Sports in the D: Downtown's Economic Power Play?

Thomas S. "Tom" Wilson was named President and Chief Executive Officer of Olympia Entertainment, Detroit's premier marketer of sports and entertainment events, on February 23, 2010. Olympia Entertainment also handles business operations for the Detroit Red Wings, an Original Six member of the National Hockey League, and collaborates with the Detroit Tigers baseball franchise and other Ilitch companies.

As president and CEO of Olympia Entertainment, Wilson has identified opportunities for innovative ways to package and promote the substantial assets of the organization through multi-venue offerings and creative promotions. As one of the most diverse and leading sports and entertainment organizations in the country, Olympia owns and operates Detroit's Fox Theatre, the intimate City Theatre, and also books and operates Joe Louis Arena and books Comerica Park. Wilson is also responsible for guiding and growing these venues as well as looking for opportunities to expand the portfolio.

In addition, Wilson collaborates with leaders of the other Ilitch companies to find synergies that ultimately deliver more memorable experiences at a greater value for customers, sponsors and other stakeholders. One of his initial strategic priorities was to leverage the natural business opportunities among Olympia Entertainment, the Detroit Red Wings and the Detroit Tigers - while also aggressively looking for new areas of collaboration to grow these businesses as well as other companies within the Ilitch enterprise.

Wilson had an illustrious 32-year career with the Detroit Pistons, including the last 22 years as president and CEO of Palace Sports & Entertainment, Inc. (PS&E). Wilson oversaw the Detroit Pistons and the organization's three venues: The Palace, DTE Energy Music Theatre and Meadow Brook Music Festival. The Palace of Auburn Hills is home to the Detroit Pistons, members of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

The organization reached unprecedented success in 2004 when the Detroit Pistons won the NBA World Championship, the Tampa Bay Lightning - then owned by PS&E - earned the NHL's Stanley Cup and the previously PS&E-owned Detroit Shock began defense of the WNBA title it earned the previous season. It marked the first time in pro sports history an ownership held three trophies simultaneously.

The Palace was designed largely around Wilson's input and he was responsible for staffing and developing the operational philosophies of the new arena. Under his direction, The Palace earned Arena of the Year awards nine times by Performance magazine, beginning with New Venue of the Year in 1988. His direction was instrumental in the renovation of DTE Energy Music Theatre. The facility was named the nation's busiest, top grossing or highest attended outdoor venue in year-end lists of entertainment in trade publications in each of its 19 seasons under Wilson's guidance. It was named Best Outdoor Concert Venue in Pollstar's 2000 Readers' Poll and was nominated Amphitheatre of the Year each summer of PS&E ownership. In 1994, PS&E assumed management of Meadow Brook Music Festival on the grounds of Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan.

A native of Detroit, Wilson joined the Pistons in 1978 and was promoted to Chief Executive Officer the following year. In 1993, Wilson was named President and CEO of the Pistons. During his tenure, the Pistons were recognized as one of the best-marketed and most highly valued teams in the NBA.

Wilson, a graduate of Cass Technical High School and Wayne State University, began his career working for the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Kings and The Forum.

Mr. Wilson has been active in the community throughout his career. He has served as President of the Pistons Palace Foundation, has been a board member of Boys Hope/Girls Hope, The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan and the Boy Scouts, and Director of The Parks Program. He has been an honorary chair for the Salvation Army and Forgotten Harvest, active with the Boys Club and with March of Dimes, and is on the Board of Trustees for CATCH.

Wilson and his wife Linda reside in Oakland Township.

In mid-2014, Mr. Larson took over the role of CEO of Downtown Detroit Partnership. The Downtown Detroit Partnership is a private/public partnership of corporate and civic leaders that supports advocates and develops programs and initiatives that create a clean, safe, and inviting Downtown Detroit community.

Eric is also the founder, president, and chief executive officer of Larson Realty Group (established in 1999), a privately owned, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan based company engaged in real estate investment, development, asset management and leasing. Mr. Larson has over 30 years of experience in real estate and prior to establishing Larson Realty Group, served as vice president of a global real estate company, Hines, and as a partner and senior vice president with Bruce S. Brickman and Associates in New York. During Mr. Larson's career he has developed, financed, owned and managed over $3 billion of real estate.

In addition to owning Larson Realty Group, Mr. Larson served as managing partner at Bedrock Real Estate Services LLC (Bedrock) between February 2013 and February 2014; Bedrock is a Detroit-based full service real estate firm specializing in the purchasing, leasing, development and management of commercial space.

Immediately prior to joining Bedrock, Mr. Larson served as Non-Executive President for Olympia Development of Michigan. Olympia Development of Michigan is a Detroit-based full-service real estate company owned by the Detroit entrepreneurial Ilitch Family. As head of Olympia Development, Mr. Larson led all real estate development projects which included the planning, designing, financing and development activities for the new home of the Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Pistons; Little Caesar’s Arena opens in the Fall of 2017.

Mr. Larson also founded, and is now serving on the board of the Community Investment Support Fund (CISF) which is a Michigan Non-Profit Corporation. The purpose for which CISF was organized is multi-faceted, but it engages exclusively in such charitable and educational activities as may qualify it for exemption from Federal income tax under Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Kris Smith is in his fifth year with the Detroit Sports Commission and first as Director. Prior to being named to that role in February 2017, he spent four months as National Sports Sales Manager and four years as Sales Manager.

Smith oversees the sales and operations of the DSC and is responsible for furthering its mission of marketing and selling metro Detroit as a premier destination for regional, national and international amateur sporting events.

Since arriving in Detroit, Smith has played an integral role in helping prominent groups host their events in the region, including USA Volleyball, USA Fencing, USA Taekwondo and the Association of Chief Executives for Sport (ACES). He is a current board member of the National Association of Sports Commissions (NASC) and is actively involved with Pure Michigan Sports, and the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU).

Before joining the DSC, Smith worked in hospitality for the Hampton Convention and Visitors Bureau where he began as a travel and information specialist in 2000. He was promoted to group sales manager of competitions and meetings for the newly developed Sports Hampton in 2002.

Smith earned his bachelor's degree in history from Old Dominion University in 2001.