GM says open to moving from Detroit headquarters

**MrCrush1914** · May-11-09, 10:58 AM

http://www.reuters.com/article/ousiv...54A3KG20090511

**ejames01** · May-11-09, 11:05 AM

What the hell?!?

**HazenPingree** · May-11-09, 11:09 AM

I read the News article, and I call BS.

It seems that the Warren mayor is offering tax abatements, and touting that the city has no income taxes [[unlike Detroit.)

I have a hunch,that if ANYTHING, GM will threaten to leave, and then get offered a bunch of juicy city tax incentives.

**3420** · May-11-09, 11:14 AM

I was just thinking the same thing. They threaten to leave and they get offered a bunch of tax incentives. This should be one of the first test for our newly elected mayor. But at the end of the day I think they will stay put.

**Bobl** · May-11-09, 11:15 AM

Just got out my old, dusty copy of "Nobody In Detroit", by the Howling Diablos.....

**GREENTROIT** · May-11-09, 11:21 AM

Yeah great idea...

Good luck selling the Renaissance Center, I'm sure there will be hundreds of people lining up to buy that complex. There's no way they're leaving.

**digitalvision** · May-11-09, 11:43 AM

I've been hearing rumors of this for awhile, but didn't believe them. I've mentioned them in passing here. There's lots of real estate people positioning for an impending move to Warren with their employees.

What I constantly heard from inside GM was that they would consolidate in Warren, get out from Detroit employee [[Ahem... CEOs make decisions based on THEIR needs) taxes as well as much higher Detroit corporate taxes, and make a lot of their employees happier. They have no choice to consider this because in a bankruptcy situation all costs have to be on the table, and Detroit's costs of doing business are higher than most areas of the country.

My thought? This is a power play. They're going to hit Detroit to reduce their taxes through incentives - and Detroit will have no choice but to give in. They cannot lose GM at any cost.

... Just written in the Freep - yes, here we go with another regional infight ...

“We have some things to offer General Motors. We have no city income tax unlike our sister city to the south,” Fouts said of Detroit. “We have clean and safe neighborhoods.”

http://freep.com/article/20090511/BU...bout+moving+HQ

**R8RBOB** · May-11-09, 07:29 PM

Originally Posted by xstigmatax

I LOL at all the people who think GM, an international company, owes any city anything. They are trying to stay in business and will do what they need to do in order to stay open.

GM does not owe Detroit or any of the outer fringe loons posting here who thinks Detroit is entitled to be the home of GM anything. If they move it is their choice and you have no say in it.

Why the hate? What did Detroit do to you? I don't believe anyone here including me believes that GM owe Detroit, however, it is time to realize this "move" is smoke and mirrors. GM wants tax breaks and they will get them and this move nonsense will go to the wayside.

**EastsideAl** · May-11-09, 07:50 PM

GM has done this kind of thing constantly over the years, holding various government entities hostage with threats in order to extract tax concessions. What's striking and infuriating here is that they are being enabled in their scam by another local "leader."

Thanks a lot for all your help and cooperation in making this a better stronger and more cohesive region Mayor Fouts, oh and screw you too.

**bobby wobby** · May-11-09, 08:45 PM

Wow Jim Founts has just joined L Brooks in the kicking Detroit club,only trouble Warren is no Oakland County, now it just lost its D Metro sympathy ,,I think Jim Founts is a foolish and he will bring down whats left of Warren with him,If anything GM should move from Warren to Detroit,Downtown on the river is a lot hipper then 14 mile road.

**Gsgeorge** · May-11-09, 09:27 PM

Currently the headline on the Drudge Report.

Attachment 1151

**PurpleHeart** · May-11-09, 07:50 PM

Its amazing how the very same people who bad mouthed me about GM, the loans we received to stay in business, and about what my company makes [[product) are now here complaining about the possibility of us moving our headquarters out of Detroit.

And then there are those who say that because of this they will never buy another GM product again and try and convince people to buy foreign. Take a drive through through the neighborhoods and you'll see that somebody beat you to your threat, its full of Nissan's and Camry's already. Jim Fouts has come out and made it "mandatory" for all city employees to buy an American Car, good for you JIM! I hope it holds up in court and at least one politician has guts to do this, or at least attempt it.

