Palace Sports CEO: Open to talks with Ilitches on arena, Red Wings

[DetroitSTAR]

Mike Illitch was on 97.1 The Ticket this morning talking about Ernie Harwell, Red Wings hockey, and Tigers baseball. He was asked where the Red Wings will play next season. He said they are working to extend the lease at The Joe, but that "these things take time." The follow up question asked if we can expect a new arena. He said that even though the market for that is bleak right now, that is their plan. He mentioned that is exactly why they brought in Tom Wilson.

You heard it right from the owners mouth...The Red Wings will stay in Detroit, and will have a new arena.

[DetroitPlanner]

And how does this differ from previous conversations? Could not the new arena he mentioned for the Wings be the same arena used by the Pistons in AH? The reality is that a new arena will cost tens of millions, if not $100+ million, the market is soft, why not use the same arena for both? Why build new when one exists that is superior to the JLA and you can use the $$ expended not expended to develop a new arena to grow your business and buy at least part ownership in the Pistons?

[DetroitSTAR]

He specifically stated that Tom Wilson was brought in to help build a new arena. Illitch will not let his team leave downtown. His investment there is too strong. As long as he realizes it will have to be done with virtually no public money, then I am all for it.

[R8RBOB]

And how does this differ from previous conversations? Could not the new arena he mentioned for the Wings be the same arena used by the Pistons in AH? The reality is that a new arena will cost tens of millions, if not $100+ million, the market is soft, why not use the same arena for both? Why build new when one exists that is superior to the JLA and you can use the $$ expended not expended to develop a new arena to grow your business and buy at least part ownership in the Pistons?

Say no to Auburn Hills. LOL

[artds]

You heard it right from the owners mouth...The Red Wings will stay in Detroit,

Did Illitch actually say that? Because the statements of his that you posted don't include anything about them staying in Detroit. Are you just inferring from his statement that a new arena will be built that it would necessarily be built in Detroit?

[Crew]

Mike is nearly 81 years old. He better hurry if he wants to see a new hockey area built in his lifetime.

[1KielsonDrive]

I think he'll buy the Pistons and move the Wings to Auburn Hills. It is all about the bottom line, you know. Even for a hometown 'hero' like Illitch. He could get the team, arena and everything else, for as much as it would cost to build a new arena. He didn't bring Wilson on board just for his ability to procure a new arena and tax dollars to pay for it, he got him for his intimate knowledge of the Piston's organization. Before you all start slapping me around, this is just an uneducated guess, a gut feeling. I'm not claiming I'm an expert on Sports Management, but I do have a line to the lord and he's on my side - I hope.

[rb336]

I think he'll buy the Pistons and move the Wings to Auburn Hills. It is all about the bottom line, you know.

exactly WHY he will not move to auburn hills or buy the pistons. The wings have a huge downriver following, and AH is a long way from Wyandotte, and to get there on a weekday for a 7:00 game? that's an hour and a half, easy, one way

[ndavies]

Ilitch buying the Palace makes no sense at all. He wouldn't get any taxpayer subsidies if he bought the Palace. He would have to pay fair market value for it. It's one of the top performing venues in the country. It won't be cheap. It will be much cheaper for him to build a new stadium downtown. The city will bend over backwards to keep him in the city.

Also since they won't be putting the new stadium where the Joe is, He can continue on with his incredibly low rent at the Joe until a new stadium is completed. While the Joe isn't an Ideal stadium, It will suffice until the new downtown stadium is built.

[dtowncitylover]

exactly WHY he will not move to auburn hills or buy the pistons. The wings have a huge downriver following, and AH is a long way from Wyandotte, and to get there on a weekday for a 7:00 game? that's an hour and a half, easy, one way

And all the ones from Toledo and Windsor who come in for the evening. I even bet some of the Windsorites use the tunnel bus for games.

[1KielsonDrive]

exactly WHY he will not move to auburn hills or buy the pistons. The wings have a huge downriver following, and AH is a long way from Wyandotte, and to get there on a weekday for a 7:00 game? that's an hour and a half, easy, one way

That is an excellent point. And the only one I've heard so far that makes a lot of sense to keeping the Wings downtown. Not that I'd like to see them move. But, when it comes to bucks, you never know what a billionaire would do for a few more hundreds of millions. Look at the opportunity Illitch lost to have a world class, historic ballpark with a rebuilt Tiger Stadium. I've attended one Tiger game since. If they move from downtown, how will I register my protest?

[Gistok]

Gotta love how these threads evolve... someone quotes a reliable source [[Mr. I. himself), and then others have their mindset to the contrary, and then argue about it with nothing to back it up....

