Tom Wilson will be hired by Ilitches to oversee Red Wings, Tigers

**tkelly1986** · February-22-10, 07:41 PM

The article specifically mentions that he is tasked with building a new Red Wings arena in Detroit [[second article more directly).

http://www.wxyz.com/content/sports/t...oi6VrMmnQ.cspx

http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index....l_be_hire.html

**R8RBOB** · February-22-10, 08:00 PM

Wow, this is a game changer. Tom Wilson is the big winner in this. He gets to oversee two professional franchises plus he will be the front man to get the new arena built. The Ilitches scored a coup on this one.

http://r8rbob.wordpress.com

**Cincinnati_Kid** · February-23-10, 01:50 AM

No game changer here. Tom Wilson is nobody special, He was Bill Davidson's, yes man who probably would have got the boot anyway after Mr D passed on. Something is going on anyway with the Pistons being up for sale. Wilson probably thought now is a good time to bale, before he got fired. Could JoeD be next?? Stay tuned.

**Maof** · February-23-10, 08:01 AM

the old tiger stadium spot, imo, would be a great spot for the new red wings arena

**eastland** · February-23-10, 08:35 AM

The Corktown residents will love having their neighborhood turned into a parking lot again with drunks peeing on their lawns after games.

**bdglsmn** · February-23-10, 09:29 AM

The negativity here is amazing. Tom Wilson was the head guy in a well run organization for many years. His coming to Detroit to work for the Illitch family is a good deal for everyone involved including the city of Detroit IMO.

**esp1986** · February-23-10, 09:39 AM

Originally Posted by bdglsmn

The negativity here is amazing. Tom Wilson was the head guy in a well run organization for many years. His coming to Detroit to work for the Illitch family is a good deal for everyone involved including the city of Detroit IMO.

This is huge for the Ilitches and the City of Detroit... any plans for possibly buying part of the Palace Empire aside, he was one of the key individuals in building that empire... with his expertise, he could do the same thing downtown for Mike Ilitch...

**BShea** · February-23-10, 09:48 AM

No game changer here. Tom Wilson is nobody special, He was Bill Davidson's, yes man who probably would have got the boot anyway after Mr D passed on.

That couldn't be more wrong. He was instrumental in the design of the Palace, which set the standard for modern arenas -- after the industry said at the time it was insane and would fail. He's run a venue empire that's been honored left and right for its promotions and sellouts. Teams in all four of the major leagues are interested in him, as is private business [[non sports).

I don't know Wilson personally other than interviewing him a few times for stories over the years, but I do know the sports industry and what people have to say about him. If the Ilitch thing is true, they're getting a respected guy with a proven track record to orchestrate the new hockey [[and possibly joint basketball) facility. He's also a wealth of inside knowledge for the Ilitches if they're truly planning to partner with PS&E -- or buy it. It's like trading for your next opponent's starting quarterback and coach right before you play them.

**kraig** · February-23-10, 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by bdglsmn

The negativity here is amazing. Tom Wilson was the head guy in a well run organization for many years. His coming to Detroit to work for the Illitch family is a good deal for everyone involved including the city of Detroit IMO.

And your opinion is dead on the money in this case.

**esp1986** · February-23-10, 10:19 AM

Originally Posted by BShea

No game changer here. Tom Wilson is nobody special, He was Bill Davidson's, yes man who probably would have got the boot anyway after Mr D passed on.

That couldn't be more wrong. He was instrumental in the design of the Palace, which set the standard for modern arenas -- after the industry said at the time it was insane and would fail. He's run a venue empire that's been honored left and right for its promotions and sellouts. Teams in all four of the major leagues are interested in him, as is private business [[non sports).

I don't know Wilson personally other than interviewing him a few times for stories over the years, but I do know the sports industry and what people have to say about him. If the Ilitch thing is true, they're getting a respected guy with a proven track record to orchestrate the new hockey [[and possibly joint basketball) facility. He's also a wealth of inside knowledge for the Ilitches if they're truly planning to partner with PS&E -- or buy it. It's like trading for your next opponent's starting quarterback and coach right before you play them.

