Hoedown moved to Comerica Park Parking Lot

**401don** · March-12-12, 10:43 AM

How very Detroit. The "World's Biggest Free Country Music Festival" as they liked to promote it moves to a paid parking lot owned by Mike Ilitch.

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...xt|FRONTPAGE|s

**webband1** · March-12-12, 10:48 AM

Yeah, not really thrilled about this myself.

Reading the comments on their Facebook page, the radio station is mentioning that part of the reason for the move is that Hart Plaza is "for sale", yet I can't find any mention of this anywhere on Google, or DYes.

Also lots of talk that charging admission will keep the "trash" out and ensure that it is only "true" country fans... The radio station said it will be safer, too.

But there will be less mud! And oooh! Comerica Park will be open so you can use their bathrooms and buy food from their concessions!

**rb336** · March-12-12, 11:08 AM

that is just plain stupid

**EastsideAl** · March-12-12, 11:16 AM

Not a fan of the Hoedown at all, but it is a long-standing Hart Plaza event that really belongs there. Certainly better there than in some hot, nasty, desolate parking lot. Stupid decision, and I have to wonder why it's being made. What's going on with Hart Plaza?

**mikeinmotown** · March-12-12, 11:38 AM

Altough I hate to see it move I think its for the better. I've been a volunteer for the Hoedown for years. The last 5 or 6 years has become insane. At about 8:00 pm a whole new crowd comes in and starts all types of problems. Last year was so bad I thought there was going to be a riot. If they start charging to get in the punks won't pay and will stay out. It's too bad but it needs to be done.

**Johnnny5** · March-12-12, 11:42 AM

I quit going to the Hoedown quite a few years back, but this is still bad news for country fans.

From a popular free event to paying $30 for admission to stand in a parking lot and still the same mediocre lineup? "just plain stupid" pretty much describes it....

Also why would they switch the date from mid May to the middle of June? Anyone ever spend any time in a treeless parking lot in the middle of June?

**downtownguy** · March-12-12, 11:55 AM

I had heard this about a month ago from someone who inquired about vendor space. The reason he was given was uncertainty over the availability of Hart Plaza due to the city's financial situation. According to them, the city was going to shut down Hart Plaza to all events in 2012. But I just checked the Movement page and they have everything going on as usual at Hart Plaza. The Jazz Festival hasn't updated their website. I'm surprised this didn't get out until now since they were telling prospective sponsors and vendors this at least a month ago. Now, if only our great daily papers would bother to get the rest of the story.

**trotwood** · March-12-12, 12:11 PM

Imo,moving the Hoedown to Comerica Park's grounds blows!

http://www.clickondetroit.com/entert...m/-/index.html

**poobert** · March-12-12, 12:29 PM

I loathe modern country music and don't really mingle with that crowd, either, but I respect the long standing the hoedown has in our city and at Hart Plaza, and it is certainly good to have a bunch of people come downtown and have fun.

If you've ever been to an event in that god-awful parking lot, it isn't fun. Especially in the summer - no shade and no place to sit. It's a fucking parking lot!

Only in Metro Detroit do you move a festival from a public plaza to a parking lot. You know when you visit other cities, especially in the summer time, there are usually public festivals, often street festivals, to go to for free.

The suburbs AND the city have really become soulless, unattractive places. You have two lifetyle choices here: ghetto or completely corporatized [[I also refer you back to the Hall Road thread). Which fresh hell would you like?

**ghettopalmetto** · March-12-12, 12:32 PM

Hart Plaza may not be for sale, but Mike Ilitch sure is!

**Islandman** · March-12-12, 12:34 PM

Originally Posted by poobert

The suburbs AND the city have really become soulless, unattractive places. You have two lifetyle choices here: ghetto or completely corporatized [[I also refer you back to the Hall Road thread). Which fresh hell would you like?

Thank you.

**middetres** · March-12-12, 12:42 PM

The city of Detroit doesn't have the 2012 schedule for Hart Plaza on its website, but both Movement and Motor City Pride are scheduled to return to Hart Plaza this year. I'm sure the Jazz Festival will be back as well.

I'm thinking the Hoedown changed their event dates for better weather. May can still be cold, rainy and generally unpredictable as far as the weather is concerned.

The fencing put up for Movement is left up for Motor City Pride. I don't see why it couldn't be left up one week longer, so that the Hoedown could stay at Hart Plaza, but still become a pay event.

Movement has become a much better event since they started charging...better sound, lighting, artists, etc...

But Warped Tour has been produced successfully at Comerica Park for the past several years. So either location can work.

The important thing to remember is that the event will continue to bring 1000s of people downtown on a weekend that doesn't have any Tiger games or other large events happening.

**Zacha341** · March-12-12, 12:45 PM

Hmmm, Hart Plaza days numbered? I guess the African World festival [[the next largest festival at Hart Plaza) is going to be moved next - that's been talked about before, though that event has usually been fairly problem free.

I've been to Comerica parking lot for Cancer walks and the like but I'd not want to do a festival there! These events [[to me) are about the river front which is suppose to be developing not shrinking? And who is this BUYER for Hart Plaza?

