Ilitch announces Huge plans for Red Wings Arena Project - Renderings Released

[ghettopalmetto]

Do remember, IF Ilitch had built building after building 10 years ago they would have sat empty and been a foolish move.

"Timing, timing, Timing" and "Location, location, location".

The location and time is right!! A world-class arena, M-1, 500+ residential units, etc.

Also, Hundreds of Million$ in FREE, no-strings-attached money. Do you think any of this would be on the table if the Ilitches had to use their own billions/banks/lines of credit? Not when they know they can soak the taxpayers [[again)!

I wholeheartedly disagree with mikeg and emu_steve. This is a family that has sold Little Caesars "pizza" for 50 years. Do you really think they give half a shit about "legacy"?

The Ilitch moonscape isn't being filled with an arena and leaseable space out of the goodness of their hearts. They're taking advantage of a twice-in-a-lifetime ca$h grab. And all they had to do was let their properties go to hell in a handbasket, and play on the emotions and egos of the Detroit Red Wings fanbase. Congratulations, and enjoy your new strip mall--after all, you're paying for it.

[emu steve]

Also, Hundreds of Million$ in FREE, no-strings-attached money. Do you think any of this would be on the table if the Ilitches had to use their own billions/banks/lines of credit? Not when they know they can soak the taxpayers [[again)!

I wholeheartedly disagree with mikeg and emu_steve. This is a family that has sold Little Caesars "pizza" for 50 years. Do you really think they give half a shit about "legacy"?

The Ilitch moonscape isn't being filled with an arena and leaseable space out of the goodness of their hearts. They're taking advantage of a twice-in-a-lifetime ca$h grab. And all they had to do was let their properties go to hell in a handbasket, and play on the emotions and egos of the Detroit Red Wings fanbase. Congratulations, and enjoy your new strip mall--after all, you're paying for it.

I dare say most here and a great majority of Detroit sports fans disagree with you.

[ghettopalmetto]

I dare say most here and a great majority of Detroit sports fans disagree with you.

That's fine by me. A "great majority of Detroit sports fans" can think whatever they like. I'm just calling balls and strikes here.

The truth is, if the Ilitches had begun building apartment buildings ten years ago, they'd be 95% occupied by now. But the DEGC wasn't giving away ca$hola for apartment construction, were they?

[emu steve]

That's fine by me. A "great majority of Detroit sports fans" can think whatever they like. I'm just calling balls and strikes here.

The truth is, if the Ilitches had begun building apartment buildings ten years ago, they'd be 95% occupied by now. But the DEGC wasn't giving away ca$hola for apartment construction, were they?

One side note:

In 2008 the country, and especially cities like Detroit [[but also sun belt cities like Vegas, Phoenix, etc. etc.) got hit very, very hard with the Great Recession.

I dare say that there were a few 'lost years' [[maybe as many as five) where time stood still and things which 'could've been' done in 2010 are getting done now or will get done in the next couple year.

[ABetterDetroit]

One side note:

In 2008 the country, and especially cities like Detroit [[but also sun belt cities like Vegas, Phoenix, etc. etc.) got hit very, very hard with the Great Recession.

I dare say that there were a few 'lost years' [[maybe as many as five) where time stood still and things which 'could've been' done in 2010 are getting done now or will get done in the next couple year.

AND for five years before that we were "the one state recession" damn near lost a entire decade.

[313WX]

AND for five years before that we were "the one state recession" damn near lost a entire decade.

We easily have lost 3 generations of Detroiters so far [[starting with Gen. X and ending with Gen. Z).

Don't forget as well the unprecedented amount of economic flight Detroit experienced in the 70s and 80s, and the investment Detroit missed out on to its suburbs during the 90s economic boom. So it's the more like 40+ years were lost for the city.

[Mackinaw]

I dare say most here and a great majority of Detroit sports fans disagree with you.

The Tigers and Wings are my favorite teams in the whole wide world, and I thank M.I. for good ownership and choosing good managers, but I don't let that cloud my reaction when I am fighting off tumbleweeds and parked cars while walking into a game.

Mikeg, I hope you are right, but what has always scared me is Illitch's design taste. The Fox was one thing-- it was a rehab-- but Comerica Park and Hockeytown and their approach to parking and streetscapes has been, on balance, unattractive. I hope he and his company are changed. The renderings indicate better appreciation of what makes a city a city. I pray for proper execution.

[mikeg19]

I wholeheartedly disagree with mikeg and emu_steve. This is a family that has sold Little Caesars "pizza" for 50 years. Do you really think they give half a shit about "legacy"?

They found a niche for cheap pizza and capitalized on it. There target demographic isn't someone who wants to shell out $20 for a Chicago deep dish. So I'm not sure what the point is to question how they made their money. They aren't Columbian drug dealers.



The Ilitch moonscape isn't being filled with an arena and leaseable space out of the goodness of their hearts. They're taking advantage of a twice-in-a-lifetime ca$h grab. And all they had to do was let their properties go to hell in a handbasket, and play on the emotions and egos of the Detroit Red Wings fanbase. Congratulations, and enjoy your new strip mall--after all, you're paying for it.

I can see that you'd prefer a closed off box with no retail or restaurants or bars or nightlife in this new stadium design. Last time I checked, nobody built anything for free and was completely within their legal rights to pursue any means necessary [[legally, of course) to find funding and avenues to lessen the burden on them. Am I happy they knocked down buildings and let things go to waste and rot? Absolutely not. But for them to have this vision and [[hopefully) complete it in it's entirety, well I'm not sure how much else you can ask for. What has happened in the past is over. Can't un-implode buildings last time I checked.

And thank you, I will enjoy a cold beer and stroll around the new stadium district once it's finished.