Is it time for George Jackson to pursue other interests?

[Gistok]

Well George Jackson is in the limelight again... and it isn't good....

After reading the articles in Detroit Crain's Magazine, I think that Mr. Jackson is not the right person to move Detroit development into the future.

The city [[and Mr. Jackson) were very patient and took plenty of time in getting all their tax credits, zone designations, etc. for the Book-Cadillac and the Fort Shelby.

So now why the great impatience with Tiger Stadium? As the Conservancy spokesmen [[who works for Miller Canfield) said these things [[getting tax credits, etc) take time. Mr. Jackson should know that better than anyone.

It appears that Mr. Jackson's inconsistency in Detroit development has come thru loud and clear. And now he's in the national spotlight, and not in a positive way [[Keith Olbermann).

He and his staff ignored downtown business owner Mr. Raffner's contacts. And I've also heard an earful from other downtown business owners as well.

He seems to have trouble with contacts with Senator Carl Levin.

He jumped the gun on the Lafayette Building, and had to defend himself when temp Mayor Cockrel overruled him.

Maybe Mayor Bing should ask some of the Detroit business owners what they think? And for Mr. Jackson... rather than solving Detroits problems, maybe he's become a part of the problem.

What do you think?

[iheartthed]

Why is he in the national spotlight?

[Novine]

Hit the bricks Geo. Jackson! Can Detroit please hire a person with a business background who understands the value of historic downtowns and modern urban development? Mr. Jackson's is stuck in the backwards world of the long discredited ideas of redevlopment by demolition. He's done enough damage already. It's time for him to go!

[ghettopalmetto]

Bear in mind the Book-Cadillac was headed for the wrecking ball as well until Ferchill stepped up to the plate.

[Gistok]

He's in the national spotlight due to Keith Olbermann's comments on his show.

Although both the B-C and Fort Shelby were saved during Jackson's watch, I would tend to ask Fnemecek about that one.... since he was a member of the "Friends of the Book-Cadillac".

Prior to the the interest in the B-C... he was reported to have stated something like "that old hulk must come down"... but has since denied it.

... and then there's the Madison-Lenox fiasco which happened under Mr. Jackson's watch.

Wonder what Skulker would have to say defending his old boss? I can already imagine his attack dog style "fucktard" comments flying over anyone daring to challenge his old mentor...

[Fnemecek]

Thanks for the mention, Gistok.

George Jackson and his team did an amazing job with the Book-Cadillac and Hotel Ft. Shelby. He earned a lot of respect both in Detroit and nationally with those two deals.

Quite frankly, those two deals made most people forget about the Madison-Lenox and Statler Hotel debacles. As a refresher for those not familiar with those cases, the DEGC pushed for demolition of two historic structures - promising that something would be built on the site shortly thereafter - in spite of the fact that there were no developers ready to do something with the site.

It's been a little more than 4 years since the Madison-Lenox came down and 3 1/2 years since the Statler. The M-L is still only a parking long. The Statler is still only a vacant field. Those two demolitions, by the way, cost taxpayers more than $8 million.

Anyway, after the Book-Cadillac and Ft. Shelby deals, it seemed that everyone was ready forget about everything; building a geniunely productive relationship between the preservation community, the DEGC and others. Several productive meetings had taken place.

However, after going almost a year without anything major to announce, Mr. Jackson seems to have let his frustrations get the best of him. He reportedly has $3 million in left over funding that can only be used for demolition. He seems determined to use, just so he can be seen as doing something.

First, he tried to take down the Lafayette Building without any plan for what would replace it. He was overruled on that deal after some extensive lobbying by the preservation community.

Mr. Jackson then followed that up with the Tiger Stadium demolition, this time not giving us enough time to launch an effective lobbying effort.

So, to answer the question that started all of this, yes - I do believe it is time for George Jackson to go. He has let his own personal frustrations cloud his judgement and that, in turn, is interferring with development projects in Detroit. For the sake of Detroit's economy, Mr. Jackson just needs to go.

[gravitymachine]

while i'm sick of hearing this term, can someone break down how the DEGC is "quasi-public"? straddling the line between public and private seems like a great way to be accountable to no one.

[kraig]

For whatever reason, Detroit Renaissance loves Jackson. They intervened when Kwame was looking to fire him. Cockrel was pressured to keep him and even made him point person for the Cobo Hall deal [[one of many moments of bad judgement on Cockrel's part). He and Bing are basically two peas in a pod. Jackson's job is to take the hit for this, but remember, it was the DEGC Board that voted to tear down the rest of the Stadium. Identify the Board Members that were present that voted yes and put pressure on them through the businesses they represent [[if you feel that strongly about it) and then you may see a change in behavior as far as how they make their decisions. Like I said before money talks, bullshit walks, hit them in the pockets.

[E hemingway]

These are the DEGC Board Members I could find after some Google searching:
Rex E. Schlaybaugh, Jr., CEO of Dykema Gossett
http://www.worldservicesgroup.com/re...s&pressid=1527

Robert J Buckler, former president and COO of Detroit Edison
http://www.nextenergy.org/about/boardofdirectors.aspx

V Lonnie Peek Jr, CEO of eBusiness Strategies
http://www.detroitriverfront.org/drc...lonniepeek.asp

Kathleen Wendler, president of Southwest Detroit Business Association
http://www.detroitriverfront.org/drc...eenwendler.asp

William C Brooks, former GM executive
http://www.detroitrenaissance.com/about-us/board

Daniel J Loepp, president and CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield
http://www.bcbs.com/news/bcbsa/daniel-j-loepp.html

And possibly Alan Schwartz, senior partner of Honigman, Miller, Schwartz and Cohn
http://www.honigman.com/news/xprNews...tail&news=1218

[crawford]

I think George Jackson is doing fine.

