Latest on study for Wayne County jail [[build or retrofit)

[DetroitPlanner]

I am bullish on downtown hotel space. I think downtown could add at least hundreds of rooms, over the course of a few years. As Mackinaw noted, there are a lot of times when it's hard to get a room, and not just during the auto show. When the arena opens downtown will have many more events than it currently does, which generates hotel demand. All the new residential also generates some hotel demand. So do all the small businesses opening.

THis arena will just replace an existing one that will close and most likely be used by Cobo [[another existing facility). The impact of playing this type of game is no different than a company moving from one building to another. If there are any additional nights of hotel stays generated it will at best be modest. Its not like the Palace is closing. Most folks out to party are most likely going to want to stay at the casino hotels.

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

THis arena will just replace an existing one that will close and most likely be used by Cobo [[another existing facility). The impact of playing this type of game is no different than a company moving from one building to another. If there are any additional nights of hotel stays generated it will at best be modest. Its not like the Palace is closing. Most folks out to party are most likely going to want to stay at the casino hotels.

Equating the Joe with the new arena is a false comparison. It is not a reshuffling of existing space; it is a whole new entity. The new arena will, in addition to having the Wings, become SE Michigan's premier event arena. I know this has been hashed around this board for some time, but the Palace has dominated concerts and other shows in the area since it opened. I remember reading [[don't ask me where, I don't know) that they have more than 300 events per year. The new arena will be getting a lot of that business [[it will be newer and more modern, of course, but also close to downtown amenities and most of SE Michigan's population, not to mention Southern Ontario and Northern Ohio). The Joe largely hosts big events now when the Palace is booked, not because it is preferred for most events.

As for the Greektown Casino, it should be remembered that it's financial problems are due to very expensive refinancing several years ago. It's filings with Michigan regulators indicate that it is operationally profitable, and it's hotel has a higher occupancy rate than the city average. In fact, it is often fully booked on weekends and holidays. During the week, it depends on what's happening in town. With the various jails and courts Gilbert is bidding for in such close proximity, it would make sense for Gilbert to build some hotels there: hundreds more people in town each night with money to spend staying near his casino. That isn't a threat to the casino, it's a giant dollar sign.

There is not a fixed number of hotel rooms Detroit needs. The more people come downtown, the more things that are happening [[at theatres, arenas & stadiums, Cobo, stores, bars, restaurants, parks, etc), the more people will want to come. People attract people. Hotels are an important part of the mix. Formerly, people wanted to stay in the burbs when visiting Detroit for business or a wedding or a concert or game. Increasingly, they want to stay downtown. I bet there are some people now whose event is in the suburbs who seek to stay downtown. That's new, growing, and exciting.