Michigan: DraftKings debuts its first Sports & Social venue at Troy's Somerset Collection

DraftKings and Live! Hospitality & Entertainment debuted Thursday the country’s first DraftKings Sports & Social venue at Somerset Collection, a Michigan luxury shopping destination located in Troy. It will offer sports fans a “high-energy, first-class dining and entertainment experience,” according to the company. 

Jeremy Elbaum, Sr. Vice President, Business Development at DraftKings, commented: “It’s been great collaborating with Live! Hospitality & Entertainment on this exciting project, which will deliver sports fans a great game day experience. With a shared commitment to innovation and entertainment, we look forward to opening our doors to customers in the Metro Detroit area.”

Scott Steenrod, COO of Live! Hospitality & Entertainment, added: “Our core mission with DraftKings Sports & Social is to ‘raise the sports bar’ and set the new standard for dining and sports entertainment.” 

“Forging this strategic relationship with DraftKings, an industry leader in sports betting, has allowed us to create an iconic entertainment and dining destination where sports entertainment and sports betting will come together to create a truly premier experience. We’re thrilled for the public to experience the venue first-hand at the height of the NFL and college football seasons,” he added. 

DraftKings Sports & Social will look to offer fans “an immersive sports entertainment atmosphere, the next best game watching experience outside of a stadium or arena,” DraftKings wrote. 

Highlighted by a 32-foot LED media wall, game days will feature an electric environment with elements such as emcees and DJs, live fan-cams, competitions and games, as well as audio and visual displays including music and light effects.

Eligible guests will be able to access DraftKings’ mobile platforms to place bets using the DraftKings Sportsbook and Casino products along with playing daily fantasy sports from their mobile devices across various sports, including football, basketball, baseball, golf, MMA, soccer, tennis and more.  

The bar will serve up a gastropub menu of made-from-scratch items for lunch and dinner seven days a week, as well as brunch on the weekends. 

The 10,400 square-foot space, located in the stand-alone building adjacent to Somerset Collection South, will include an exclusive DraftKings Lounge that can be used for private parties and events, as well as a dog-friendly outdoor patio that will offer a setting for al fresco dining and live music.

Nathan Forbes, managing partner of The Forbes Company, added: “This new destination will combine three things that our guests love - sports, entertainment and dining. DraftKings and Live! Hospitality & Entertainment are creating a culinary, sensory experience that we believe will be the first of its kind in Michigan.”

“Like so many of our exclusive retailers, we are pleased that DraftKings Sports & Social selected Somerset Collection as its premier location,” he concluded. 

DraftKings Sports & Social venues are currently being designed by ICRAVE, a strategy, design and development firm, and promise to fill a niche by providing an upscale sports and entertainment experience.