Ilitch has said NO to buying the Pistons....

Ilitch has spent millions and millions on empty [[well it is now) land around west Foxtown and Midtown....

Ilitch now says that he hired Tom Wilson to [[eventually) build a downtown arena....

So why are some here still arguing about a move to Auburn Hills???

[KOMPOST]

Gotta love how these threads evolve... someone quotes a reliable source [[Mr. I. himself), and then others have their mindset to the contrary, and then argue about it with nothing to back it up....

Ilitch has said NO to buying the Pistons....

Ilitch has spent millions and millions on empty [[well it is now) land around west Foxtown and Midtown....

Ilitch now says that he hired Tom Wilson to [[eventually) build a downtown arena....

So why are some here still arguing about a move to Auburn Hills???

Because they salivate at the thought of never having to step foot in the city again.
Sporting events are one of the very last frontiers for them.
It's pretty amusing actually.

[1KielsonDrive]

Gotta love how these threads evolve... someone quotes a reliable source [[Mr. I. himself), and then others have their mindset to the contrary, and then argue about it with nothing to back it up....

Ilitch has said NO to buying the Pistons....

Ilitch has spent millions and millions on empty [[well it is now) land around west Foxtown and Midtown....

Ilitch now says that he hired Tom Wilson to [[eventually) build a downtown arena....

So why are some here still arguing about a move to Auburn Hills???

Sounds more like discussing and speculating than arguing for..............

[1KielsonDrive]

Gotta love how these threads evolve... someone quotes a reliable source [[Mr. I. himself), and then others have their mindset to the contrary, and then argue about it with nothing to back it up....

Ilitch has said NO to buying the Pistons....

Ilitch has spent millions and millions on empty [[well it is now) land around west Foxtown and Midtown....

Ilitch now says that he hired Tom Wilson to [[eventually) build a downtown arena....

So why are some here still arguing about a move to Auburn Hills???

Number 1 : I don't consider Illitch to be a reliable source. He'll do and say anything to accomplish his ends. After the Tiger Stadium fiasco [[as well as numerous other things), I don't believe him for a minute. So what if he's said no to buying the Pistons? Did he swear on a bible? [[uh, oh, I'm getting my threads mixed up here). Would it matter if he did? He may be faking out his competition, doesn't want to reveal his hand. How's that for an evolution of a thread?

[1KielsonDrive]

Because they salivate at the thought of never having to step foot in the city again.
Sporting events are one of the very last frontiers for them.
It's pretty amusing actually.

Agreed. Agreed.

[R8RBOB]

Number 1 : I don't consider Illitch to be a reliable source. He'll do and say anything to accomplish his ends. After the Tiger Stadium fiasco [[as well as numerous other things), I don't believe him for a minute. So what if he's said no to buying the Pistons? Did he swear on a bible? [[uh, oh, I'm getting my threads mixed up here). Would it matter if he did? He may be faking out his competition, doesn't want to reveal his hand. How's that for an evolution of a thread?

[[Scratching my head after reading this)

Most of this is silly but I want to comment about your first two sentences.

Number 1 : I don't consider Illitch to be a reliable source.

This is confusing because we know he is the owner of the team and if he says anything in reference to the future of the team, wouldn't he be the ultimate source since the buck stops with him?

He'll do and say anything to accomplish his ends.

Now I really don't understand this sentence because he didn't get to become a billionaire waiting for someone else to accomplish his ends.

[DetroitSTAR]

The context of the interview is very important here...

Mike Illitch granted a rare interview because Ernie was a close friend. The show hosts tossed in a couple questions that were sports related. Illitch clearly had his mind on other things, but I truly believe he was being honest and not playing any other cards. I am very much anti-illitch and I dont trust his word much. But today I trusted his word 100%.

[emu steve]

I agree with Gistok.

I've been posting for years that everything I've seen happening in Foxtown and later Midtown STRONGLY argue for a new arena at whichever site he can MAKE WORK.

Maybe Gistok can weigh in, but might the arena be nearing completion today behind the Fox if Ilitch could have completed parcel assembly behind the Fox before the economy went to hell in 2008?

[Gistok]

Thanks EMU Steve...

Although 1kielsondrive and I may not necessarily agree 100% on this topic, we've always been respectful of each others posts and opinions...

But as far as the Pistons goes... Mike Ilitch has always been a big fan of Baseball [[wanted to play in the pro's) and Hockey... and I think Marian is the bigger fan here...

