Suburban Flight Continues [[Hoedown to Leave Downtown for Clarkston)

[313WX]

The more things change, the more things stay the same...

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/ent...roit/82740558/

[SyGolden48236]

I thought people in Detroit hated the hoedown. In past years many people on this website were whining and wringing their hands complaining about the hoedown.

Personally I couldn't care less one way or the other. I have never been to it and I don't feel that my life is poorer for it.

[Johnnny5]

I haven't gone since it it was moved from Hart Plaza, and definitely won't be paying between $29 and $78 and then $9 each for drinks in Clarkston. Kind of sad how quickly this went from one of the largest events in the city to just another concert at Pine Knob [[DTE).

[Bobl]

Clarkston might be a better venue for that event. A friend who worked at Receiving Hospital dreaded working on the weekends when it was at Hart Plaza. There was more violence from drunks there than at any other downtown event.

[Johnnny5]

Clarkston might be a better venue for that event. A friend who worked at Receiving Hospital dreaded working on the weekends when it was at Hart Plaza. There was more violence from drunks there than at any other downtown event.

Well that would kind of make sense since it was the largest event downtown outside of the auto show. Also being free, serving alcohol and being ungated it didn't have the same level of security as other events that charged admission.

I went just about every year in the late 90's and early 2000's. Never once did I see any serious violence. Sure there were some drunken fights, but considering the city at that time was averaging more than a murder per day the violence at the Hoedown was pretty minor for a gathering of over 100k people.

[hybridy]

i think festival promoters could think beyond the day of the event. certain event goers pay top dollar to see particular acts in particular locations. ie. summerfest in milwaukee. downtown certainly has all the summertime components and festival space to entertain someone over a weekend. this is a lost opportunity, though the downtown and even suburban concert/event demographic may not support 'bro' country downtown. when im on a boat and its hot...this kind of music fits the bill for white 15-55 folks.

[Honky Tonk]

Detroit Hoedown.... White people @ their finest.

[southen]

Detroit Hoedown.... White people @ their finest.

Wait I thought that was Opening Day?

[oldcarman]

The more things change, the more things stay the same...

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/ent...roit/82740558/

This event appeals to a local audience. That would be the Waterford-Clarkston area, not downtown or even midtown. Promoters figured by getting paying customers they could control things better, make more money, or make money!

[Honky Tonk]

"Did you see the Hoedown?" "I didn't know she fell...."

[Bham1982]

No big deal. Might even be a net positive for downtown.

People on DYes get WAY to worked up about these things. Downtown events aren't that big of an economic boost, and the event moving somewhere else locally is basically a wash. Now residents don't have to deal with drunken hooligans, insane parking and trashed streets.

Healthy downtowns have strong everyday activity, and don't rely on special events for their daily vitality. Special events tend to chase away the regulars and lower quality of life for everyone else.

[Hypestyles]

Whoever gets free tickets from their job, PM me.

[softailrider]

Well that would kind of make sense since it was the largest event downtown outside of the auto show. Also being free, serving alcohol and being ungated it didn't have the same level of security as other events that charged admission.

I went just about every year in the late 90's and early 2000's. Never once did I see any serious violence. Sure there were some drunken fights, but considering the city at that time was averaging more than a murder per day the violence at the Hoedown was pretty minor for a gathering of over 100k people.

Never went after they moved it to Comerica but I went several times in years before that. We would stay for a few hours then leave. I don't remember seeing any violence of any type during the times I were there. Just a huge crowd having a great time.

[Gannon]

Yeah, you didn't stay long enough.

It only took two years' of observation to determine that this event was the worst thing downtown, by far.

Good Ol' Boys driving their pickemup trucks, lookin' for some sweet honey in Daisy Dukes to help them keep count of their beer cup collection before finding someone random to fight and prove their manhood.

Couple that with urban youth trollin' those who dared park outside the official lots, lookin' for that one 'Billy Bob' to say the wrong thing at the wrong time.

It was always on the verge of total anarchy. I saw some horrible fights in years past, but did not follow this crowd up to Comerica or over to the west side of the Riverwalk. [[expected to hear the same last year...was surprised to not)


I'm guessing the event promoters got a real bill for the security enhancements from the police department this year.


No big loss to the city. Not a one of those Good Ol' Boys wanted to be here, anyways. Good riddance.

[401don]

No big deal. Might even be a net positive for downtown.

People on DYes get WAY to worked up about these things. Downtown events aren't that big of an economic boost, and the event moving somewhere else locally is basically a wash. Now residents don't have to deal with drunken hooligans, insane parking and trashed streets.

Healthy downtowns have strong everyday activity, and don't rely on special events for their daily vitality. Special events tend to chase away the regulars and lower quality of life for everyone else.

