Pistons dwindling attendance renews calls for team to move downtown.

[Zacha341]

^^^^ That's cool I suppose. Any new building venture would not just be for the Pistons, just as the Palace is not. But as others have mentioned the feasibility is questionable. Then again it may happen.

[Shollin]

No ones going to build an arena "just" for the Pistons, we are saying they should eventually move back Downtown once the new "Red Wings" arena is built and "join" them, which it will be. All you naysayer's will always have something to complain about in Detroit, once the new development is built don't come down to visit all the excitement happening, ok. It's well overdue for a new arena downtown, Joe Louis arena is a mess.

What are seeing that I'm not, you don't make such investments to end up with nothing. Mike Illitch has been clearing sites and allocating buildings for years, adding and investing in a couple "lightrail stops" near his development site. And recently, hiring two architects company to design and construct his arena and entertainment district. Why would he make such investment..and giving several press release that "it will" get built.

That's fantastic for the Red Wings but the Pistons won't be part of it. The Pistons make 100% of the revenue in ticket sales. They make 100% in revenue on the parking. The Palace is a fine building. It just does not make sense for Gores to split revenue and split profit with Mike Illitch and help creating a concert venue to compete with the two he owns. [[Remember Palace Sports and Entertainment also owns DTE Music Center)

[gthomas]

That's fantastic for the Red Wings but the Pistons won't be part of it. The Pistons make 100% of the revenue in ticket sales. They make 100% in revenue on the parking. The Palace is a fine building. It just does not make sense for Gores to split revenue and split profit with Mike Illitch and help creating a concert venue to compete with the two he owns. [[Remember Palace Sports and Entertainment also owns DTE Music Center)

Why is it impossible, how do you know he's a greedy old goat who doesn't want to work or partner with other billionaire's? That's a problem for me, we need more collaboration's in investments, your money goes further.

[Shollin]

Why is it impossible, how do you know he's a greedy old goat who doesn't want to work or partner with other billionaire's? That's a problem for me, we need more collaboration's in investments, your money goes further.

He just laid out 325 million to buy the team. He just spend a few million more improving the Palace. You mean to tell me he's going to lay out even more money to help build an arena to compete against the one he just paid millions for, and split revenue and profit with Mike Illitch?

[Gistok]

This isn't the only forum that has discussed a new Hockey barn... although of the 2 major designs, I much prefer the latter one... not the big red bulky one...

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1518249

Also, if it were behind the Fox... I would prefer the gables pointing east/west, rather than north/south. I always thought that they should move the small Blenheim Apts to another empty spot along Park Ave., and have a new arena west of Park Ave. facing eastward towards the wide area on Columbia St. between the Fox and the Fillmore/State with that area the plaza in front of the Arena... framed from a distance between the 2 theatres.

[DetroitPlanner]

The Pistons should just remove half the seats on the floor of the Masonic and play there.

[Shollin]

Are you serious? The Palace was the first to bring luxury suites to the middle of the seating bowl that every other arena in the NBA now has. Almost every new NBA arena was built within 10-15 years of the Palace. The Palace changed how other arenas were designed. With it's highest capacity in the NBA, it had 259 consecutive sellouts and led the NBA in attendance in 5 of 6 years when the Pistons were going to the ECF every year.

[401don]

The Pistons are dead last in the league in attendance and that's with the stated avg. of about 12,500 per game being greatly exaggerated. Would they draw a couple thousand more downtown? Probably. The bigger question is whether Detroit fans will support a loser. When the Wings were bad their attendance was lousy as was the Pistons before Isiah came along. The Tigers drew about 12,000 per game in the 1990's which contributed to the end of Tiger Stadium.
I don't count the Lions, simply because the schedule is so short but they have drawn about 40,000 some years. Many will say it`s simply smart to not support a bad team while others argue the fans support the team through thick and thin. The Pistons don`t deserve sellouts but they certainly should be getting more people than they are right now, especially with the NHL lockout.

[Eber Brock Ward]

I should have added, too, that when you apply the authors' analyses and under the conditions when it was built, Auburn Hills was almosy certainly a net positive location.

[Hypestyles]

i wonder would there ever be a one-off "special exhibition" held somewhere to test the waters.. heh..

[jackie5275]

Did a straw poll around my workplace on this subject. Most folks tell me it's not the drive to the Palace, but the Pistons' record that would keep them away. If the team was winning, they'd go to a game.

Interestingly, I know someone who takes an MTA shuttle from Great Lakes Crossing to Flint for work daily. He's commented that it's always packed with folks from all over the region & Ontario. Now GLC is only a few miles north of the Palace. This tells me that if someone wants to go somewhere, shopping, a sports event, a concert, badly enough, the drive won't stop them.

[jefferson78]

Did a straw poll around my workplace on this subject. Most folks tell me it's not the drive to the Palace, but the Pistons' record that would keep them away. If the team was winning, they'd go to a game.

Interestingly, I know someone who takes an MTA shuttle from Great Lakes Crossing to Flint for work daily. He's commented that it's always packed with folks from all over the region & Ontario. Now GLC is only a few miles north of the Palace. This tells me that if someone wants to go somewhere, shopping, a sports event, a concert, badly enough, the drive won't stop them.

