State Fair Coliseum

[douglasm]

Probably a dumb question, but does the Michigan State Fair Coliseum still exist or was it leveled along with everything else for the Gateway Marketplace development?

[buckster1986]

Probably a dumb question, but does the Michigan State Fair Coliseum still exist or was it leveled along with everything else for the Gateway Marketplace development?

It's still there. Nothing at the fairgrounds was leveled for the Gateway project. It was a former neighborhood that had been gone for several years now.

[Hermod]

Before Cobo Hall, the State Fair Coliseum used to host the auto show, the boat show, and the hot rod/custom show.

[Gistok]

Before that the drill hall above Masonic Temple Theatre used to house the auto show... they had to hoist the cars up to that floor with a crane...

[Hermod]

Before that the drill hall above Masonic Temple Theatre used to house the auto show... they had to hoist the cars up to that floor with a crane...

Wasn't there another location used between the temple and the state fair?

[douglasm]

Keep in mind that I've been out of the Detroit area for years so....

I guess I'm a bit confused about the location of the Gateway Marketplace. The feeling I'm getting from this is that is was built on 8 Mile in what used to be that little neighborhood between the Fairgrounds and Base Line, right?

And, are there any redevelopment plans for the fairgrounds itself.

AND [[I'm almost done) is there any activity anymore at either the Coliseum or on the fairgrounds?

[Wingnatic]

I doubt it since the State of Michigan turned down the Shrine Circus from using it due to liability

[rb336]

I remember the ads - "Let's all go to the Coliseum, the Shrine Circus is here!"

[EastsideAl]

Wasn't there another location used between the temple and the state fair?

I don't think so, but I'm not sure. It was held at old Convention Hall from 1924 through the 30s and '40s.

[EastsideAl]

The last thing I think the Coliseum was used regularly for was Wayne State's now-defunct hockey program. I went to a couple of their games and it was laughably decrepit. There was no climate control, and no heat at all, so either the ice was in imminent danger of melting or the spectators were bundled up and freezing. When it was cold, the plumbing had to be turned off to keep it from freezing, so bathrooms were an iffy proposition.

[mwilbert]

Keep in mind that I've been out of the Detroit area for years so....

I guess I'm a bit confused about the location of the Gateway Marketplace. The feeling I'm getting from this is that is was built on 8 Mile in what used to be that little neighborhood between the Fairgrounds and Base Line, right?

And, are there any redevelopment plans for the fairgrounds itself.

AND [[I'm almost done) is there any activity anymore at either the Coliseum or on the fairgrounds?

It is my impression [[haven't been there since the fair closed) that the Joe Dumars Fieldhouse on the fairgrounds is still running.

[EastsideAl]

Wasn't there another location used between the temple and the state fair?

I was wrong above. It was apparently held at the West 8 Mile [[Detroit Artillery) Armory from in the late '50s until it moved to Cobo in the early '60s. Here is a brief history of the auto show, with a picture of it at the Armory. Interestingly, no mention of Masonic.

http://blog.dodge.com/events/the-det...ugh-the-years/

[DetroitPlanner]

Where the Meijer now is was a neighborhood when I was a kid. The State had plans in the 1970's for it to be an urban campground! I can remember this because it was one of the most idiotic things I ever heard; a campground where two heavily used state roads come together? Talk about a loud place to be in a canvas tent. Tried to google it, but this was before the internet so much of that has been lost.

[Honky Tonk]

Tried to google it, but this was before the internet so much of that has been lost.

You might want to try YouTube, they've been around since 1921.