It's the Tiger Stadium kooks who need to get a job and/or life.

Yeah, let's save an abandoned, half-demolished wreck of a stadium, right in the middle of the ghetto! Great idea! And let's forget the fact that the supporters haven't done anything in the last 10 years, have no money, and are proposing something that hasn't worked anywhere on the planet. Who cares? Why worry about logic?

Adaptive reuse of empty stadia doesn't work in super high-demand cities, but I'm sure it will work in the middle of the bombed-out Briggs neighborhood...

Oh, and I LOVE the fact that some of the supporters pull the "lawyer" card. Wow, you're a lawyer at MILLER CANFIELD!! Gee, then you must be correct!

We all know that Detroit law firms are the global cream of the crop, right? Can I have your autograph?? All the big deals are handled out of Detroit, right? How could anyone doubt someone from MILLER CANFIELD?

[MIRepublic]

For whatever reason, Detroit Renaissance loves Jackson. They intervened when Kwame was looking to fire him. Cockrel was pressured to keep him and even made him point person for the Cobo Hall deal [[one of many moments of bad judgement on Cockrel's part). He and Bing are basically two peas in a pod.

Yeah, I wasn't surprise to see Bing keep him on as they share the same philosophy, but I was surprised that Cockrel didn't replace him when he had the chance.

BTW, can not the DEGC president veto the decisions of the board?

[Trumpeteer]

I think George Jackson is doing fine.

It's the Tiger Stadium kooks who need to get a job and/or life.

Yeah, let's save an abandoned, half-demolished wreck of a stadium, right in the middle of the ghetto! Great idea! And let's forget the fact that the supporters haven't done anything in the last 10 years, have no money, and are proposing something that hasn't worked anywhere on the planet. Who cares? Why worry about logic?

Adaptive reuse of empty stadia doesn't work in super high-demand cities, but I'm sure it will work in the middle of the bombed-out Briggs neighborhood...

Oh, and I LOVE the fact that some of the supporters pull the "lawyer" card. Wow, you're a lawyer at MILLER CANFIELD!! Gee, then you must be correct!

We all know that Detroit law firms are the global cream of the crop, right? Can I have your autograph?? All the big deals are handled out of Detroit, right? How could anyone doubt someone from MILLER CANFIELD?

Crawford you self indulgent prick. you sit there apparently somewhere in Mexico where you think you're some sort of hot shit and talk about those in the D who have a passion for saving an historic site? You have the David Carridine BALLS to call Corktown a GHETTO? The Conservancy has raised a considerable sum of money to at least pay for the security. By the way, this isn't something that hasn't "worked" in other cities, it hasn't been TRIED!

[Gsgeorge]

I think George Jackson is doing fine.

It's the Tiger Stadium kooks who need to get a job and/or life.

Yeah, let's save an abandoned, half-demolished wreck of a stadium, right in the middle of the ghetto! Great idea! And let's forget the fact that the supporters haven't done anything in the last 10 years, have no money, and are proposing something that hasn't worked anywhere on the planet. Who cares? Why worry about logic?

Adaptive reuse of empty stadia doesn't work in super high-demand cities, but I'm sure it will work in the middle of the bombed-out Briggs neighborhood...

Oh, and I LOVE the fact that some of the supporters pull the "lawyer" card. Wow, you're a lawyer at MILLER CANFIELD!! Gee, then you must be correct!

We all know that Detroit law firms are the global cream of the crop, right? Can I have your autograph?? All the big deals are handled out of Detroit, right? How could anyone doubt someone from MILLER CANFIELD?

Wow Crawford, you obviously know NOTHING about this whole ordeal. First you call "Briggs" a "ghetto". If you've spent more than five minutes in this city you would know that we haven't called it Briggs for over forty years, and that, in fact, the consensus agrees that CORKTOWN is one of the NICEST neighborhoods in the entire city.

Then you rag on Thom Linn, a great Detroit citizen and someone many of us know personally as an all-around awesome, kind and nice guy, and someone who cares about the economic and cultural well-being of his home town.

So if you don't know anything about the situation -- then shut up and take your naive complaints elsewhere.

The reasons for letting this "eyesore" stand are numerous and have been reiterated here. Those who think a vacant lot is better than a potential community center are short-sited and sorely mistaken. Yes, the likelihood of this happening is slim. But why let that stop us from making this city the way it deserves to be? What is the rush to tear down this structure in the midst of an economic meltdown, when the money could so smartly be allocated to different areas, like removing blighted homes & improving our streets & parks?

This is not about the past. It is about making something for the future, a invaluable asset in a city that otherwise falls far short of the competition. Let's try together to make this thing something, instead of nothing.

[HarperNottingham]

In fact, she's on the board of the Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy.

My sources tell me that THESE are the actual members of the EDC board:

David Bing
Mayor of Detroit

Mulugetta Birru
Wayne County Economic Development Dept.

Linda Forte
Comerica Bank

Joseph Harris
City of Detroit

Conrad Mallett
Detroit Medical Center and Sinai Grace Hospital

Stephen Palmer
Palmer Development Group, LLC

Douglas Diggs
Director of Community and Economic Development at Detroit Renaissance

William Ritsema

From what I can tell, Palmer's was the lone voice who voted against demolition last Tuesday.

[HarperNottingham]

I'd given that last post a headline, but it didn't show up.
The headline read "Kathy Wendler not on the EDC board."
[[She's on the board of the Conservancy.)