Does cobo have any commie no pistol signs? Also I am sure the buildings capacity is over 2500, however there is not really seating at the auto show. The law states seating capacity over 2500. Anyone have insight? Not sure about going without a pistol.

A quick google search shows a capacity of 12k. Does not list a "seating capacity."

If you are asked to leave, leave? Concealed means concealed? NOT LEGAL ADVICE, YMMV

Seems like lots of confusion on different forms out there. Not sure what I will do.

Legally you should be good, you are correct regarding seating capacity, the other interpretation would have virtual all public places be no carry zones.  However what are Cobo's policies?  I don't know, as a rule I do not go down there as my Abrams is in the shop.  It comes down to who owns it, if it is publicly owned, and I believe it is, than any anti carry policies  they may have would be null and void do to preemption (MCL 123.1102), however if they are private, then while there rules would have no legal effect on you if they ask you to leave you must to avoid a trespass charge.

FWIW they were not wanding people Saturday.  it was always my understanding the law applied just to the ice ring and not Cobo but I am not a lawyer so don't listen to me.

There are a crap load of undercover cops and feds there too. Just wanted to point that out.

You guys act like Cobo is in the ghetto. It is not. It's part of the riverfront which has actually made quite a comeback. There are a lot of police officers in and around the auto show.

As for carrying, it is a publicly owned facility so it must follow state laws. Any additional restrictions are null and void, but you may still incur legal costs to prove so. The auto show does not have seating as what I'd consider part of the 2,500 seats.

I have never seen them using metal detectors down there. I would just go and enjoy the show and keep your pistol concealed.

The laws is obviously intended to prevent carrying concealed in venues that can "hold" over 2500 people, the number of actual seats is irrelevant.  If you leave your firearm in your vehicle you can ask at the gate, if approval is given retrieve it. Otherwise you're risking a misdemeanor and the possible temporary loss of your CCW.

Their will be plenty of law enforcement officers assigned to this venue. It's not normally attended by rabble and hell raisers. I think you'll survive.

 










 

Seating capacity is a fire marshal term, and the e prosecutor i spoke with wasnt of the opinion that actual seats had to be there, just that it would be possible (there is your capacity). Auto show isnt commecial, its entertainment. Make your own choice,  not a lawyer.

Just make sure that they don't count 500 cars with a seating capacity of five people per automobile.  

Kidding of course.  

I haven't been to the auto show since I was 19,  so I've never tried bringing a pistol in,  but despite the "It's safe there" remarks,  which by the way,  that part of Detroit is probably as safe as it gets,  I still like to carry everywhere.  You never know when something shady is going to happen.  

My friend's ex was found beaten and dead in the stairwell of the parking garage there.Around 2000
Not during the Auto Show though, she was not known to visit areas of culture.

While you are allowed to carry at the cobo hall, you are not allowed to carry during the event of the auto show.


They have large signs covering all the entrances and there is writing on your ticket that also explicitly states so.



Since it's a publicly funded facility and not a sporting arena or venue, they are not really allowed to do so, but no one has had the balls yet to fight them on it.  Right now if they catch you carrying you can be in a world of problems considering that the event is a major revenue generator for the police and city.

Explain the crime map then for the last two weeks?  Notice cobo hall has so many listed under its address that it has two +4's representing 8 crimes in the last two weeks?




I would not call this safe in even the most liberal of terms.

At the end of the day I went, no gun, and did not get killed or kidnapped. I do not have a cpl to carry a gun in bad neighborhoods. I carry a gun just about any time I legally can. I went with my brother and sister in law who are both attorneys. Neither practice any sort of criminal law and neither is familiar with MI gun/cpl laws. They did not seem to think there was any value to cobo being a publicly owned building. They were under the belief that the "no weapons" on the back of the ticket was enough for them to deny entry. Not sure about being in violation of the law or not. With that being said I did not enter through a metal detector, or get searched. I wish there was more clarification on the small things such as seating capacity vs capacity. Anyone out there an attorney that specializes in this type of thing? Just for future reference.

Also for comedy purposes I emailed the head of security prior to the event. He stated I could not carry because of capacity and the fact that Cobo has a liquor lic and serves alcohol. haha The problem with these laws is that there is to much to be left up to the individual on interpretation.

I forgot about that.

However that only applies if it makes over 50% of revenue to alcohol, course after seeing the price of a beer it would not surprise me.

 

If my memory serves me right, ARFCommer MichMan1 is a lawyer. I believe he had a hand in legalizing SBRs/SBSs in MI.