Gilbert was not a Detroit landowner in the late 80s. He was still a very young man building his main business then. Apples and oranges. If the shoe fits...
What you call merely "buying low" corresponds with literally saving a dozen historic building. If it was so obvious that a self-interest profiteer would have behaved like Gilbert circa 2010, then where the hell were the Illitches [[or anyone else for that matter)? As I've asked elsewhere, did the Ilitches construct ONE residential unit prior to the pending arena project? They never left the city, but they clearly didn't believe too strongly in it, either. Rather, they took a route which ensured pure profiteering [[tax credits, public support, ripping off the city re TV royalties and the JLA lease). That this elicits praise from John Frickin Gallagher is neither impressive nor notable. At best, it is impressive only because the tide was so massively pro-exodus in the 80s and 90s.
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