Ford has long been one of the nation’s Big Three automakers, but on Thursday it will be in the music business with a concert called “Live From Detroit.”
Executive produced by Eminem and headlined by Diana Ross, with performances from Jack White, Big Sean, The Clark Sisters and a dozen other Motor City legends, the concert is a celebration of Ford’s $1 billion restoration of an abandoned train station into a new technology center and culture hub.
“We wanted to celebrate the reopening of Michigan Central Station in style and make it a night to remember for Detroiters and people watching around the world,” Ford Motor Co. Executive Chair Bill Ford said in a statement.
The sold-out, 90-minute concert will be livestreamed on Peacock and NBC starting at 8:30 p.m. ET and will be rebroadcast as a one-hour primetime special on June 9 at 7 p.m. ET.
“Detroit is known around the world for its musical talent, and having so many legendary artists kick off the celebration for the reopening of the iconic Michigan Central Station shows how meaningful this moment is for our city,” Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said in a statement.
The historic landmark, he said, “symbolizes Detroit’s resilience, innovation and its bright future” by “paving the way for a new era of growth and opportunity for all Detroiters.”
Michigan Central operated as a train station from 1913 through 1988, and was purchased by Ford in 2018. After a six-year restoration project that involved more than 3,100 workers, the 640,000-square-foot space on 30 acres will include retail, restaurant, event and collaborative spaces, according to Ford.
Thursday’s concert kicks off an 11-day reopening celebration, after which the building will be available for self-guided tours. Ford expects the first businesses to begin operations in the restored building this fall.