Good for you. You must live in Northern Oakland County then. Because anyone living south or southwest of the Palace would think differently. I did a similar poll at my workplace and one out of 15 people said they would consider going. The location of the stadium being a large factor. The other being the non-competitive team.
I am a basketball fan and the only way I would go to a game at the Palace is if someone gave me tickets, on a weekend, and offered to drive. Otherwise, forget it. I might make the trip if it was a must-see concert, like U2 or something. But to think that anyone would put up with that drive just to go shopping is insane. I despise that area. Overbuilt, overpopulated and over-rated.

[Trueblood]

Good for you. You must live in Northern Oakland County then. Because anyone living south or southwest of the Palace would think differently. I did a similar poll at my workplace and one out of 15 people said they would consider going. The location of the stadium being a large factor. The other being the non-competitive team.
I am a basketball fan and the only way I would go to a game at the Palace is if someone gave me tickets, on a weekend, and offered to drive. Otherwise, forget it. I might make the trip if it was a must-see concert, like U2 or something. But to think that anyone would put up with that drive just to go shopping is insane. I despise that area. Overbuilt, overpopulated and over-rated.

I agree in that the Pistons should join the Red Wings downtown and the bolded part is exactly what I was getting at in my last post. People have no problem driving out to Auburn Hills for a concert act since the individual acts usually only come out once or twice a year but getting people to pay for gas and parking on 42 games a year is a different story.

Detroit should use the New Jersey model. They turned the IZOD Center, former home of the Nets and Devils, into a full time concert and kid show arena and use the Prudential Center in downtown Newark as the sports arena for Devils hockey, the Nets temporarily, arena football and now Seton Hall basketball.

Not coincidentally, the sports are played downtown while the concerts are in a suburban setting surrounded by a parking lot. It would and should be the same here.

[401don]

FYI, Pistons have won 5 straight home games. The team is rebuilding with some exciting young pieces, including 2 quality bigs. If folks think it's that hard to pay 5 or 10 bucks to go see this team, they aren't very good fans. I would much rather see a very young team showing potential than a veteran team with a .500 record any day.

[corktownyuppie]

Well just when you think we had this figured out....

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
ILITCH ORGANIZATION EXPLORING DEVELOPMENT OF NEW RESIDENTIAL, RETAIL, OFFICE AND EVENTS CENTER DISTRICT
IN DOWNTOWN DETROIT

DETROIT, MI – The Ilitch organization today announced it is taking a step forward with the public sector to explore the viability of a partnership to support the development of an innovative district in Detroit’s downtown core comprised of residential, retail and office facilities, anchored by a new state-of-the-art, multi-purpose events center. The Ilitch organization is supporting House Bill 5463, as amended today, that allows the Downtown Development Authority [[DDA) to continue capturing existing funds that would support a catalytic development in Detroit.

“It’s always been my dream to once again see a vibrant downtown Detroit,” said Mike Ilitch, chairman, Ilitch Holdings, Inc. “From the time we bought the Fox Theatre, I could envision a downtown where the streets were bustling and people were energized. It’s been a slow process at times, but we’re getting there now and a lot of great people are coming together to make it happen. It’s going to happen and I want to keep us moving toward that vision.”

The Ilitch organization is now preparing to make another substantial investment in the development of a new residential, retail, office and entertainment district in downtown Detroit, adding to the more than $1.9 billion the Ilitch companies have already invested.

“We have a tremendous opportunity through a large-scale project to make a positive impact on our community,” said Christopher Ilitch, president and CEO of Ilitch Holdings, Inc. “A project of this magnitude requires continued due diligence and a strategic partnership with the public sector. Working together we can ensure this opportunity connects Detroit’s existing set of initiatives and assets strengthening the downtown core and enhancing the image of our city, state and region.”

The sum of the total mixed-use development in the district, including residential, retail, office facilities and events center, is approximately $650 million, which incorporates a significant private investment supplemented by existing dollars currently collected by the DDA supporting economic development and requiring no new taxes.

“This plan makes good business sense for two reasons,” said George W. Jackson, Jr., president and CEO of Detroit Economic Growth Corporation. “First, it’s not a plan for an isolated, single-use structure. Instead, it builds on the clear successes we’ve already had downtown integrating districts that feature entertainment, and support commercial, retail and residential development around them. Second, it doesn’t impose any new tax burdens; it simply continues a program for retiring debt related to economic development. It’s hard to argue with that.”

The building of the new district is anticipated to create approximately 5,500 jobs for the events center alone and approximately 8,300 jobs for the entire residential and commercial mixed-use district. Michigan can anticipate an estimated economic impact of $1.8 billion from the completion of this district.

Case studies throughout the country reveal the most successful districts include a public-private partnership that support a balance of residential, business, education, cultural, sports and entertainment activities embedded with public spaces.
“Leadership in communities such as Columbus [[OH), Los Angeles, San Diego and Indianapolis have shown how prudently created partnerships can create new downtown neighborhoods and spur growth in the population and increase the levels of activity and vitality in central cities,” said Professor Mark S. Rosentraub, University of Michigan. “In those cases, districts anchored by events centers led to the creation of financially viable and successful new neighborhoods that are economically and socially integrated.”

While the exact location of the district has not been determined, it will be strategically located to serve some of the most underutilized areas in Detroit’s downtown core, strengthening the link between Detroit’s existing assets through a continuous, walkable environment connecting one district to the next and serving to improve the quality of life for residents and visitors alike.

Passage of House Bill 5463, sponsored by Representative John Walsh [[R-Livonia), will allow the public and private sector partners to begin the next steps in the process to develop the structure, scope and timeline of this economic development project.
– ODM –