No wonder we are considering moving the HQ out of Detroit!

We don't use that much space in the Ren Cen, and the Tech Center has enough empty space to accommodate the move with minimal cost. It only makes sense!

**GREENTROIT** · May-11-09, 10:05 PM

Originally Posted by PurpleHeart

Its amazing how the very same people who bad mouthed me about GM, the loans we received to stay in business, and about what my company makes [[product) are now here complaining about the possibility of us moving our headquarters out of Detroit.

And then there are those who say that because of this they will never buy another GM product again and try and convince people to buy foreign. Take a drive through through the neighborhoods and you'll see that somebody beat you to your threat, its full of Nissan's and Camry's already. Jim Fouts has come out and made it "mandatory" for all city employees to buy an American Car, good for you JIM! I hope it holds up in court and at least one politician has guts to do this, or at least attempt it.

No wonder we are considering moving the HQ out of Detroit!

We don't use that much space in the Ren Cen, and the Tech Center has enough empty space to accommodate the move with minimal cost. It only makes sense!

Minimal cost? You really think GM can move headquarters with minimal cost? We are talking about the same company that already received some $15B from the US Govt to stay afloat and is asking for another $11B before July 1st to avoid bankruptcy right? The same company that shut down for a month last year to save operating costs? You're telling me that it "only makes sense" to spend what will be millions to move 10 miles up the road?

The fact remains, GM will never vacate the Renaissance Center unless they sold it. And I'm pretty sure nobody is forking over a couple billion dollars for that complex. GM isn't considering a move. They are doing some politicking to try and boss around the City of Detroit to get some tax cuts... And this resident hopes that Bing and the Council call their bluff and don't blink. I pay my city taxes on my paycheck, if they don't want to, they can call their boss [[Obama) and ask if he'll allow a money-draining, worthless move to Warren [[he won't).

MIRepublic · May-11-09, 10:13 PM

Yeah, GM is going to leave the RenCen, alright. Yeah, the same year when Patterson becomes mayor of Detroit.

The money they'd instantly lose from moving their HQ's out of the Motor City would outstrip anything they'd save in the short term. They'd be sealing their already precarious fate. I think they do realize that they'd be lucky if they ended up like Motown Records, if you catch my drift.

**detmsp** · May-11-09, 10:21 PM

Originally Posted by MIRepublic

The money they'd instantly lose from moving their HQ's out of the Motor City would outstrip anything they'd save in the short term.

how exactly would they lose money instantly? and i don't understand your comment about short term savings. the reason to move would be long term savings at a short term cost [[the cost of physically moving everything to Warren and any facility upgrades to the tech center that would be needed)

**R8RBOB** · May-11-09, 10:30 PM

Originally Posted by detmsp

how exactly would they lose money instantly? and i don't understand your comment about short term savings. the reason to move would be long term savings at a short term cost [[the cost of physically moving everything to Warren and any facility upgrades to the tech center that would be needed)

Do you really think General Motors is going walk away from 500,000,000 dollars of glass and steel?

Some folks really believe that GM can just pack up and leave. GM does not have a lease to break. The Ren Cen is theirs and they are not walking away from the Riverfront for a patch of land in Macomb Country.

**R8RBOB** · May-11-09, 10:24 PM

Originally Posted by PurpleHeart

Its amazing how the very same people who bad mouthed me about GM, the loans we received to stay in business, and about what my company makes [[product) are now here complaining about the possibility of us moving our headquarters out of Detroit.

And then there are those who say that because of this they will never buy another GM product again and try and convince people to buy foreign. Take a drive through through the neighborhoods and you'll see that somebody beat you to your threat, its full of Nissan's and Camry's already. Jim Fouts has come out and made it "mandatory" for all city employees to buy an American Car, good for you JIM! I hope it holds up in court and at least one politician has guts to do this, or at least attempt it.

No wonder we are considering moving the HQ out of Detroit!

