Originally Posted by
Irvine Laird
Strong points, R8RBOB. You are right on the money.
Building a 1 million square foot convention center in the suburban tundra of Pontiac or Novi would be a disaster.
I was in Philadelphia last week for a convention that drove home this point. The Pennsylvania Convention Center is a gem. The city restored and renovated the 19th century Reading Railroad terminal and attached it to a modern convention facility. The place isn't only functional and impressive, it is inspiring. There is simply nothing in metro Detroit that compares at the moment.
Philly's other edge is the location of its convention center: In the heart of Center City. My wife and I walked for blocks and blocks and found every street teeming with bars, galleries, restaurants and people everywhere. The city was alive with an electric vibe at all hours. We could walk from the convention center to Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, Society Hill, and Philly's hopping art and theatre districts. Or we could hop on the subway and ride the rails to the museums and stadiums. Metro Detroit stands a better chance of competing with that if the convention center is in the city--and we all know that even there we have some glaring weaknesses to overcome.
The competition is fierce and we are at a great disadvantage. We must find a way to make it work in Detroit. An Oakland County convention center does not stand much of a chance. Everyone knows it--even Brooks Patterson.