Detroit World's Expo

[izzyindetroit]

I know I will get a lot of pessimistic feedback for starting this thread, but what do you all think about Detroit hosting a World's Fair in the next 15-20 years?

There hasn't been one in the US since 1984 and it would certainly improve the city, economy, and reputation. Who is to say that those three things won't change in the next two centuries, if it does then there would be even more reason to celebrate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expo_[[exhibition)

Just a thought.

[dtowncitylover]

I'm an optismist, and once thought about having a World's Fiar here. But when the Bureau of International Expositions gives out their choice city for an expo, it must be in that particular city, I see no where in Detroit for a space large enough to place a world's fair. We also need better mass transportation to move around the millions that would come.

Except if we deindustralize Zug Island, if that. The State Fair locale is just too small. Let's [[sigh) keep dreaming.

[DetroitPlanner]

DCL, I've visited the 1984 site in Knoxville several years back [[1994). It is tiny, does not have anywhere near the public transit that Detroit has. I would doubt we could de-industrialize Zug Island. The clean-up costs would be enromous and why should we be kicking companies out of Detroit when we need the revenue they generate [[taxes, jobs)?

A better ploy for Zug is to try to enforce some EPA standards and clean much of it up, but that would take political will.

[davewindsor]

Why not think big and go way out there and bid against Chicago to host the 2016 Olympics? Only $5billion dollars plus another $50million to enter the bidding process http://www.parade.com/news/intellige...-olympics.html

Just loose change for a bankrupt city...

Even for something like a World Expo, it's gotta cost at least a billion to buy up and clear an abandoned area and set up the infrastructure. Where does the money come from?

[dtowncitylover]

DCL, I've visited the 1984 site in Knoxville several years back [[1994). It is tiny, does not have anywhere near the public transit that Detroit has. I would doubt we could de-industrialize Zug Island. The clean-up costs would be enromous and why should we be kicking companies out of Detroit when we need the revenue they generate [[taxes, jobs)?

A better ploy for Zug is to try to enforce some EPA standards and clean much of it up, but that would take political will.

I'm not saying that we should deindustrialize Zug Island, just saying that's the largest space in one area that would fit such an event. And Knoxville doesn't have the region like we do. There's tons of stuff to do outside the city that would attract fair-goers, and reliable mass transportation would be a key things so that people wouldn't have to drive here, rent a car, and pay to park.

Also, World's Fairs are run just like the Olympics. Held every 2-4 years, awarded to bidding cities by the BIE, Bureau of International Expositions. The next one is 2010 in Shangai, China. I am campaigning for Expo 2017 to be in Edmonton, Alberta.

[DetroitPlanner]

I'm sure you can find areas to reclaim that would be bigger than Zug. At the turn of the last centrury Chicago's Expo grounds became Jackson Park; One of the huge parks found along the lakeshore. Imagine what we could do use an Expo to provide a catalyst for change.

Knoxville used it to clean out a RR yard. We already are close to implementing a plan for a train from Detroit to AA, why not figure out where we can put it in that area? There are plenty of places that come to mind including the old Cadillac Factory at Fort that could utilize the train as well as buses from Michigan Ave or Vernor. Once the fair is over the buildings are fair game for development. In the case of Chicago, one became the Museum of Science and Industry and the rest were torn down for parkland.

Transit could be easily used to link it to downtown, New Center, DIA, and to the Henry Ford. Hotels from the Airport to Downtown would see a benefit.

[dtowncitylover]

I'm sure you can find areas to reclaim that would be bigger than Zug. At the turn of the last centrury Chicago's Expo grounds became Jackson Park; One of the huge parks found along the lakeshore. Imagine what we could do use an Expo to provide a catalyst for change.

