Founded in 1887, the Detroit Athletic Club continues to play a major role in the history of Detroit and Michigan. The original Club, founded by a group of young men under the spell of amateur athletics sweeping the country at the time, was later reborn in 1913 with the support of the city’s prominent automotive and industrial leaders. They reorganized the DAC and commissioned famed architect Albert Kahn to design the magnificent Clubhouse that stands today in the center of the city’s theater and sports district.
The Detroit Athletic Club has been named the No. 1 Athletic Club in the country for eight consecutive years by the national Club Leaders Forum, which awarded the DAC the Platinum Clubs of America Five Star Clubs of Excellence designation. The honor represents the top 5% of America’s Top Private Clubs of Excellence. The DAC has also been recognized for the outstanding delivery of exceptional member experience with Boardroom Magazine’s Elite status as a Distinguished Club.
The DAC was the first hospitality organization ever to receive the Michigan Quality Council’s Michigan Quality Leadership Award, the highest honor for organizational excellence in the state. In 2024, the DAC was named one of Metropolitan Detroit’s Best and Brightest Companies to Work For for the 25th consecutive year. It has also been named to the Detroit Free Press Top Workplaces list multiple times.