Should Detroit Fundraise to construct a 500 foot Spirit of Detroit Statue

**Newdetroit** · September-30-10, 09:49 PM

Many cities have icons. Eiffel Tower in Paris, Statue of Liberty in NY, CN Tower in Toronto, and the Arch in St. Louis. Just wondering if people think that if funds could be raised, would a 500 foot statue of the Spirit of Detroit with an observatory Deck at the top be a good idea for the city? Just like thousands visit the arch in St. Louis, wouldn't thousands visit the Spirit of Detroit? Would it draw tourists visiting the Detroit area and give the city another icon or symbol? For argument sake, let's not focus on whether the funds could be raised in thise economy...I am interested in whether a huge iconic statue like the Spirit of Detroit would be a good symbol and landmark for the city. Here is a list of the largest statues in the world. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_statues_by_height

**jt1** · September-30-10, 10:02 PM

Only if it is anatomically correct

**Trumpeteer** · September-30-10, 10:03 PM

Are you just sitting around thinking this shit up?? My God run for office or start a focus group or just gather like thinking individuals for this stuff. People don't go to Paris just for the Tower and sure as hell don't go to St. Louis to see the Arch. How about we consolidate Detroit into the "City of Michigan" and tout the big tire as out tourist draw?

**fryar** · September-30-10, 10:33 PM

Think of the possibilities! We could debut a whole new set of public shamings for our public officials who stray from the path of righteousness: We'll take our anatomically correct giant Spirit of Detroit, and stick 'em where the sun don't shine! I picture legs dangling from a giant ass, like in some Mad Magazine margin comic.

**Newdetroit** · September-30-10, 10:42 PM

Stop sounding your Trumpet!!! Where in the post does it say that people specifically visit those cities to visit these landmarks??? Read the post correctly. It said it people visiting Detroit would visit it.

Stosh · September-30-10, 10:47 PM

I envision a giant toga wearing figure, straddling the isthmus of the Detroit River, with a tram running up the legs from either side. Underneath the toga can be a observation deck, although it would be called something else by many.

It would also give the sailors of the Great Lakes something to talk about on the long lonely nights sailing the lakes.

**jcole** · September-30-10, 10:51 PM

The 500 foot Spirit will need a 400 foot Passo di Danza to keep him happy, or he may desert Detroit for New York harbor.

DetroitDad · September-30-10, 10:52 PM

We don't need a statue to tell us how great we are, and we don't want to advertise what we have to others. Detroit will survive as an unseen force that only uses statues for local celebration and inspiration.

**n7hn** · September-30-10, 11:01 PM

NAIN ROUGE....... Lets spread the love aroind

**jcole** · September-30-10, 11:03 PM

Originally Posted by n7hn

NAIN ROUGE....... Lets spread the love aroind

I don't think a 500' Nain would be very appealing. Kind of like a giant red Vernor's gnome

**CLAUDE G** · September-30-10, 11:05 PM

Don't you think it would be more appropiate to put a 500 foot statue ot Kwame Kilpatrick on the corner of Michigan and Trumbull as a symbol to show how much of a great mayor he was.

**MCP-001** · September-30-10, 11:52 PM

Originally Posted by Newdetroit

Many cities have icons. Eiffel Tower in Paris, Statue of Liberty in NY, CN Tower in Toronto, and the Arch in St. Louis. Just wondering if people think that if funds could be raised, would a 500 foot statue of the Spirit of Detroit with an observatory Deck at the top be a good idea for the city? Just like thousands visit the arch in St. Louis, wouldn't thousands visit the Spirit of Detroit? Would it draw tourists visiting the Detroit area and give the city another icon or symbol? For argument sake, let's not focus on whether the funds could be raised in thise economy...I am interested in whether a huge iconic statue like the Spirit of Detroit would be a good symbol and landmark for the city. Here is a list of the largest statues in the world. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_statues_by_height

In three out of the four examples you mentioned above, what else is there?

Yeah, I went to St. Louis to see the Arch and...

After I saw the Eiffel Tower, I went to...

When I'm done looking around the CN Tower, I'm going to...

...do what?

Those are pretty much the things that people go to those places to visit.

Here, we're known for the automobile. At the very least, we should stick with that, instead of trying to re-invent ourselves.

**BrushStart** · October-01-10, 12:02 AM

This is one gimmick the City of Detroit does not need. If you want to have more statues, sculptures, and artistic displays, commission a few Detroit artists to do some tasteful pieces to adorn our cityscape. Dressing the city for success by making it look nice will go much farther than the monstrosity you propose.

BTW, where did you come from and what are you trying to accomplish specifically? I am completely confused by your wild changes in direction and even wilder suggestions. No offense.

DetroitDad · October-01-10, 12:12 AM

Actually, Detroit has a lot of anchor draws with no reason to stay.

**EastsideAl** · October-01-10, 12:18 AM

I think we should remake Joe Louis' fist really huge. Like the size of the Eiffel Tower, but a giant horizontal fist. Certainly nobody else in the world has anything like that. Why the rubes would flock from miles around to see the massive miracle fist...

And it would have the added benefit of giving us something to threaten the Canadians with if they ever get really out of hand!

**Newdetroit** · October-01-10, 12:55 AM

What is so odd about proposing a Statue for the city? Yes there are things to see in Detroit, but how does that preclude a large statue with an observatory deck? Other cities in the world have done this..Why in Detroit do people always seem to be so negative about different possiblities? I didn't say let's build a nuclear plant in the city, its a statue or tower...But it is sooooooooo wild to people. Ok, we can just keep with what we have and there is no room for other things...

**Gistok** · October-01-10, 01:18 AM

Originally Posted by MCP-001

In three out of the four examples you mentioned above, what else is there?

Yeah, I went to St. Louis to see the Arch and...

After I saw the Eiffel Tower, I went to...

When I'm done looking around the CN Tower, I'm going to...

...do what?

Those are pretty much the things that people go to those places to visit.

Here, we're known for the automobile. At the very least, we should stick with that, instead of trying to re-invent ourselves.

When I read this reply the first thing that came to mind was the folks in the "Tea Party"...........

But for anyone with the where-with-all to open a travel brochure...... there's lots to do in any of those places...

I've spent an exhausting 4 days in Paris alone and still didn't see everything I wanted to....

.... but I digress....

**Magnatomicflux** · October-01-10, 01:26 AM

Attachment 7538

....is uh.........is this about right?

**Gistok** · October-01-10, 01:36 AM

Without getting into the merits of the idea.... how about the western part of Belle Isle... behind the Scott Fountain.... where the huge slab of cement is located.... on a plinth... facing west...

**reddog289** · October-01-10, 01:40 AM

What the hell, Go for it. But it will need new Wings and Tigers jerseys as the old ones won't fit.

**Magnatomicflux** · October-01-10, 01:40 AM

That would be the place to put it Gistok. But certainly not 500' of it........50-60 feet at best.

**reddog289** · October-01-10, 01:41 AM

BTW Build a 500 ft door paint it blue and put DPS on it.

**Newdetroit** · October-01-10, 01:45 AM

Put it in the middle of a circle where E. Grand, Warren, and Gratiot all intersect facing downtown from Gratiot Blvd. Or, they are probably going to clear out the Delray area on the W. Waterfront. A tourist attraction and Park on that side might be cool.

**Magnatomicflux** · October-01-10, 01:48 AM

Isn't Delray being cleared for the new bridge? Zug island won't be a good neighbour to the park. That's why Windsor can't put anything nice on the western waterfront, there's nothing to see but that big belching bastard.