

Ellis had visited Detroit several times before, but was looking forward to seeing the downtown transformation that had been lighting up his social media, he said.

Seeing the draft in person had always been a bucket list experience Ellis hoped to accomplish, he added.

Now was the perfect time to see that vision through, he said.

“I’m hoping to see my team get the best pick possible,” Ellis said. “That is the primary reason why I’m here, to bring us some D.C. luck. I’m going to enjoy food, the sights, the music, the people — everything that Detroit brings.”

Seeing the draft in person was also a longtime bucket list item for 9-year-old Jared Soriano, the Minnesota Vikings fan said.

Soriano, of Farmington, Minnesota, has been watching NFL football games since he was a baby and can now recite near-encyclopedic knowledge of the sport, his 22-year-old sister, Emma Melendez, said.

The siblings planned to make a ton of memories out of their time together, said Melendez, of Rosemount, Minnesota.

Soriano said he felt thrilled to visit Detroit for the first time and see his favorite team up close.

“I’ve kind of been bragging about it,” he said, adding that he also plays wide receiver on his football team.

He only hoped the team didn’t make “a dumb decision” by picking University of Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy, Soriano said.

Other young fans were also making their way through the arrivals section in the airport, including 10-year-old Liam Powell in stride with his cousins, aunt and mother.

Powell, of Rosemount, Minnesota, had been looking forward to making the trip with his dad for a long time, said his mother, Jolina Pettice.

Pettice, her sister and nephews were happy to step in when Powell’s father sustained a last-minute injury that prevented him from traveling, said Pettice, 41.

Originally from Illinois, Pettice said she was excited to see the Chicago Bears get the first draft pick.

Powell was especially excited for the opportunity to see pro players up close, he said.

“It’s always been on my bucket list,” he said.

Also arriving at the airport, Cowboys fan John Stewart and his father were looking forward to being in Detroit even if just for one day, the 18-year-old Dallas traveler said.

Stewart said he has always been interested in working with NFL one day, so he jumped at the chance to catch a glimpse behind the scenes this week, he said.

Philip Cole, 61, was excited to revisit Detroit after a long time away, the Kansas City, Missouri resident said.

Cole had a chance to see the draft when it was hosted in his native city last year, he said. More than football festivities, Cole said he was excited to see how events panned out in Detroit’s new landscape.

“Looking at the city at its best,” Cole said of his wishes while visiting. “Checking out downtown and all the new development in Detroit.”

Robert Pike, 70, said he was also happy to be back in Detroit again.

Pike, of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, is a lifelong Detroit Lions and Red Wings fan, he said.

Coming to the city this weekend with his nephew, Pike was eager to check out the NFL draft layout across the city after visiting many times before for Red Wings games, he said. “I’m really excited about it."

Staff Writers Marnie Munoz and Anne Snabes contributed.