Knoxville used it to clean out a RR yard. We already are close to implementing a plan for a train from Detroit to AA, why not figure out where we can put it in that area? There are plenty of places that come to mind including the old Cadillac Factory at Fort that could utilize the train as well as buses from Michigan Ave or Vernor. Once the fair is over the buildings are fair game for development. In the case of Chicago, one became the Museum of Science and Industry and the rest were torn down for parkland.

Transit could be easily used to link it to downtown, New Center, DIA, and to the Henry Ford. Hotels from the Airport to Downtown would see a benefit.

At the turn of the century, there was a lot more land to use that wasn't already developed, in both Chicago and Detroit.

[FlyingJ]

Actually I read a book about child hobos during the Depression...a popular pastime was jumping freight trains to National Expositions & sneaking in...I'm sure that's why the Golden Gate Exposition was held on a manmade island[[conflicted w/the NY World's Fair, too);
http://www.expomuseum.com/1939s/

[DetroitPlanner]

At the turn of the century, there was a lot more land to use that wasn't already developed, in both Chicago and Detroit.

If land is your only criteria, there is a lot of land out by DTW.

Chicago used it to move a garbage dump off of the lakefront. They also built addition land by filling-in the lake. I'd like to get something lasting from a Development, similar to how the Superbowl got the City to think about the streetscapes along Washington, Woodward, Gratiot, and Broadway.

By developing it in a fallow area you can sow the seeds for TOD [[Transit Orientated Development) and help to revitalize an area while providing recreational facilities.

[JBMcB]

It's far-fetched, someone will need to find a *ton* of investment capital that companies and/or states wouldn't mind seeing practically no return on.

What about Belle Isle? There are several, mostly abandoned buildings that could be renovated into exhibition halls. There are large, empty plots of land that could be used for new development, without wrecking the picnic or wildlife areas. The old zoo could be torn down for more space. The aquarium could be renovated. Put parking and a visitor's center on the brownfield next to the bridge and have ferries move people back and forth. Heck, have a ferry depart from Hart Plaza, which is fairly central to most downtown hotels.

Then, if nobody wants to use the buildings for anything else [[they seem to get turned into museums, mostly) who cares? At least they aren't another set of derelict buildings gumming up downtown.

[dtowncitylover]

If land is your only criteria, there is a lot of land out by DTW.

Chicago used it to move a garbage dump off of the lakefront. They also built addition land by filling-in the lake. I'd like to get something lasting from a Development, similar to how the Superbowl got the City to think about the streetscapes along Washington, Woodward, Gratiot, and Broadway.

By developing it in a fallow area you can sow the seeds for TOD [[Transit Orientated Development) and help to revitalize an area while providing recreational facilities.

That's nice, but the BIE would probably want to see the fair located IN the city, not a suburb. Belle Isle would be one possibilty...but it would have to be designed carefully so that the character of the place would not be disturbed. And if one remembers, Expo 67 in Montreal was based on TWO islands.

[DetroitPlanner]

That's nice, but the BIE would probably want to see the fair located IN the city, not a suburb.

I forgot to put the sarcastic next to DTW. I would love to see that land farmed. Once it gets paved over, that ship sails. In fact I was E of there yesterday and saw a huge portion being farmed off of Harrison. Learn something everyday.

I did think about Belle Isle or Rouge, but I'd love to be able to build something that would have lasting benefits. I can't see how building something where there is already something developed [[parks are passive developments) could do that. I agree that we should look at reclaiming something such as your Zug Island suggestion, but I would have environmental and economic concerns with that site.

I like JMB's suggestion regarding the center part of the island because it really does need some help. I doubt however you could get much productivity out of the existing buildings because they are not sized accordingly. Maybe something can be done with the State Fair? Afterall the RR runs next to it, as does M-1.

[Fury13]

Expos and world's fairs are hosted by great cities, or at least by up-and-coming cities.

Detroit is neither.

Don't hold your breath waiting for this ridiculous idea to bear fruit.

[dtowncitylover]

Expos and world's fairs are hosted by great cities, or at least by up-and-coming cities.

