Clarkston, MI – Intellitrends LLC, a market research and strategy company, designed and implemented the first wave of a semi-annual survey reflecting the thoughts and opinions of metro Detroit area residents on current revitalization efforts for downtown Detroit.  The Detroit Pulse, a survey of over 750 residents in the metro Detroit area, summarizes vital information in a published report that can inform and support current and future revitalization efforts through on-going tracking and measurement of:

·         Use and frequency of visits to downtown Detroit

·         Ratings of downtown in various attributes (i.e., as a destination for sports, entertainment, cultural, dining, shopping, residential experiences)

·         Perceived progress of revitalization efforts

·         Key factors influencing and dissuading people from visiting downtown more often

·         Media sources shaping and influencing perceptions

Some key finding in the benchmark wave of The Detroit Pulse:

·         When asked about their perceptions of the progress of revitalization efforts, 84% of metro area residents agree “we are on the right track” with 27% saying that they see “strong” efforts taking place.  In terms of defining “downtown,” 40% put “Comerica Park” among the top three places they think of first, followed by the Fox Theatre/Foxtown and the Renaissance Center/GM Building.

·         Metro Detroiters are visiting downtown on a regular basis.  On average, two-thirds say they a travel downtown at least monthly with younger age residents, those between 18 and 34 visiting more frequently.  Sporting events are the primary draw for 59% of metro Detroiters visiting downtown followed by concerts, music events, and theatre by 40% and dining and casinos by one-third or more When asked to rate downtown Detroit, “live entertainment,” “cultural/educational experiences (Arts, Sciences)” and “nightlife (dining/nightclubs/casinos)” were rated highest.

·         In terms of motivating increased visits, over 1200 verbatim comments from residents focused on the need to increase efforts to address safety issues, parking and bringing more shopping/retail options to downtown.

·         Sixty percent of those surveyed say they will be visiting downtown within the next 90 days with dining as the primary draw, followed by sporting events and concerts/music venues.

For a review of the full report complete with graphics please call or visit Intellitrends at http://www.intellitrend.com or 248-922-3344 for your copy. 

About INTELLITRENDS Market Vision and Strategy Company (www.intellitrend.com)

Marlene Stone founded Intellitrends LLC in 1989.  Intellitrends, a Women Certified Business entity, is a full service market vision and strategy company providing market research products and services to clients including market intelligence data, customer and employee feedback measurement, WIN/LOSS reviews establishing benchmarks for best sales practices, market opportunity identification, and innovation testing programs.

Intellitrends guiding philosophy is that each research study commissioned should have actionable application; depth and insight to provide information that is both measurable and can be used for continuous refinement, improvement and competitive advantage.