Dan Gilbert: Detroit needs auto-themed tourist attraction

**Hermod** · May-29-14, 06:22 PM

Originally Posted by unclefrank

Other that the birth of the auto industry, we don't have much in the way of history. You have to go back to the War of 1812, and few people know anything about that. Look how much attention Historic Fort Wayne gets.

In fairness, Ft Wayne had nothing to do with the War of 1812. Ft Wayne was built in the big coast defense effort of the 1830s and never fired a shot in anger. It is interesting an example [[one of many) of forts built in this era. Ft Monroe is a far more interesting example.

**rex** · May-29-14, 06:26 PM

Detroit has that. Its called Henry Ford Museum, The Rouge Plant tour, the international auto show. Detroit needs jobs, blue collar jobs for city residents that may not have education or technical skills but are willing and able to work for a fair wage.

GUSHI · May-29-14, 06:28 PM

The theme park, would offer jobs, what are we going to do with all the land? This would fill up a nice chunk of it and give the region more jobs, give people anther reason to visit our fair city.

**unclefrank** · May-29-14, 07:55 PM

In fairness, Ft Wayne had nothing to do with the War of 1812. Ft Wayne was built in the big coast defense effort of the 1830s and never fired a shot in anger. It is interesting an example [[one of many) of forts built in this era. Ft Monroe is a far more interesting example.

Ft Wayne's historic value really is it's Civil War history. What I was trying to point out is that it's a true gem here in Detroit that is practically ignored by the area population. True Star Forts are very rare.

**royce** · May-29-14, 10:17 PM

What I have never heard proposed by any powers that be is what I propose now and have proposed in the past on this forum, a Michigan Sports Hall of Fame Museum. This museum would showcase the history of the Lions, Tigers, Pistons, Red Wings, Wolverines, Spartans, Panthers [[USFL for the youngin's), the Gold Cup, the Grand Prix, and other lesser known sports teams and sporting events.

Before it was completely torn down, I thought that the most famous part of Tiger Stadium, the overhang section, could have been saved and retrofitted to include the sports museum. The museum would have large windows looking out to the ball field and pick-up games could be played by museum visitors. This kind of museum would definitely appeal to weekend visitors visiting for Tigers and Lions games. Well, that's my two cents.

**DetroitPlanner** · May-29-14, 10:39 PM

Originally Posted by MikeyinBrooklyn

Autorama was also a cheeseball name. Americans love cars. They also love old cars, high technology vehicles, and history. We could definitely put those elements together into a compelling museum.

It was not named Autorama. If you're going to criticize the name, at least get it right. Autorama is the name of the classic car show at Cobo. Auto World did have a large section on new technologies they let you beat the crap out of Fiero's plastic body as well as introduced something known as air bags. Yeah by today's standards not high tech but this was the time when home computers still had cassette tapes for drives!

If you're so sure that lack of population is a leading cause of why it failed explain to me how Frankenmuth can sell ten million chickens a year and enough fudge to fill the Saginaw Bay. It is even more remote and desolate than Flint is!

**DetroitPlanner** · May-29-14, 10:41 PM

Originally Posted by Hermod

In fairness, Ft Wayne had nothing to do with the War of 1812. Ft Wayne was built in the big coast defense effort of the 1830s and never fired a shot in anger. It is interesting an example [[one of many) of forts built in this era. Ft Monroe is a far more interesting example.

Thats cuz it worked so effectively to keep those British, Canadians, and Indians at bey and ever causing a ruckus again!

Take that Fort Malden!

**masterblaster** · May-30-14, 01:15 AM

Originally Posted by unclefrank

Other that the birth of the auto industry, we don't have much in the way of history. You have to go back to the War of 1812, and few people know anything about that. Look how much attention Historic Fort Wayne gets.

The illegal importing of liquor through Canada during prohibition, being the final stop on the Underground Railroad [[escape from slavery), music - Motown, Rock, Gospel, Techno. Detroit has a decent amount of history. It's no Philadelphia, but we can hold our own.

**davewindsor** · May-30-14, 09:53 AM

Originally Posted by MikeyinBrooklyn

There are a million reasons why Autorama was a failure, a great many of which wouldn't be applicable to Detroit. Among them: it was in Flint, not Detroit. Millions more people live in or nearer Detroit than Flint, and infinitely more people visit, for business or pleasure. Detroit also has many other museums, entertainment venues, hotels, etc. Most travelling visitors to an auto destination will also want to do other things on their trip, too. Detroit clearly has much more to do than Flint. Also, while Flint is GM's birthplace, Detroit has the greatest density of auto-related people, places and things in the world. Detroit will also have a lot more sources for donations [[of both money and artifacts, including cars) than Flint did.

Autorama was also a cheeseball name. Americans love cars. They also love old cars, high technology vehicles, and history. We could definitely put those elements together into a compelling museum.

I don't think a "Detroit Auto Museum" or whatever it would be called should be government funded. Money is already kind of tight in these parts. Also, government money always comes with strings attached. That could drown the baby museum before it has a chance to become anything. It should be a non-profit, and vigorously fundraise, especially from the auto industry [[including suppliers, dealers, advertisers, etc). Of course, they would also need to solicit people to give or long-term loan classic cars and other artifacts that are now in private hands. Where the government could be a help is in helping to organize transit & parking, and making the land acquisition and permitting fast and easy.

What about the Michigian State Fair on the Michigan State Fairgrounds in Detroit? It wasn't in Flint like AutoWorld. This was a so-called grand tourist attraction with 164 acres donated by JL Hudson over 100 years ago. It was subsidized yearly by taxpayers and was shut down a few years ago with prime real estate just given away to Magic's housing development and commercial plaza developers. Just because it's in Detroit doesn't make it any better. MSF attendance went from 1.2m visitors in 1966 to 217,000 in 2009. And where were all these "sources for donations" to save the Michigan State Fairgrounds??

Now Gilbert wants the government to buy new land for something similar after they gave that prime real estate away a few years ago??

Oh ya, it's definitely not going to be another taxpayer funded bondoogle [[sarcasm), especially after Illitch set a large precedent with the new Red Wings stadium. Gilbert's going to demand more taxpayer money for his idea just to show he can outdo Illitch. Just watch.

Last time I was at Toronto's CNE, they had a lot of borrowed classic and historical cars on display, military displays and prototypes. So why wasn't it done at the Michigan State Fairgrounds? MSF and Toronto's CNE initially had very similar goals and purposes.

This just annoys me. Just like Gilbert's idea of bringing back street rail after the government ripped out all the lines. Oh yeah, and Gilbert was going to fund street rail all by himself without any government funding. Right??

**esighed** · May-30-14, 09:53 AM

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