Don Barden RIP

**Lowell** · May-19-11, 09:00 AM

Just heard this on WDET. This was not unexpected as he had been fighting cancer for a long time.

No matter what one's opinions may be about him, he was truly a remarkable person and a Detroit legend.

**Carey** · May-19-11, 09:30 AM

Total agreement with Lowell.

**firstandten** · May-19-11, 10:19 AM

As with most things being in the right place at the right time with the proper preparation means everything. When Detroit was first going to be cable ready CAY had the city divided into pieces and was going to give a piece to different operators. The game plan was changed and all of Detroit was going to be awarded to one company and Barden was the winner. I'm sure that him being the only black with cable experience had something to do with it. I'm sure there were other behind the scenes things at play as well. I do remember people had issues with him having all of Detroit since he hadn't cabled anything larger than Inkster, but he got it done. The brilliant move was getting out of the cable business and using that money to get into the casino business, since until the recession having a casino was like being able to print money.

**gnome** · May-19-11, 03:18 PM

thumper rule

**Gistok** · May-19-11, 03:36 PM

Waiting for the estate fight to begin....

**English** · May-19-11, 05:50 PM

Surprised more here haven't dropped by... Rest in peace, Mr. Barden.

**eno** · May-19-11, 06:27 PM

With all due respect to Mr. Barden and his family.

Wasn't Mr. Barden's first move, after winning the cable monopoly in Detroit, was to sell 49% to MacNeil-Hunter of Canada who then installed a bare bones cable system that had to be improved when Comcast took over the franchise?

**Wesley Mouch** · May-19-11, 08:13 PM

Originally Posted by eno

With all due respect to Mr. Barden and his family.

Wasn't Mr. Barden's first move, after winning the cable monopoly in Detroit, was to sell 49% to MacNeil-Hunter of Canada who then installed a bare bones cable system that had to be improved when Comcast took over the franchise?

Yes, and that was precisely the plan. Mayor Young was helping black businessmen get capital that they didn't have. Per-capita wealth of blacks is about 10% that of whites [[I believe that was a national stat). CAY was simply doing his part to adjust this. [[I don't agree with method, but the rich/poor gap in this country does need some addressing, although I wouldn't chose race as the method.)

Barden seems to have made something of himself with his newly-minted wealth. That is much to his credit.

RIP

**1KielsonDrive** · May-20-11, 01:27 PM

Originally Posted by eno

With all due respect to Mr. Barden and his family.

Wasn't Mr. Barden's first move, after winning the cable monopoly in Detroit, was to sell 49% to MacNeil-Hunter of Canada who then installed a bare bones cable system that had to be improved when Comcast took over the franchise?

Somehow or other I doubt Comcast could or would improve anything.

**1KielsonDrive** · May-20-11, 01:29 PM

Back to Mr. Barden. I knew him, not well, but enough to form the opinion he was a gentleman. He certainly was in my dealings with him. RIP Don Barden.

**firstandten** · May-20-11, 01:33 PM

Originally Posted by 1KielsonDrive

Somehow or other I doubt any Comcast could or would improve anything.

As a Detroiter I got sick of comcast and and its terrible customer service and I went the satellite route and I know of many others who started with Comcast and went to other options because of the terrible service.

9mile&seneca · May-20-11, 09:48 PM

The first I heard of this remarkable gentleman was when he died. Why in the hell don't we celebrate people like him more than we do assholes like Trump, who managed to parlay a multi million dollar business given to him by his daddy into bankruptcy? Not to mention his white trash proclivaties.[[okay I'm mentioning them)

**jerrytimes** · May-21-11, 06:01 AM

Originally Posted by 1KielsonDrive

Somehow or other I doubt Comcast could or would improve anything.

Are you serious?

**firstandten** · May-21-11, 09:44 AM

Originally Posted by 9mile&seneca

The first I heard of this remarkable gentleman was when he died. Why in the hell don't we celebrate people like him more than we do assholes like Trump, who managed to parlay a multi million dollar business given to him by his daddy into bankruptcy?

Mr. Barden was a lot more low key, plus after he sold his cable company his primary business interests weren't in Detroit even though he lived in the city.

For example some people still don't know he's the first african american to own a casino in Las Vegas, not the strip but downtown. However the casino is named Fitzgeralds not Barden's Tower. Barden didn't seem to be interested is establishing a brand like Trump. I bet he came to the decision that as an AA it would be better for business if it didn't seem like he was trying to promote himself.