**downtownguy** · March-12-12, 12:50 PM

Originally Posted by poobert

I loathe modern country music and don't really mingle with that crowd, either, but I respect the long standing the hoedown has in our city and at Hart Plaza, and it is certainly good to have a bunch of people come downtown and have fun.

I agree.

I presume the Hoedown set-up is like other big musical festivals at Hart Plaza? At Hart Plaza, you had several stages for music located relatively close to one another. However, the music didn't spill over much from one stage to another due to different levels, landscaping and built-in barriers. How on earth will they do this in a parking lot?

**trotwood** · March-12-12, 01:13 PM

Originally Posted by middetres

The city of Detroit doesn't have the 2012 schedule for Hart Plaza on its website, but both Movement and Motor City Pride are scheduled to return to Hart Plaza this year. I'm sure the Jazz Festival will be back as well.

I'm thinking the Hoedown changed their event dates for better weather. May can still be cold, rainy and generally unpredictable as far as the weather is concerned.

The fencing put up for Movement is left up for Motor City Pride. I don't see why it couldn't be left up one week longer, so that the Hoedown could stay at Hart Plaza, but still become a pay event.

Movement has become a much better event since they started charging...better sound, lighting, artists, etc...

But Warped Tour has been produced successfully at Comerica Park for the past several years. So either location can work.

The important thing to remember is that the event will continue to bring 1000s of people downtown on a weekend that doesn't have any Tiger games or other large events happening.

Just a point of clarification the Hoedown is in June this year. At least that's what I saw on this afternoon's newcast.

**Zacha341** · March-12-12, 01:16 PM

Yeah it's cold or rainy what difference does a parking lot make? You're still wet, raining and standing. Ick. Oh and let's not forget the joy of the parking lots who will JACK up their prices during the event!

**gthomas** · March-12-12, 01:42 PM

Quote: "According to them, the city was going to shut down Hart Plaza to all events in 2012."

So, will Hart Plaza be closed for re-development or something? Who owns it, and how long will it be shut-down? Or is this an assumption?

**Traxus** · March-12-12, 01:52 PM

I heard that the hoedown has the highest number of violent crimes [[stabbings in this case) of all the downtown festivals? Any truth to this rumor?

**401don** · March-12-12, 02:13 PM

Tigers are home May 18 weekend, which is when the event was held last yr, the Memorial weekend is Movement, and the Tigers are home again June 2 so they really have no choice about the schedule.
Maybe they no longer have a title sponsor, which would have offset the Hart Plaza rent.

**rb336** · March-12-12, 02:34 PM

If it is closed due to renovations, that would be OK. They can charge at Hart Plaza, so it can't be just so they can charge admission. Have they totally cleared the Ford Aud site?

**poobert** · March-12-12, 02:35 PM

Bing hailed tearing down the Ford Auditorium in his State of the City speech as big progress [[because demolition is progress in a city that is over 1/3 empty lots and probably another 1/3 vacant structures) and about having an ampitheatre in its place for more events, so there is pretty much no way Hart Plaza is going anywhere, except under bankruptcy.

**gthomas** · March-12-12, 02:50 PM

Originally Posted by rb336

If it is closed due to renovations, that would be OK. They can charge at Hart Plaza, so it can't be just so they can charge admission. Have they totally cleared the Ford Aud site?

Yes, its completely cleared and leveled, more and likely sit vacant like the rest of city's thousands vacant lots, especially Downtown. Include this on the list with Ford Auditorium site: Lafayette Building [[turned "Community Garden", with no community), Woodward, Monroe, and Statler site, Surface gravel parking lots..I meant "Foxtown", Old Tiger Stadium site..etc.

Mayor Bing should be VERY proud of his accomplishments...or are they?

**Eric_c** · March-12-12, 02:55 PM

The hillbillies are going to be a lot happier with this set up. They won't have to interact with the city at all. They can all drive in, park and leave.

**Zacha341** · March-12-12, 03:37 PM

Yep, crazy indeed along with the along with the Ribs and Soul and the Fireworks festival -- all three of these events can get crazy! It's probably in part due to the level of alchohol associated with these festivals.

The African World and the Jazz Fest are less crazy and less drinking at the zombie level!

Originally Posted by Traxus

I heard that the hoedown has the highest number of violent crimes [[stabbings in this case) of all the downtown festivals? Any truth to this rumor?

**Johnnny5** · March-12-12, 04:18 PM

Originally Posted by Traxus

I heard that the hoedown has the highest number of violent crimes [[stabbings in this case) of all the downtown festivals? Any truth to this rumor?

I went to at least a half dozen Hoedowns from the late 1990's to around 2009. I never witnessed or heard of any stabbings or shootings associated with the event. The biggest problem always seemed to be the belligerent drunks and a lot of underage drinking, but very little serious violence. Of course with 1000's of people [[Many of them drinking) there are fights, but I wouldn't say it's any worse that what I've witnessed at other large rock or country concerts.