We don't use that much space in the Ren Cen, and the Tech Center has enough empty space to accommodate the move with minimal cost. It only makes sense!

How would you feel if your boss told you what kind of car you better buy? We cannot have politicians attempting to strong-arm people into buying things that they like. This includes American cars. If politicians like Fouts feel outrage because Americans buy foreign cars then they should stopped the flow of foreign imports. They should stopped Honda and Toyota and Benz from building plants in the United States.

Fouts is playing the politician, doing something controversial to get his name in the media. He know like you know this will be thrown out in court. This goes against the Fourteenth Amendment:

No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

stinkbug · May-11-09, 11:23 PM

Michigans biggest problem? Two-bit dipshit politicians like Fouts, Brooks, and Conyers. They're all cut from the same self-aggrandizing cloth.
I got news for you, Fouts, Warren is a piece of shit, and south Warren is about as nice as Brightmoor. Nobody is going to move there, industrial, commercial, residential, or otherwise, despite all the "premier development opportunity" signs popping up on vacant factories.
GM has given no indication of leaving Detroit. They said they have no plans to, yet won't rule it out. Which means they don't feel like talking to the idiots from the Detroit papers.
Fouts is inconsequensial, bumperstickers and all.
If only all these idiots would realize this region is sinking as a whole.
These people say they're Warren, Oakland County, and Detroit, like its impressive. Losers.

**wolverine** · May-11-09, 11:28 PM

GM isn't moving out of the RenCen anytime soon. But it's a good time to evaluate every aspect of the company, as to what can be done to improve their situation. I don't believe moving the headquarters is one of them. Alot of this is just media reaction. Big headline isn't it?

**Danny** · May-13-09, 07:39 AM

General Motors just can't simply compete in tthe global automobile market. It's losing money and running out of options and ideals. Leaving their Ren Cen building to Warren would be the final solution in order GM to be saved. General Motors is too big to fail. But shutting down GM would be ecomomic collapse not only to Detroit and suburbs, but also the U.S. You can thank former president George " retarded" Bush for the rediculous global trade policies and the neo-con goon squads for making it possible.

General Motors screw FLINT by moving its world headquarters to Detroit and now GM is screwing Detroit by moving to Warren. What's next? screw Warren and move to Sterling Hieghts.

**otter** · May-13-09, 11:46 AM

Danny,

GM never had its headquarters in Flint, though Harlowe Curtice might have wanted it to be. When each division was independent, before they were consolidated in the early 80s or so, Buick was always based in Flint, however.

O.

**iheartthed** · May-13-09, 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by otter

Danny,

GM never had its headquarters in Flint, though Harlowe Curtice might have wanted it to be. When each division was independent, before they were consolidated in the early 80s or so, Buick was always based in Flint, however.

O.

I thought it was founded in Flint?

**jtf1972** · May-17-09, 12:05 PM

Bing should counterpunch by finding a nice sizable piece of land that could be donated to GM for their new tech center.

2blocksaway · May-17-09, 08:06 PM

Ya, GM just has tons of money lying around for new construction. I am sure some free overgrown land full of garbage in Detroit is just what they are looking for right now.

Hey, Iheart,
I thought managing city budgets and services required tax dollars. Right? Well, how do you do that? You keep businesses in your city and try to bring new businesses to your city.

313,
Learn how to spell check and realize that Detroit can't expect to keep businesses just because it is Detroit. They need be competitive with Warren, Juarez, Hamilton, and whoever else wants a company based in Detroit to move.

Didn't Detroit "steal" Compuware from Farmington Hills? Aren't they trying to steal Quicken/Rock from Livonia? Why don't they try to attract businesses from outside the region?

GM probably won't move all in to Warren but Fouts does have the right to ask.

Warren doesn't need Detroit but it does need GM.

**bobby wobby** · May-13-09, 09:21 AM

If cost and bottom line was all that mattered ,Manhattan ,the highest real estate and taxes in America ,would be a ghost town, GM needs the RenCen its a lot better location then that 50 yr old suburban mall in Warren thats half vacant,I say move the tech center downtown,.They would be close to WSU and CCS connected soon by a rail line. Whats on 14 mile road?