Update on Silverdome

**animatedmartian** · December-22-14, 05:04 PM

Photos from this past November. Not really much of a dome anymore.

http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/photos/...image-27726535

**Scottathew** · December-22-14, 06:34 PM

I'm guessing they bought it for the sole purpose of redeveloping it into something else. The city needs to get on the owner and have them either fix or demolish the dangerous, rotting structure.

It would be a great site for retail\housing.

**animatedmartian** · December-22-14, 07:07 PM

Originally Posted by 48307

I'm guessing they bought it for the sole purpose of redeveloping it into something else. The city needs to get on the owner and have them either fix or demolish the dangerous, rotting structure.

It would be a great site for retail\housing.

The owners are Triple Property. They originally stated that they were going to convert it into a soccer/multi-use facility a couple of years ago. Nothing. They they started auctioning off things like the plastic seats, the turf, and other items of the stadium. Judging from the photos, not a whole lot of items have been sold [[though they reportedly made $500K from the auction). This is a group who bought the stadium from Pontiac for $600,000 and had no plan whatsoever other than eventually sell it for a profit someday, probably, much like the slumlords in downtown Detroit. Not to mention this same landlord currently owns the Penobscot building which is worrisome.

Anyway, I don't think too many people would be upset at the demolition of the Silverdome, but still it's not good precedent to let it sit left open to elements like it currently is. I wouldn't trust this group with any other property if this is how they treat them.

**Jimaz** · December-22-14, 07:11 PM

It would have been interesting to send those photos in a time machine back to when everyone was debating its original construction.

Nice moss.

**softailrider** · December-22-14, 09:44 PM

Great location for a casino. Tons of parking, everything could be on one floor.

**Mikeg** · December-22-14, 10:03 PM

Drone video taken in Oct. 2014: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxC_5IUJB7g

**Richard** · December-23-14, 02:11 AM

Originally Posted by softailrider

Great location for a casino. Tons of parking, everything could be on one floor.

He tried to help push additional casinos but I guess the others did not want others in the sand box,it was about the same time he was pushing to demolish the state for more parking,my guess would be had it passed the P building would have been pushed to also become a casino.

**Scottathew** · December-23-14, 05:54 AM

Originally Posted by animatedmartian

Anyway, I don't think too many people would be upset at the demolition of the Silverdome, but still it's not good precedent to let it sit left open to elements like it currently is.

I don't think you'll get too many folks feeling about the Silverdome as they did about Tiger Stadium. I live about 9 miles from the site, and as an Oakland County resident I would have no objections to its demolition and redevelopment.

There simply are too many other options. Many of them more well suited to events. It's tough to fill 80,000 seats [[or 79,500 as it appears now).

I agree that it shouldn't be left to rot. Either fix it, or reduce it to rubble [[via machine, not nature).

**mikeg19** · December-23-14, 07:43 AM

Originally Posted by Richard

He tried to help push additional casinos but I guess the others did not want others in the sand box,it was about the same time he was pushing to demolish the state for more parking,my guess would be had it passed the P building would have been pushed to also become a casino.

Lets be honest, it was the Pontiac city council who fucked this one up. Big time. They could have sold it for $18M I believe to a developer who wanted it. Instead, they put it up for auction with no minimum bid. A bit shortsighted imo.

How are they allowing this guy to just let the place fall apart? I really just don't get it.

**softailrider** · December-23-14, 08:05 AM

Originally Posted by 48307

I don't think you'll get too many folks feeling about the Silverdome as they did about Tiger Stadium. I live about 9 miles from the site, and as an Oakland County resident I would have no objections to its demolition and redevelopment.

There simply are too many other options. Many of them more well suited to events. It's tough to fill 80,000 seats [[or 79,500 as it appears now).

I agree that it shouldn't be left to rot. Either fix it, or reduce it to rubble [[via machine, not nature).

I agree, not too many people have warm fuzzy feelings / memories about that place. Turn it into a casino, use the tax revenue t fix the roads.