I too, have from a few people that Wilson is very respected, and considering the empire he helped build, it is no surprise that the Ilitches would be persuing him... should the Ilitches be interested in any part of PSE, including the Pistons, Wilson's relationship with PSE will be a huge step forward right off the bat...

**bailey** · February-23-10, 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by Maof

the old tiger stadium spot, imo, would be a great spot for the new red wings arena

my hope is that they figure out a way to renovate/rebuild in place. They likely wont as illitch has been buying up property over by the fox for years, but it sure would be nice to not have yet another hulking empty and obsolete structure on the waterfront.

**Enduro** · February-23-10, 01:19 PM

Perhaps the Pistons and Wings will swap venues? That might be a short term shot in the arm to the sagging ticket sales...

On a more serious note, does anyone know if Illitch has any interest in the Pistons? Moving them downtown would be great. Of course that would potentially leave an empty Palace and JLA but right now it's silly how both teams play at home on the same night so often in this area. Almost no other city with pro basketball and hockey have their teams in different arenas, not even NYC. There's only so many sports fans with money to burn. I would go to tons of Pistons games if this was the case. Right now I hate the drive to and the whole infrastructure surrounding the Palace.

**iheartthed** · February-23-10, 01:46 PM

Originally Posted by eastland

The Corktown residents will love having their neighborhood turned into a parking lot again with drunks peeing on their lawns after games.

Well, if they didn't get used to it during the century that Tiger stadium was in that location... I dunno what more to say?

To me it makes the most sense to put any new stadium in that location. Much more sense than clearing land and redrawing the city grid downtown...

**bailey** · February-23-10, 01:49 PM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Well, if they didn't get used to it during the century that Tiger stadium was in that location... I dunno what more to say?

Same could be said for all those folks that live downwind of the incinerator too right? They should be used to it by now, why shut it down?

**iheartthed** · February-23-10, 02:17 PM

Originally Posted by bailey

Same could be said for all those folks that live downwind of the incinerator too right? They should be used to it by now, why shut it down?

Apples and oranges. Businesses and traffic patterns grew up around that stadium having existed there for a century. There was no one owning a house in Corktown in 1999 who purchased it before Tiger Stadium was built.

**Maof** · February-23-10, 02:38 PM

if illitch were to build behind the fox, which is one rumor, it would be too congested. now it just might bring more business back if it were to be built on the tiger stadium spot. it just an empty hole now ready to be built upon.

**Enduro** · February-23-10, 02:45 PM

People are just starting to build in Corktown again and there's demand [[believe me, I was looking for a house to buy in Corktown and they were all priced higher than I was willing to pay). I don't think it's the appropriate place for a new arena unless they use the space wisely and build with parking and perhaps some retail space in mind [[hockey and basketball take a much smaller footprint than football or baseball). Also zone it so people aren't encouraged to knock down historic homes so they can make parking lots. This shouldn't be too hard since there's no way a new arena would be built to hold as many fans as Tiger Stadium and it would also help keep urine in it's appropriate place.

**bailey** · February-23-10, 02:49 PM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Apples and oranges. Businesses and traffic patterns grew up around that stadium having existed there for a century. There was no one owning a house in Corktown in 1999 who purchased it before Tiger Stadium was built.

If this were 1999 I'd agree with you, however, this is 2010. Tiger stadium hasn't been used as a stadium in over ten years. No one who bought in the intervening 10 [[15-20 if we're talking completion of construction of new stadium) purchased it WITH a stadium there.

**iheartthed** · February-23-10, 02:55 PM

Originally Posted by bailey

If this were 1999 I'd agree with you, however, this is 2010. Tiger stadium hasn't been used as a stadium in over ten years. No one who bought in the intervening 10 [[15-20 if we're talking completion of construction of new stadium) purchased it WITH a stadium there.

