Detroit Welcome Center in danger of closing after losing grant

The nonprofit Detroit Experience Factory said Friday that it will soon close its Welcome Center unless the organization can find more charity.

The Welcome Center, 123 Monroe St., which gives paid and free tours of the city, recently lost funding from a foundation and must raise $200,000 by the end of March to avoid closure.

The Hudson-Webber Foundation had funded the center since 2010, but phased out its stipend during the past three years amid changing priorities.

Foundation President and CEO Melanca Clark said in a statement that Hudson-Webber had provided $725,000 to Experience Factory programs.

"We remain enthusiastic about the organization’s impact and hope our years of support and consultation have helped lay the foundation for the next phase of the organization’s operations," Clark said.

The nonprofit's $200,000 fundraising goal would allow the center to remain open and give tours for another year.

More than 100,000 people have taken a Welcome Center tour since 2006, according to Jeanette Pierce, founder and director of the Detroit Experience Factory, which is an affiliate program of the Downtown Detroit Partnership.

“The question we’re asking is: 'Does Detroit need a Welcome Center?,'" Pierce said in a statement. "We think that the Welcome Center is a key city asset, especially in light of the region’s recent discussions about the continued need to improve Detroit’s perception and attraction and retention resources as it relates to major initiatives like the Amazon bid.”

Detroit Experience Factory will still give tours if the Welcome Center shuts its doors at the end of the month, according to spokeswoman Colleen Robar.