Thom Connors, SMG regional vice president and general manager of Cobo Center, awarded Bethany Radloff, who is a junior at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, Mich., a $1,200 scholarship for her winning design of the new Cobo Center construction mascot, COBOTRON.
The scholarshop was presented at the board meeting of the Detroit Regional Convention Facility Authority.
“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.”
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,” said Connors. “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.”
Radloff is a native of the Detroit area and a graduate of Walled Lake Central High School.