**eno** · May-21-11, 09:46 AM

I have no doubt that Mr. Barden is a charming, charismatic person. What bothered me about Mr. Barden was his feeling of entitlement in regards to the awarding of casino permits by Mayor Dennis Archer. He took the money he gained from the sale of his cable-TV monopoly in Detroit and DIDN'T invest it in Detroit. He behaved like a spoil child who didn't get his way. Didn't Mr. Barden sponsor an initiative to have the gaming initiative overturned in his favor?

**firstandten** · May-21-11, 09:56 AM

Originally Posted by eno

I have no doubt that Mr. Barden is a charming, charismatic person. What bothered me about Mr. Barden was his feeling of entitlement in regards to the awarding of casino permits by Mayor Dennis Archer. He took the money he gained from the sale of his cable-TV monopoly in Detroit and DIDN'T invest it in Detroit. He behaved like a spoil child who didn't get his way. Didn't Mr. Barden sponsor an initiative to have the gaming initiative overturned in his favor?

A lot of people felt that, Barden took the money and ran. I understand that when the whole casino thing was going down he was approached by people who wanted him to partner up for one of the casino's but he wanted to have outright ownership of one of the casino's. That upset enough people so that when Archer put the screws to Barden, Barden really didn't get the support that he needed to make Archer back down.

**Gistok** · May-21-11, 11:37 AM

Originally Posted by firstandten

A lot of people felt that, Barden took the money and ran. I understand that when the whole casino thing was going down he was approached by people who wanted him to partner up for one of the casino's but he wanted to have outright ownership of one of the casino's. That upset enough people so that when Archer put the screws to Barden, Barden really didn't get the support that he needed to make Archer back down.

Very true.... Barden was given a golden opportunity with the city cable franchise that made him a very rich man... and he took the money and opened casinos elsewhere [[took the money and ran). Then when the Detroit Casinos were voted for.... he thought that he could get another "golden opportunity" again in Detroit... except the Atwater and Greektown groups who got the ballot initiative going... they worded the proposal so that they were given 2 casino license "preferences". That really only left 1 license up for grabs... which MGM won.

This got Barden very upset... and the "Call Em Out Coalition" started a petition drive to recall Mayor Archer. This group supposedly was partly funded by Barden... and although a recall was put on the ballot, the initiative failed. But Archer was so soured by the whole ordeal that he didn't run for a 3rd term....

So indirectly we have Barden to thank for getting Kwame & Co. into city government.... [[although that might have been inevitable sooner or later...)

Somehow, I don't think the Archer's will be at the funeral...

Also, there was some legal wrangling between Barden and his [[still wife?) Bella Marshall over control of his empire while he was ailing. Will be curious to see if the family from his 1st marriage and his 2nd wife will have an estate fight or not...

One thing I do give Barden credit for however... is that he kept his HQ here in Detroit [[right across Madison Ave. from the Detroit Opera House, next to the DAC).

**eno** · May-21-11, 12:36 PM

Gistol, thanks for the detailed background and historical context of Don Barden. May he rest in peace.

**eno** · May-24-11, 09:21 AM

I believe we've only seen the tip of the iceberg of the bad feelings between the Barden family and his wife Bella Marshall.

http://www.detnews.com/article/20110...RO01/105230400

**firstandten** · May-24-11, 09:40 AM

Originally Posted by eno

I believe we've only seen the tip of the iceberg of the bad feelings between the Barden family and his wife Bella Marshall.

http://www.detnews.com/article/20110...RO01/105230400

There are terrible bad feelings between the Barden family and Bella Marshall. However this has been going on for a while, and Don was probably able to address most of those issues before his death with wills and other documents. Because of that I don't forsee a lot of court fights if any.

**Gistok** · May-24-11, 10:17 AM

Hmmmm.... I'm not sure there will be any court fights... but I can sure see a lot of lawyers staying busy, from both camps, over Barden's death. She was still technically his wife. Unless there was an ironclad prenuptual agreement... this may get interesting...

**Hypestyles** · May-24-11, 02:06 PM

...Too bad he and M. Jackson didn't get the chance to build an entertainment facility here.. they could have used the land-area that was originally planned for all 3 casinos..

**1KielsonDrive** · May-25-11, 01:14 PM

Originally Posted by Hypestyles

...Too bad he and M. Jackson didn't get the chance to build an entertainment facility here.. they could have used the land-area that was originally planned for all 3 casinos..

Yes. Very funny. And so true.

**Gistok** · May-25-11, 05:11 PM

Originally the Barden/Jackson Neverland Casino [[my name, cuz it would probably have "never" happened as they planned it).... was going to be on the West Riverfront [[instead of east). somewhere near the main Post Office.