Cobo Center Awards Scholarship to CCS Student for Mascot Design
Detroit, MI – Thom Connors, SMG regional vice president and general manager of Cobo Center, today
at the board meeting of the Detroit Regional Convention Facility Authority, awarded Bethany Radloff,
junior at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, a $1,200 scholarship for her winning design of the
new Cobo Center construction mascot, COBOTRON.
Now officially the mascot for the ongoing Cobo Center transformation and $299 million facility
renovations, COBOTRON, a multi-tasking robot that changes into a construction vehicle, will be seen
around the facility presenting visitor information as well as be part of the new “friendly face” of Cobo
Center in the community.
“We felt that Cobo Center customers needed to better understand the ongoing construction in the
building. Right now, most of our customers are unaffected and unaware that construction is
happening. Because of our phased four-year construction plan, areas of the facility under construction
do not effect most events,” said Connors
“I jumped at the chance to design something for such a significant center in Detroit, and ended up
having a really great working experience with everyone at Cobo Center ,” said Radloff. “I worked
very closely with Joe Ruffolo, Thom Connors, coupled with feedback from other staff and board
members at the Cobo Center, so the entire design process was very collaborative and interactive.”
Radloff is a native of the Detroit area and a graduate of Walled Lake Central High School.
Founded in 1906, the College for Creative Studies in Midtown Detroit provides a dynamic learning
environment where students explore issues of art and design while preparing for careers in the
professional world. It offers Bachelor and Masters in Fine Arts degrees, and houses some of the finest
art and design classroom and studio facilities in the country.
About Cobo Center: With 725,000 square feet of exhibit space, Cobo Center boasts one of the largest contiguous exhibit floor spaces in North America and is the 19th largest convention center in the country. Visit online at www.cobocenter.com
About SMG: Since 1977, SMG has provided management services to more than 220 public assembly facilities including arenas, stadiums, theatres and performing arts centers, equestrian facilities and convention, congress and exhibition centers. Visit www.smgworld.com for more information.