**ghettopalmetto** · December-23-14, 08:14 AM

Originally Posted by 48307

The city needs to get on the owner and have them either fix or demolish the dangerous, rotting structure..

How do you know the structure is "rotting" and dangerous? Did you conduct a structural assessment? I mean, it's a freaking stadium. Most stadiums are exposed to the elements year-round. And even if the Silverdome did fall apart on its own, where's it going to fall--into the parking lot? No need for alarmist hyperbole here.

I don't think it's a stretch to claim that the retail market, especially in Oakland County, is already oversaturated. So what are the other realistic options for the site--filling it with hundreds of on-spec Pulte homes?

**Smirnoff** · December-23-14, 08:59 AM

Great job by the Pontiac officials in holding the Silverdome owner[[s) "feet to the fire"......wonder if they were also involved with managing the Summit & Northland Mall owners?

**motz** · December-23-14, 09:08 AM

Originally Posted by ghettopalmetto

How do you know the structure is "rotting" and dangerous? Did you conduct a structural assessment? I mean, it's a freaking stadium. Most stadiums are exposed to the elements year-round. And even if the Silverdome did fall apart on its own, where's it going to fall--into the parking lot? No need for alarmist hyperbole here.

I don't think it's a stretch to claim that the retail market, especially in Oakland County, is already oversaturated. So what are the other realistic options for the site--filling it with hundreds of on-spec Pulte homes?

Worlds Largest Cheesecake Factory

**mikeg19** · December-23-14, 09:53 AM

Originally Posted by ghettopalmetto

How do you know the structure is "rotting" and dangerous? Did you conduct a structural assessment? I mean, it's a freaking stadium. Most stadiums are exposed to the elements year-round. And even if the Silverdome did fall apart on its own, where's it going to fall--into the parking lot? No need for alarmist hyperbole here.

I don't think it's a stretch to claim that the retail market, especially in Oakland County, is already oversaturated. So what are the other realistic options for the site--filling it with hundreds of on-spec Pulte homes?

I for one think that the site is too large to sell as one piece. I'd think it be better to break it up and sell sections of it for different purposes. But that's obviously up to the property owner, who's cool with letting it rot.

**rb336** · December-23-14, 03:59 PM

Originally Posted by mikeg19

Lets be honest, it was the Pontiac city council who fucked this one up. Big time. They could have sold it for $18M I believe to a developer who wanted it. Instead, they put it up for auction with no minimum bid. A bit shortsighted imo.

How are they allowing this guy to just let the place fall apart? I really just don't get it.

They didn't put it up for auction, the city manager did. They had a RFP out that got some very interesting proposals that would have been very good to Pontiac, but none of the developers would bow down to the city councils' egos. These proposals weren't fly-by-night organizations either - they were some of the biggest developers in Michigan with VERY deep-pocketed partners

MAcc · December-23-14, 04:20 PM

A lot of bullshit promises were made before the economy collapsed. I don't think it mattered who ended up buying it. If someone "paid" $10M for it they would have simply defaulted on the loan and let it rot. Either way, we'd have a useless and rotting stadium at 59 & 75.

**animatedmartian** · December-23-14, 04:41 PM

Originally Posted by MAcc

A lot of bullshit promises were made before the economy collapsed. I don't think it mattered who ended up buying it. If someone "paid" $10M for it they would have simply defaulted on the loan and let it rot. Either way, we'd have a useless and rotting stadium at 59 & 75.

That would only be true if the sale occurred before the economy collapsed and not after. The Silverdome was sold when prices were at the bottom so there's no excuse for default on any loans thereafter unless the owners were incredibly incompetent, which so far Triple Properties have proven to be.

So no, the stadium could have totally not been rotting in it current condition if in fact a more competent buyer maintained/demolished and reused the land like a competent owner would.

**Jimaz** · December-23-14, 07:45 PM

Pontiac Silverdome Auction Preview [[2009)

**Zads07** · January-17-15, 07:54 PM

Owners of the Silverdome want to buy the old City Hall complex in Allen Park once they move out.........

http://www.thenewsherald.com/article...c469791119.txt