Mike Ilitch has died

[emu steve]

detnews.com / freep.com headline:

2017 October 21

TIGERS WIN WORLD SERIES!!!!

Your date is off a bit [[isn't Oct 21 to early to decide the WS, even a four game sweep?), but if the Tigers win the World Series, I will believe in heavenly miracles.

[Wesley Mouch]

While much of the credit for turning the north end of downtown into an entertainment center goes to the Ilitch clan, if it were not for Chuck Forbes [[and his tendency never to demolish), the Ilitch's may never have come to Detroit. Starting in the early 1980s Forbes [[still alive and in semi retirement) started buying up buildings in the Foxtown area for pennies on the dollar, and he bought the Fox in 1984.... and assured its' survival.

Chuck Forbes is first in the list of people who saved the Fox, to be sure.

The alternate universe where Mr. Forbes managed to resist the City and Ilitch overtures and took on the Fox makes good speculation. Ilitch was able to finance the restoration with solid Little Caesar & Red Wing income, I suspect. Forbes would have had a much harder time, starting with a smaller capitalization. He would probably have brought in partners. [[That's how the Fox St. Louis was done -- with a partnership led by a developer.)

We might have seen the theatre restored over a period of time, rather than all at once. That might have been better -- or might have turned our worse. Ilitch also had the advantage of a huge, existing PR and advertising machine with the Wings [[and LC). Forbes would have been creating that from scratch. I don't know if he would have pulled it off -- but I would never bet against Chuck Forbes. He is a formidable man -- who does deserve much more credit for the Fox.

[emu steve]

Information on memorial services:

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/new...atre/97838994/

The article lists memorial contributions. I would also think folks could contribute to the Mike Ilitch School of Business fund at WSU.

[mikeg19]

There are a lot of opinions on Mike and the family regarding their track record with downtown development, and rightfully so. But there are a lot of things, stories I've read over this past weekend that were not public information that are now coming out, as they typically do, when someone dies. Everybody knew he was a self made millionaire, a hard working guy, but from what it sounds like, this man had a pretty big heart too. Some of the things he did for people or the community that were never publicized took me back a bit. It's a shame that he didn't see the District Detroit come to fruition. RIP Mr.I.

[Scottathew]

[Hypestyles]

I guess a memorial statue of some sort will now be included in the stadiums? Comerica Park and LCA?

[bragaboutme]

Thanks for sticking with Detroit when many turned their backs on Downtown, Rest in peace.

[emu steve]

There are a lot of opinions on Mike and the family regarding their track record with downtown development, and rightfully so. But there are a lot of things, stories I've read over this past weekend that were not public information that are now coming out, as they typically do, when someone dies. Everybody knew he was a self made millionaire, a hard working guy, but from what it sounds like, this man had a pretty big heart too. Some of the things he did for people or the community that were never publicized took me back a bit. It's a shame that he didn't see the District Detroit come to fruition. RIP Mr.I.

That doesn't surprise me.

It always seems public people's controversies are very public and subject to great debates but their good deeds are usually done in private and don't get much attention.

To someone like Ilitch he probably had 'thick skin' but more importantly had the respect of those whose opinions were important to him. I think of folks in MLB, NHL, Detroit business leaders, local political leaders, etc. and maybe more importantly are those who are part of his business and sports empires.

I would suggest that those are the opinions he most valued.

[emu steve]

Wonder when there will be an "Ilitch Drive" somewhere near the new arena or near Comerica?

Maybe E. Columbia or E. Elizabeth between Woodward and Witherall????

[Honky Tonk]

Wonder when there will be an "Ilitch Drive" somewhere near the new arena or near Comerica?

Maybe E. Columbia or E. Elizabeth between Woodward and Witherall????

Maybe name one of the parking lots after him where a historic building used to stand he let rot?

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

Maybe name one of the parking lots after him where a historic building used to stand he let rot?

I knew who wrote that before I even read your name!

[emu steve]

I knew who wrote that before I even read your name!

Yep, Detroiters loved Mr. I.

A few of our posters, well... [[there will always be the 'minority opinion').

[night-timer]

I knew more about Mike Ilitch's various business interests than I ever knew about the man himself, but either way, there can be no doubt that Detroit needs its visionaries, its believers - and its entrepreneurs - to continue bringing the city back.

[emu steve]

I knew more about Mike Ilitch's various business interests than I ever knew about the man himself, but either way, there can be no doubt that Detroit needs its visionaries, its believers - and its entrepreneurs - to continue bringing the city back.

Absolutely. It's not like Detroit has too many great men [[and women) leading it.

Ilitches, Gilbert, Penske, etc. have been carry this city for a while. Detroit can't shun aside anyone who has the will and financial resources to make something good happen.

Not meant as a gratuitous slap at other rich people, but does Detroit have a Trump Hotel.

There are billionaires in say Silicon Valley who haven't lifted a pen to sign a check to make Detroit a better place.

We talk about downtown, Midtown, etc. but didn't Penske help lead to the revitalization of Belle Isle which is part of the 'neighborhoods' - it certainly isn't in downtown.

[Gistok]

Penske's contributions to Belle Isle are hardly a contribution, outside of the Grand Prix... he rebuilt the raceway roads, and added that huge cement paddock area for racecars that is the size of 8 basketball courts. That and having the island full of cement berms and bleachers that detract from it for several months a year. I have to admit I don't know where the money made off the race goes to help Belle Isle.

The Friends of Belle Isle have contributed much the island. The reopening of the Aquarium was tops on the list.

Lest we forget, probably the biggest donor to Detroit hasn't even really gotten started.... the late Buffalo Bills owner [[Grosse Pointer) Ralph Wilson left in his will over $1 billion to be donated to mainly Detroit as well as Buffalo... to be spent in a rather short time, rather than as a long term foundataion.

Some of Detroit's biggest donors have been its' foundations... such as Kresge and Skillman, which have been really helped.

And then there are people such as Maggie Allesee [[Detroit Opera House, Orchesta Hall, WSU), and the Fisher's and Taubman's and others who have made their marks on helping the city.

And lest we forget the MAJOR contributions of the Ford family.... from the Henry... to Ford Hospital, to Ford Field, Campus Martius, and College for Creative Studies... their contributions have numbered in the hundreds of millions.

[Onthe405]

I've never understood why people think the neighborhoods are somehow the responsibility of the businessmen in Detroit. They will go where they can remain profitable, and can choose where they invest their dollars.

At one time, there was a business principle called Social Responsibility. The community supported a business by patronizing it. They patronized it because the business' employees worked hard to carry out the owner[[s) vision as to how to make the venture successful. This, in turn, provided the business owner[[s) a handsome profit and a very high standard of living.


In those days, business owner[[s) did not feel a sense of entitlement regarding their wealth. Rather, they understood the source of their success was the community and the employees that supported their original vision. As such, they felt a moral & ethical obligation to contribute back some of what had been shared with them.