But I don't think he's been a big fan of basketball. And if he were interested in having a 3rd major sports team... he'd likely have to purchase both the Pistons and the Palace. I doubt he would be able to buy the team without the venue.

And the reason for that is because Guardian Industries... the glassmaker corporation that made Bill Davidson a billionaire... has their HQ located right next door to the Palace. If Mrs. Davidson and Mr. Davidson's son from his first marriage plan to keep the company... it would not be in their interest to have an empty hulk next door.

Also... with the millions that Ilitch Holdings has spent on land Downtown and in Midtown... what else would you expect they do with it?? Build condos? Does that sound like something the Ilitch's would do??

Since they're not able to use eminent domain... they've been forced to buy large tracts of land in both locations. And when the time comes for the building of a new arena... they'll pit the different areas [[holdout landowners) against each other.... and then decide where to build.

Even though the Palace is among the top half dozen venues in the country... that still won't be enough to save it from the same fate as the Silverdome.

But we shall see....

[emu steve]

Gistok,

There might be something good coming of these two large parcel assemblies.

One might be an arena.

The 2nd might be ????

Someone who knows business land use, etc. etc. might be able to develop two scenarios:

1). Ilitch builds an arena behind the Fox and does [[what) with the Midtown land.

2). Ilitich builds an arena in Midtown and does [[what ) with the Foxtown land.

Either way he has accumulated much more land then if he eventually will need.

The 3rd scenario is that an arena isn't built in either but that's a bummer.

I think Ilitch deserves credit for his long and costly efforts to do all of the site assembly happen which is necessary before a new arena can go forward.

[emu steve]

I'll respond to my own post...

If a new arena is built in Midtown and Ilitch puts up a few garages between the arena and the Fisher [[they could serve Comerica fans as well) then I think the land behind the Fox will be forlorn for many, many years.

That land would have little value.

Value for what???

As far as building behind the Fox and then what [[?) for the Midtown site.

Having such a large parcel in the hands of one person is a good thing, I think, making something else "big" possible.

But what?????

[Boy Named Sue]

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...-Joe-next-year

[esp1986]

I'll respond to my own post...

If a new arena is built in Midtown and Ilitch puts up a few garages between the arena and the Fisher [[they could serve Comerica fans as well) then I think the land behind the Fox will be forlorn for many, many years.

That land would have little value.

Value for what???

As far as building behind the Fox and then what [[?) for the Midtown site.

Having such a large parcel in the hands of one person is a good thing, I think, making something else "big" possible.

But what?????

My hope is that he is able to build behind the Fox for a number of reasons, I hope even fronting Grand River. A new arena would almost certainly mean that the derelict buildings in the GCP area would generate some interest for renovation. The UA has seen activity lately, and with all of the rumors out there, something is bound to be in the pipeline.

If an arena is built fronting Grand River, there would likely end up being some infrastructure improvements to the roads and bridges in that area, and anything like that could end up providing a better link out to Motor City Casino, and lets be honest, the road and I-75 overpass there are pretty rough.

On the other side, the DEGC owns the land fronting Woodward. There is likely not enough land behind the Fox for ample parking garages. So if the arena was built behind the Fox, then parking across I-75 via covered walkway on the [[presumably) Ilitch owned land, the land that the DEGC still owns fronting Woodward can be developed, as it would likely have some interest with its proximity to the likely parking garages, which would get a lot of foot traffic on Woodward during Wings', Tigers & Lions [[and hopefully Pistons) games.

On the other hand, should the arena end up on Woodward, there is more than enough land there to build the parking garages there as well as the arena, so the area behind the Fox would sit in its present state for decades to come, as the Ilitches own it, and will likely just sit on it as they have for the past 10+ years, basically since the last two stadiums were built.

The more expansive option as far as economic development is conerned is to put the arena in GCP area or even fronting Grand River, behind the Fox Theatre. The parking garages across I-75 would mean foot traffic along Woodward year round, likely generating interest in the city owned property. Properties in the GCP area and even maybe toward Woodward and Merchants Row could see interest. Think, the Charlevoix, Park Avenue Building, United Artists Building, maybe finally see a restaurant in the Kales Building, and maybe over to the David Whitney Building. If no arena is built over by GCP, none of these buildings may ever generating enough interest to be renovated...

So this is why I am really hoping for behind the Fox. Should the economy ever improve, the two projects north of I-75, including the Eddystone, may yet help that area even more.

[DetroitSTAR]

I am wondering why I am the only person that wants to see this at Woodward and I75, across from Crosswind Condos. I think having a restaurant row along woodward, rebuilding a street scene and hiding the derelict scene between downtown and midtown could only be a good thing.