DETROIT — NFL officials announced Monday the 2024 NFL Draft will take place in downtown Detroit.

The city was a finalist for the 2022 event, which will be hosted April 28-30 in Las Vegas after the 2020 draft, originally planned for Las Vegas, was held virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We think we really proved to the league we would put on a great show,” said Lions president Rod Wood, “and how important it is to our city and to our fans.”

According to a statement released by the Detroit Sports Organizing Corp., the area around Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza will serve as the event site for the Draft, which has become one of the most anticipated sports events of the year for the tens of thousands of fans who will attend the three-day event and millions more watching around the world.

The announcement was made at the Annual League Meeting in Palm Beach, Florida following a review of the proposal by the Fan Engagement and Major Events Advisory Committee and full ownership.

“The draft has become a prominent offseason event across the country, and we are excited to work with the Lions and their partners to bring the 2024 NFL Draft to the Motor City,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. “With the help of Visit Detroit, the Detroit Sports Commission, and the City of Detroit the Lions passionate fan base and all visitors will be treated to an incredible three-day experience.”

As part of the event, the NFL Draft Experience — the NFL’s interactive football theme park — will provide fans a free opportunity to take part in participatory games, enjoy interactive exhibits, musical performances, and autograph sessions, and take pictures with the Vince Lombardi Trophy. The Draft Experience will be open all three days of the event.

“Hosting the draft is another exciting win for Detroit, and it will deliver a powerful economic impact and highlight the vibrancy of our region,” said Claude Molinari, Visit Detroit president and CEO.

The NFL Draft has become one of the biggest and most-anticipated sporting events of the year. The 2021 NFL Draft in Cleveland was seen by an average audience of 6.1 million viewers (TV + Digital) across ABC, ESPN, NFL Network, ESPN Deportes and digital channels for the three-day event, making it the third most-watched draft ever.

— AP contributed to this report.