Same can be said of whoever will be the unfortunate neighbor of the stadium should it be put in another neighborhood. But in terms of an environment already cultivated for the existence of a major league sports stadium... It just makes sense to put it on the site of the old Tiger Stadium.

**BShea** · February-23-10, 04:17 PM

Keep in mind that the Ilitches are investing in the Woodward light rail project, and have many of their business entities [[owned or managed) within easy walking distance of Woodward -- Comerica, the Fox, Masonic, MotorCity, etc.

Michigan and Trumball is a hike, across several major roads, from Woodward ...

**mikeg19** · February-23-10, 08:31 PM

Originally Posted by BShea

Keep in mind that the Ilitches are investing in the Woodward light rail project, and have many of their business entities [[owned or managed) within easy walking distance of Woodward -- Comerica, the Fox, Masonic, MotorCity, etc.

Michigan and Trumball is a hike, across several major roads, from Woodward ...

Exactly. We could debate forever on the many parcels of land that a new stadium could be built on in Detroit. But I think we need to realize where it would be of most gain to the Illitch's. Foxtown and Motorcity seem to be the most logical places to put the stadium.

**casscorridor** · February-24-10, 01:40 AM

my location picks:

first option -- renovate/rebuild the Joe, and move the Pistons there as well.
second option -- the massive parking garage next to Motor City Casino
last option -- create the final superblock to finally wall Downtown off [[Foxtown)

problem with the first option is what do we do with Wings when they are rebuilding, I assume the best option would be the Palace, but it will be bad or Downtown for a couple years and they might see a dip in ticket sales, but will come back and rebound in the new stadium.

problem with the second option [[and the last option) is that it no longer has a people mover connection, which I think is one of the strongest aspects of the Joe. In addition, the People Mover will connect to the light-rail, but also take you around Downtown to places the light-rail will not, such as Greektown.

problem with the last option is that there is slowly less and less blocks Downtown on which to develop real urban places. Although there are less empty lots, there are more superblocks that have made a wall around Downtown, with few openings. This combined with the freeways acting as barriers, the surrounding neighborhoods couldn't seem further away from Downtown, yet are so close.

**Enduro** · February-24-10, 02:01 AM

I just never understood why they built the Joe on the river when it has no frickin' windows! And the area becomes a weird ghost town just an hour or two after a game lets out. It's almost kind of creepy and I don't find it all that walkable. I'm fine with Foxtown because if the arena doesn't happen there I don't have a lot of hope for the parking lots and rotting buildings there ever will become a "real neighborhood."

One thing I hope Tom Wilson does bring to the existing venues is decent service at the concessions, box office and the like. The Palace staff does that stuff very well, are very customer friendly and will run promotions to maintain sell outs [[the last two years being exceptions). There's more food options at a Mud Hens game in Toledo than at Comerica and the service is better. I've even seen scores of Comerica ushers foraging for uneaten food after a game which tells me volumes about the way they're treated.

**Gsgeorge** · February-24-10, 05:25 AM

Detroit has finally managed to attract one of the area's brightest and best businessmen from the suburbs into the CBD, finally, and you guys have nothing but complaints.

Tom Wilson & a new arena are huge steps forward for the city. For all the bad rap the Illitches get for demolishing small structures in Foxtown, it appears they do have big plans after all. A new arena in either Corktown or Foxtown would be fantastic. I think the Illitches & others have learned a lot from Joe Louis -- about what NOT to do when it comes to building a sports arena. The new one will be more accessible, more human, more Detroit. Expect a brick facade and large windows, with a classic design incorporating modern elements and amenities.

I cannot see how this is not good news...

**j32885** · February-28-10, 10:52 PM

With Wilson now in control of things, chances of the new Detroit arena will now go forward. I hoping for this design for the new arena.

http://newolympia.blogspot.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PTHh...eature=related