Sell Belle Isle?

**Honky Tonk** · January-12-13, 02:19 PM

Originally Posted by Pickford-Bentler

No, you are wrong. Followers of Rand are wealthy because they are a million times more productive than all the rest of us mediocrities who infest and bring down the USA. One of them will be able to construct a 30 story high rise in about three days all by his or her self. I find it very sad that we do not prostrate ourselves before their greatness.

I can't, I've got prostrate cancer.

**ElbertHanks** · January-12-13, 02:22 PM

If I owned Zug Island I'd offer it up for a third of the price.

**downtownguy** · January-12-13, 02:41 PM

Mitt Romney could move back to his hometown and not have to travel as far to visit his offshore accounts. Heck, he could even run for President of Belle Isle... and win!

**poobert** · January-12-13, 03:02 PM

This is the dumbest piece of shit I've ever seen. It looks like there's some sort of monorail on the bridge? Does it have lasers that go "pew pew"? Hopefully this discredits the Mackinac Center. I don't know why they're quoted constantly when they're a bunch of lunatics. I'm sure raving derelict who picks up bottles on East Warren has ideas too, but that doesn't mean he should be quoted in the media, despite the fact they're probably at least a shade better than this type of fiction that comes from the impotent oxycontin junkies at the Mackinac Center. Under "About the Author" this tool appears to be going for some sort of Batman villain look. What an insufferable pest.

**Jimaz** · January-12-13, 03:31 PM

Lockwood readily admits the idea has no political traction.

Could it be that they're just trying to rattle Detroit's cage for sport? It would take a pretty sick sense of humor but there are sick people in this world.

Or maybe it's an attempt to launch another wild Disaster Capitalism scam.

**MjvDet** · January-12-13, 04:02 PM

At the end of the day we should all understand that Belle Isle is going to stay the exact way it is no matter what happens. Sure management might change a few times or maybe and extra structure or two will be added but this outlandish proposal for an unregulated republican utopia is dead in the water before it even starts.

**Lowell** · January-12-13, 05:51 PM

If Detroit goes bankrupt why can't the judge offer any asset for sale? The handy thing about BI is that there are no residents to evict or compensate - very attractive for any developer.

**brizee** · January-12-13, 06:42 PM

Originally Posted by Lowell

Good grief, this gets hilarious.

Whoa even a Cabbage Patch for the wannabees.

We need a naming contest for this Republic. Aynrandia?

**Novine** · January-12-13, 08:22 PM

What great timing. Nothing like a scheme to sell off one of Detroit's assets to the ultra-wealthy to make people paranoid about a state takeover of the city.

**Novine** · January-12-13, 08:29 PM

Now that Right-to-Work has passed, it looks like the cranks at the Mackinac Center are moving to promote some of their more hare-brained schemes.

**leapfrog** · January-12-13, 08:47 PM

Originally Posted by poobert

This is the dumbest piece of shit I've ever seen. It looks like there's some sort of monorail on the bridge? Does it have lasers that go "pew pew"? Hopefully this discredits the Mackinac Center. I don't know why they're quoted constantly when they're a bunch of lunatics. I'm sure raving derelict who picks up bottles on East Warren has ideas too, but that doesn't mean he should be quoted in the media, despite the fact they're probably at least a shade better than this type of fiction that comes from the impotent oxycontin junkies at the Mackinac Center. Under "About the Author" this tool appears to be going for some sort of Batman villain look. What an insufferable pest.

I hope it does, as that would make one part of this plan that I like.

**Gistok** · January-12-13, 09:19 PM

I think that Belle Isle's Fredrick Law Olmstead's and Augustus Woodward's park/downtown layouts should be put on the National Register of Historic Places... to remain sacrosanct.

Ironically only the middle 2/3 of Belle Isle [[610 acres) are Olmstead's plan, and the Grand Prix cement farm, Scott Fountain/Lagoon, Blue Heron Lagoon and the "Swamp Thing" forest are outside of the plan.

**Smirnoff** · January-12-13, 10:03 PM

It's about time somebody started to think "outside the box" with some type of plan.....

**Novine** · January-12-13, 10:24 PM

"It's about time somebody started to think "outside the box" with some type of plan....."

This is where the suckers for Pozni schemes from ....

**mwilbert** · January-12-13, 10:44 PM

Originally Posted by Lowell

If Detroit goes bankrupt why can't the judge offer any asset for sale? The handy thing about BI is that there are no residents to evict or compensate - very attractive for any developer.

Municipal bankruptcies don't have an asset liquidation component.

