Ficano, L. Brooks, Ken Cockrel, Cobo

**kraig** · April-21-09, 07:41 AM

Has anyone noticed that we haven't heard anything from the Wayne, Oakland or Macomb County Commissions on the Cobo Deal? Is it a matter that they have no say so, or is it a matter that their leaders were smart enough to get the legislative body's okay before finalizing a deal in Lansing?

Ken Cockrel should now speak with City Council, find out what they want in a deal, present it to the other decision makers and negotiate from there. He should also take a couple of Council Members with him.

I've spoken to some state Reps and Senators and I don't believe they're as opposed to working out a deal as people may think. I do believe that they won't the Mayor to do the legwork and due diligence this time around. They may not respect city council, but, they don't trust him. He misled everyone involved into believing that he could deliver and he couldn't. What makes it so bad is that they put him in a situation where all he had to do was tie and he would win. Pathetic.

**SWMAP** · April-21-09, 08:25 AM

I think you have an agenda about Ken Cockrel! I have very good connections on this and I am told that the governor said last week that she has absolutely no interest in doing anything with Monica Conyers and no intention to speak with her at all. I believe that Patterson said the same thing. So, as long as she is involved, there will be no deal.

Detroit's weak Lansing delegation can meander around all they want. Do you suppose the very bright Coleman Young Jr. can make a new deal happen? Hardly likely.

**digitalvision** · April-21-09, 09:39 AM

Well I know the reason that OC hasn't said anything is that they're prepping to build theirs to be ready for 2011 if there is no deal.

The plan would be comprehensive with new construction, including new bars, hotels, etc. around it. And despite the economy, there are interested investors with money - because it's Oakland County and frankly, L. Brooks has a SOLID track record of attracting development [[even though it may be suburban style).

And knowing many event planners as a I do, a non-union, Oakland County based convention center would suck the rest of the air out Cobo. Event organizers hate Cobo, it's work rules, and especially it's high costs. Very few enjoy working at Cobo and they really hate working in the city of Detroit, having at times to handle separate taxes, hold large amounts of money in escrow for the various unions, etc.

The Oakland County convention center will be a reality if Detroit doesn't get it's stuff together. And that's a shame.

**kraig** · April-21-09, 09:48 AM

Originally Posted by SWMAP

I think you have an agenda about Ken Cockrel! I have very good connections on this and I am told that the governor said last week that she has absolutely no interest in doing anything with Monica Conyers and no intention to speak with her at all. I believe that Patterson said the same thing. So, as long as she is involved, there will be no deal.

Detroit's weak Lansing delegation can meander around all they want. Do you suppose the very bright Coleman Young Jr. can make a new deal happen? Hardly likely.

The closest thing I have to an agenda is that I think that elected officials should be held accountable for their responsibilities. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Ken Cockrel was extremely quick to give himself credit for the Cobo deal when he thought it was going through. I believe his words were "I got the Cobo deal done in 3 months". If he's willing to take credit then he should be willing to take responsibility.

As far as the governor, her public stance has been that the legislators are not looking to take this up. If her stance is that she doesn't want to deal with Monica Conyers, then she's doing an injustice to all of the people that are supposed to benefit from this project. It also lends credibility to City vs Suburbs mentality that's holding back this entire state. Has Jennifer Granholm had the same attitude towards Oakland County because of something that she didn't like with L. Brooks Patterson? I doubt it.

Elected officials are supposed to be professional, but realistically, when you have a deal like this where over 100 elected officals are involved, you can expect that there are going to be some fools in the mix. Granted, all the fools in this deal all sit around the same table, but, it still had to be expected. Therefore, you have to stay professional enough to work around them.

And no, I don't expect Coleman Young Jr. to make the deal happen. However, since he does have a vote in Lansing I would be willing to engage him in conversation on the subject. Had Ken Cockrel done the same with Council Members instead of only talking with his step mother and 1 or 2 other Council Members then things might have turned out differently.

People have voices and people deserve to have their voices heard. For example, you didn't agree with my observation, but since you acknowledged my observation I appreciate you and would always be willing to hear what you have to say and give it consideration. Now if you are or were a politician, developing that kind of relationship with anyone is invaluable, because you responded in a professional manner.

**HPGrmln** · April-21-09, 09:56 AM

Pardon me for not being aware of the details, but where is this Oakland County Convention Center suppossed to be located?

**kraig** · April-21-09, 10:13 AM

Originally Posted by HPGrmln

Pardon me for not being aware of the details, but where is this Oakland County Convention Center suppossed to be located?

I think people are referring to the Convention Center in Novi.

**professorscott** · April-21-09, 11:45 AM

Nobody in Lansing has any stomach to try a second go-around on Cobo. Well, "nobody" is too strong, how about "not nearly enough people to make a difference". With regard to Macomb County, I think the leadership there is fully aware that if L. Brooks is not at the table, no deal is likely at all, so why should they waste their time with it?

This deal is as dead as Monty Python's pet parrot, mark my words. My Ouija board says that two things are going to happen, one for almost certain and one when the economy picks up. First, expansion in Novi. [[Car show? Maybe, maybe not.) Second, the new Macomb County convention center being planned by Paul Aragona and others near I-94 north of Mt. Clemens.

Nothing is going to happen to Cobo except for whatever Mother Nature dictates.