Detroit has been chosen as the host city for the 2019 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, which serves as the annual qualifying event for the U.S. World Figure Skating Team and U.S. Olympic Team every four years, U.S. Figure Skating announced Thursday.

“Detroit and all of Michigan is a skating hotbed that is home to many of our top athletes, both past and present,” U.S. Figure Skating President Sam Auxier said in a news release. “Detroit, highlighted by the newly opened Little Caesars Arena and downtown redevelopment, will be a great host to our athletes, coaches officials and fans from around the country."

The last time the championships were held in Detroit was in 1994, when world-class figure skater and olympian Nancy Kerrigan was struck in the knee by an attacker after a practice session at Cobo Arena just weeks before the 1994 Winter Olympics.

The attack ignited a scandal and brought scrutiny upon fellow skater and Olympian Tonya Harding.

Harding pleaded guilty that year to hindering prosecution of the attack, which was planned out by Harding’s bodyguard and friend, Shawn Eckardt, as well as Derrick Smith and attacker Shane Stant. Harding’s ex-husband, Jeff Gillooly, pleaded guilty to racketeering.

The U.S. Figure Skating Championships will take place Jan. 19 -27, and will be planned with local support from the Detroit Sports Commission, 313 Presents and the Detroit Skating Club, according to a news release from U.S. Figure Skating.

All junior free skate/dance and championship level events take place at Little Caesars Arena and all junior short programs/dance, novice, intermediate and juvenile events will be held at the Detroit Skating Club, according to the news release. Tickets go on sale in early 2018.

“Suburban Detroit is the epicenter for world-class figure skating, so we feel the nation’s most prestigious figure skating event is coming home,” Kris Smith, director of the Detroit Sports Commission, said in the news release.

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Contact Hasan Dudar at hdudar@freepress.com.