"Section 904 limits the power of the bankruptcy court to "interfere with – [[1) any of the political or governmental powers of the debtor; [[2) any of the property or revenues of the debtor; or [[3) the debtor's use or enjoyment of any income-producing property" unless the debtor consents or the plan so provides. The provision makes it clear that the debtor's day-to-day activities are not subject to court approval and that the debtor may borrow money without court authority.

In addition, the court cannot appoint a trustee [[except for limited purposes specified in 11 U.S.C. § 926[[a)) and cannot convert the case to a liquidation proceeding.The court also cannot interfere with the operations of the debtor or with the debtor's use of its property and revenues. This is due, at least in part, to the fact that in a chapter 9 case, there is no property of the estate and thus no estate to administer. 11 U.S.C. § 902[[1)."

http://www.uscourts.gov/FederalCourt.../Chapter9.aspx

**corktownyuppie** · January-12-13, 10:59 PM

This should never and will never happen.

**neavling** · January-12-13, 11:01 PM

This is just antagonism from a libertarian think tank trying to exploit a crisis in Detroit. I don't think the region needs more division or mocking.

**wolverine** · January-12-13, 11:10 PM

Originally Posted by artds

Well, just to play Devil's Advocate here, did you even read the article? The "benefit" to Detroit would be the $1 Billion sale price.

I've heard that before. "We'll get $1 Billion to plug a budget shortfall!!!" And then we sold all the street parking. No longer was the parking in front of your home public. It was now owned by a private company who then screwed you over with $6.50/hour parking...because they could. Then told the city that sold it to them that they owed millions for closing spaces during events.

As someone pointed out, money is not Detroit's problem. Detroit does not need $1 Billion. It's a management problem.

**corktownyuppie** · January-12-13, 11:15 PM

Originally Posted by wolverine

As someone pointed out, money is not Detroit's problem. Detroit does not need $1 Billion. It's a management problem.

Well, I think Detroit probably needs $1B to fix the management problem. But I still don't think it will need to sell Belle Isle to get it.

**townonenorth** · January-12-13, 11:24 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

I think that Belle Isle's Fredrick Law Olmstead's and Augustus Woodward's park/downtown layouts should be put on the National Register of Historic Places... to remain sacrosanct.

Ironically only the middle 2/3 of Belle Isle [[610 acres) are Olmstead's plan, and the Grand Prix cement farm, Scott Fountain/Lagoon, Blue Heron Lagoon and the "Swamp Thing" forest are outside of the plan.

Remaining sacrosanct? I have to laugh.

What about Detroit St. Stanislaus? National register, Detroit historic landmark, and guttted beyond redemption? Sacrosanct, indeed.

**NewportNic** · January-13-13, 01:16 AM

Déjà vu... For those who have been talk show junkies for some time, you may remember a David Newman "April Fools" broadcast that had the Sultan of Brunei buying Belle Isle.

**Hermod** · January-13-13, 07:15 AM

Originally Posted by Pickford-Bentler

Where are the people who clean up the bathrooms, sweep the streets, trim the hedges, clean up the snow, patrol the island going to live? If they are not to be allowed on the island, then how is a meager land tax going to pay for them? Is electrical power going to fart out their ass and turn the lights on?

This quote from the presentation answers that question.

In Florida, the city of Palm Beach [[on the barrier island) used to work that way. If you were employed in Palm Beach as a menial, you lived in West Palm Beach [[on the main land) and showed your worker's ID as you crossed the bridge each morning to work.

"In the process, using the money paid to Detroit from the purchase and having the benefit of “spill-over” economics from Belle Isle, Detroit is transformed into a job creation machine from its current state."

**Pickford-Bentler** · January-13-13, 08:22 AM

Many people who live in Detroit already have menial service jobs in the suburbs. Why has this "job creation machine" not transformed Detroit from its "current state". Arguably, the wealth created by the use of land in the manner seen at Zug Island did a lot to put Grosse Pointe in its current state. A modern state is an interrelated web of microeconomic relationships with net worth largely based on how much property in the network one can acquire. The sharp speculator manipulates the media and politicians to get property far under its fair value. Which is exactly what this proposed project is all about. The whole Randy man meme about self made men is utter BS. The only self made men who live on only what their labor created are mountain men or San tribesmen.

**coracle** · January-13-13, 09:16 AM

Originally Posted by Smirnoff

It's about time somebody started to think "outside the box" with some type of plan.....

In order to maximize its value get a Grant from somewhere to excavate under BI and release it from its location. Attach an outboard to the north end; turn it round so the pointy end is heading for Huron and float it away for variable locations. Detroit could take an annual rent for it, and before releasing it drill a hole in the middle, sealed with a remote operated plug, so that if they don't pay up they can sink it!
Alternatively, do part one, but only turn it through 90 degrees and make a land bridge to Canada and sell it to Matty.
[[From the desk of John Galt)