Detroit is neither.

Don't hold your breath waiting for this ridiculous idea to bear fruit.

That's actually not true. A list of cities who have hosted world's fair that are probably neither "great" nor "up-and-coming": Buffalo, Charleston, Knoxville, Yesou, South Korea [[hosting Expo 2012), Tsukuba, Japan, Omaha, Zaragoza, Spain, New Orleans. At least for now, yes, Detroit hosting a world's fair is a bit out of the question. But I could see within my lifetime, a credible bid.

[szla]

Detroit hosted an International exposition [[worlds fair) in Delray right next to Zug Island in 1889. There are few pictures. Hour Magazine ran a really nice article on it a year or so ago. It's definitely worth reading.

[Fury13]

Detroit hosted an International exposition [[worlds fair) in Delray right next to Zug Island in 1889. There are few pictures. Hour Magazine ran a really nice article on it a year or so ago. It's definitely worth reading.

Detroit was definitely up-and-coming in 1889.

[izzyindetroit]

Detroit hosted an International exposition [[worlds fair) in Delray right next to Zug Island in 1889. There are few pictures. Hour Magazine ran a really nice article on it a year or so ago. It's definitely worth reading.

Hmm... Never heard of it.

Must have been overshadowed by the Exposition Universelle and the Eiffel Tower in France.

[irish_mafia]

We can do all of these things...the world is our oyster... as long as we once again become an attractive place to do business and live in....[[neither of which are projected anytime in the future based on the actions of [[most of the) governmental bodies in this region.

More likely to become a larger goat farm with a couple UAW protesters picketing the farmer because he won't supply them with a jobs bank.

Remember, who you elect makes a difference.

[RickBeall]

If we need land, we could fill in the Detroit river!

[EastsideAl]

Does anyone actually care about World's Fairs anymore? Years ago I remember a big fuss being made over the 1964 World's Fair in NYC, the 1967 Expo in Montreal, and even the 1970 Expo in Osaka Japan. But after that I don't remember hearing all that much excitement over these events. I do remember that the Knoxville fair fell well short of its projected visitor numbers, the one they held in New Orleans nearly closed in the middle of its run and was a financial debacle, and even the Vancouver fair, which was seen as reasonably successful, lost hundreds of millions of dollars. So, the long and short of it is that I'm not sure its worth it, or that anyone would care enough that it would really improve Detroit's standing in the world.

As for your Olympic idea Dave, I'm afraid you're too late. The final selection for 2016 will be made in less than a month now, and the USOC chose Chicago as the U.S. representative [[only one allowed per country) a couple of years ago. Detroit did finish as the runner-up for the 1964 and 1968 games though!

[dtowncitylover]

Does anyone actually care about World's Fairs anymore? Years ago I remember a big fuss being made over the 1964 World's Fair in NYC, the 1967 Expo in Montreal, and even the 1970 Expo in Osaka Japan. But after that I don't remember hearing all that much excitement over these events. I do remember that the Knoxville fair fell well short of its projected visitor numbers, the one they held in New Orleans nearly closed in the middle of its run and was a financial debacle, and even the Vancouver fair, which was seen as reasonably successful, lost hundreds of millions of dollars. So, the long and short of it is that I'm not sure its worth it, or that anyone would care enough that it would really improve Detroit's standing in the world.

As for your Olympic idea Dave, I'm afraid you're too late. The final selection for 2016 will be made in less than a month now, and the USOC chose Chicago as the U.S. representative [[only one allowed per country) a couple of years ago. Detroit did finish as the runner-up for the 1964 and 1968 games though!

Correction: Detroit bid for the 1944, 1952, 1956, 1960, 1964, 1968, and 1970 Summer Olympic Games. We are the most bidding city that has never won the games. But yes, World's Fairs are still an important place for the world to come together to discuss and meet about the theme of that certain world's fair. The last fair was in Zaragoza, Spain and it pertained to water.