(WXYZ) — Officials from the NFL and City of Detroit released new plans and renderings for the 2024 NFL Draft in Downtown Detroit taking place this April.
Reminder: Channel 7 is your official NFL Draft station. We’ll have coverage all week long
John Barker, who leads the NFL production team, gave a presentation to Detroit City Council on Tuesday, according to our partners at Outlier Media and the Detroit Documenters.
According to Barker, all three days of the NFL Draft will be free for people to attend.
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The entire area will span Cadillac Square, Campus Martius, down Woodward Ave. and all the way to Hart Plaza. The draft stage itself will be near Cadillac Square while the NFL Draft Experience will be at Hart Plaza.
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With the event being free, gates will open at 12 p.m. Thursday and Friday for Rounds 1-3, and then Saturday will open at 9 a.m. for Rounds 4-7.
The details for each day are below.
Thursday, April 25 (Round 1)
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Gates Open: 12 p.m.
Draft Experience: 12 p.m.
Draft Pre-show: TBD
Draft Theater: 8 p.m.
Draft close: 11 p.m.
Friday, April 25 (Rounds 2-3)
Gates Open: 12 p.m.
Draft Experience: 12 p.m.
Draft Pre-show: TBD
Draft Theater: 7 p.m.
Draft close: 11 p.m.
Saturday, April 27 (Rounds 4-7)
Gates Open: 9 a.m.
Draft Experience: 9 a.m.
Draft Pre-show: TBD
Draft Theater: 12 p.m.
Draft close: 7 p.m.
According to Barker, load-in and theater structure build will begin at the end of the month, and then construction on other areas of the draft will begin on April 8 and April 15. Woodward will close April 22, according to the NFL. There will also be plenty of other major events involving the draft, and they plan to utilize several areas in Downtown Detroit for viewing opportunities and other events. Those areas include Capitol Park, Grand Circus Park, Beacon Park and more.
Detroit Public Schools Community District hosting 5th annual alumni event
DETROIT – Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) will host their fifth annual alumni event.
On May 16, the foundation will host their Tyrone E. Winfrey Hall of Fame Alumni Gala.
The Gala honors distinguished DPSCD alumni who have made a major impact in our community and beyond.
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The night is a celebration of Detroit’s success stories and a fundraiser to create new opportunities for the next generation of students.
Organizers say there will be a major live announcement aimed at helping Detroit High School students build brighter futures.
Kerrie Mitchell, the president and CEO of the DPSCD Foundation, joined Local 4 Live to talk more about the gala, the foundation’s mission and what the announcement could mean for students across the city.
You can watch the full interview in the video at the beginning of this article.
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The Detroit Zoo welcomed a new giraffe, Nguvu, to the herd, officials announced on Wednesday.
Officials say 1-year-old Nguvu came from Utah’s Hogle Zoo as part of the zoo’s “long-term plan for the giraffe herd.”
“This move was recommended by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Giraffe Species Survival Plan, which promotes the health, genetic diversity and overall sustainability of giraffe populations in zoos – and we’re eager to support Nguvu as he adjusts to his new home,” the Detroit Zoo says.
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Detroit Zoo
Officials say Nguvu has been working with the animal care teams for several days and will be introduced to the herd soon.
According to Utah’s Hogle Zoo, Nguvu was born in February 2025. His name means “strength” in Swahili.
The Detroit Lions are taking part in the NFL’s International series for the first time since 2015 by hosting the AFC Champion New England Patriots Week 10 in Munich at Allianz Arena on Sunday, Nov. 15 at 9:30 a.m. ET (3:30 p.m. local time in Germany) on FOX.
The Patriots represented the AFC in the Super Bowl this past February after a 14-3 season and their 22nd AFC East title. They beat the Los Angeles Chargers (16-3), Houston Texans (28-16) and Denver Broncos (10-7) in the playoffs to earn their 12th Super Bowl appearance, which they lost to Seattle (29-13).
Patriots QB Drake Maye is one of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL entering his third season and New England’s defense is coming off a 2025 season in which they ranked fourth in points allowed (18.8) and eighth in total defense (295.2).
This is the second of Detroit’s 2026 matchups to be announced early (Week 2 TNF in Buffalo). The rest of the Lions schedule will be revealed Thursday evening.