While I agree the Hoedown is no loss, to say special events don't enhance a city and lower the quality of life for everyone is ridiculous. People live downtown because they enjoy the vibrancy of events along with the other benefits. I'm planning to visit Chicago for a few days in July. When I looked online at what events were happening I was totally blown away by how many events of every kind that were happening all summer. To say these don't enhance Chicago as a tourist city or place to live is crazy.

[EastsideAl]

Clarkston might be a better venue for that event. A friend who worked at Receiving Hospital dreaded working on the weekends when it was at Hart Plaza. There was more violence from drunks there than at any other downtown event.

What..... more violent than the jazz festival?!?

[Bham1982]

WTo say these don't enhance Chicago as a tourist city or place to live is crazy.

Because you're speaking as a visitor.

Locals generally hate "special events". I live by the Dream Cruise and it sucks. Everyone on my street leaves during that week. They're spending all their money Up North, while drunken outsiders are pissing on our lawns and having sex in our back yards [[happened to a neighbor). The "economic boost" is for Charlevoix, not Birmingham. The restaurants in downtown Birmingham are actually empty that week, unless they're selling hot dogs and beer.

A family member used to live in Chicago, right on the lake, and she hated all those summer special events. It was one of the main reasons she left her lakefront neighborhood [[Lincoln Park/Lakeview area) as it was a terrible place to live if you were a regular family, and not some 23 year old looking to get laid or some suburbanite looking to watch fireworks or an air show or something.

Concerts in Lincoln Park get lame pretty fast with a 2 year old constantly getting woken up from the building shaking.

[TTime]

Because you're speaking as a visitor.

Locals generally hate "special events". I live by the Dream Cruise and it sucks. Everyone on my street leaves during that week. They're spending all their money Up North, while drunken outsiders are pissing on our lawns and having sex in our back yards [[happened to a neighbor). The "economic boost" is for Charlevoix, not Birmingham. The restaurants in downtown Birmingham are actually empty that week, unless they're selling hot dogs and beer.

A family member used to live in Chicago, right on the lake, and she hated all those summer special events. It was one of the main reasons she left her lakefront neighborhood [[Lincoln Park/Lakeview area) as it was a terrible place to live if you were a regular family, and not some 23 year old looking to get laid or some suburbanite looking to watch fireworks or an air show or something.

Concerts in Lincoln Park get lame pretty fast with a 2 year old constantly getting woken up from the building shaking.

I'll help you out here because I lived there for many years and have lots of friends and family that still do and you are way off. People who live in Chicago love the summer events schedule and there are too many events to break down all the specifics. There are a couple big events that locals avoid at all costs because they are simply too crowded and filled with tourists. In general the smaller block parties are all a great time and The Taste of Chicago would be considered an overcrowded mess.

[Bham1982]

I'll help you out here because I lived there for many years and have lots of friends and family that still do and you are way off. People who live in Chicago love the summer events schedule and there are too many events to break down all the specifics. T

Definitely not true in Lincoln Park/Lakeview. They hated that weekend stuff like the air show, fireworks, concerts, road races, bike races, etc.

They would regularly shut down LSD for "special events" meaning the surface streets were traffic hell, and my sister couldn't get downtown for work [[had off hours at a hospital). Alleyways would be blocked off, so people couldn't get their cars out, and street parking would be temporarily banned. Lincoln Park was frequntly unusable because the broke city rented it out for weekend events.

The nighttime drunken horde passing out on her building stoop, feet from where her baby fitfully slept, was an added "bonus", as were the regular muggings from troubled gay youth from the South Side, who congregated nearby.

She did like the neighborhood block parties, which were small-scale and locals-only. The big lakefront events suck, though, at least if you live nearby.

[Wintersmommy]

Well I for one will miss viewing the tailgating on the parking garage roofs. the most ideal people watching...sooo much fun watching people pee on the roof as if 1000's of workers in the towers above them couldn't see them...ahh the smell of urine and puke and hopping over the river of pee near my car...the good old days

[jackie5275]

...this kind of music fits the bill for white 15-55 folks.

Speak for yourself, not all white folks like country music.

[jackie5275]

Well I for one will miss viewing the tailgating on the parking garage roofs. the most ideal people watching...sooo much fun watching people pee on the roof as if 1000's of workers in the towers above them couldn't see them...ahh the smell of urine and puke and hopping over the river of pee near my car...the good old days

Well, you still have today to enjoy those antics.

[casscorridor]

Good. Keep them away from the city.

[Danny]

Good riddance to that Hoedown. Hoedowns in usually in the open country anyway.

[Honky Tonk]

Downtown events aren't that big of an economic boost

I'm sure the 107,000 Electronic Music Festival fans don't generate much revenue.