COBO may be coming back.

Lorax · May-21-09, 09:08 AM

Originally Posted by MIRepublic

I don't personally think Cobo has every looked anything close to beautiful or desirable, and I can't even bring myself to say that the original configuration was 'less ugly'. In a theoretical more healthy and booming Metro Detroit, I'd love to see the thing rebuilt from the ground up. Externally, Cobo's a pig, and it won't matter how much she's gussied up or stripped down. The most one could hope for given the current structure is for a spectacular internal layout when the region returns to good health, and that's about it.

While I would agree that today Cobo looks like a pig, thanks to the butchering of the facade in the 80's, the photos of it in it's final conceived state at opening makes sense with the arena portion of the building.

It was clad in white marble, as the columns of the arena are still today. When you look at how it was built to blend in with the pylons, the Veteran's Memorial, and Ford Auditorium, it would be simple to return it to it's original facade configuration and it would make sense, and should be celebrated as a great example of mid-century modern design.

One improvement they could make, even today, is to illuminate at night the granite panels/spaces between the white marble piers of the arena- that would really define the exterior.

**artds** · May-21-09, 09:59 AM

Some of you seem to view this situations as a Novi v. Detroit thing, as if the two were fighting with each other to hold the Auto Show. That's not what is going on here.

The questions is NOT whether Detroit or Novi gets the Auto Show. Detroit has voluntarily taken themselves out of the running. The show will no longer be hold in Detroit after 2010.

The only question now is whether metro-Detroit can retain the show and keep it from moving to Chicago in light of the fact that it will no longer be held in Detroit after 2010.

**R8RBOB** · May-21-09, 10:08 AM

Originally Posted by artds

Some of you seem to view this situations as a Novi v. Detroit thing, as if the two were fighting with each other to hold the Auto Show. That's not what is going on here.

The questions is NOT whether Detroit or Novi gets the Auto Show. Detroit has voluntarily taken themselves out of the running. The show will no longer be hold in Detroit after 2010.

The only question now is whether metro-Detroit can retain the show and keep it from moving to Chicago in light of the fact that it will no longer be held in Detroit after 2010.

My friend, you forget this is all politics. This is not a done deal. In order for Oakland County to get the Auto Show and for Rock Financial to get their expansion, they need the legislature to vote for the bills submitted by the Republicans and the governor has to sign off. Everyone assumes that Oakland Co. can get their money from the taxes that they have going to Cobo and expand RFS. Detroit will sue the county and the state to maintain that tax until it expires in 2015. This is not a simple move and for the record Detroit did not take themselves ouf of the running for the Auto Show.

**punky1** · May-21-09, 10:09 AM

I find it interesting that Mayor Bing is meeting with everyone before he gets to LBP. If he can get support for the leasing option before he gets to LBP, that leaves little wiggle room for LBP, and maybe this deal will get the show back into Cobo.

**artds** · May-21-09, 10:37 AM

Originally Posted by R8RBOB

My friend, you forget this is all politics. This is not a done deal. In order for Oakland County to get the Auto Show and for Rock Financial to get their expansion, they need the legislature to vote for the bills submitted by the Republicans and the governor has to sign off. Everyone assumes that Oakland Co. can get their money from the taxes that they have going to Cobo and expand RFS. Detroit will sue the county and the state to maintain that tax until it expires in 2015. This is not a simple move and for the record Detroit did not take themselves ouf of the running for the Auto Show.

If the show moves to Novi instead of Chicago, then yes, you can expect Detroit to file lawsuits against OC concerning the liquor taxes and whatnot and for OC to fight those lawsuits with vigor. But that doesn't bring the show back to Detroit. There's really no scenario now under which the show remains in Detroit. The organizers of the show have quite clearly stated their need for additional space, and they're the ones now engaged in talks with OC and the MI legislature see if there's any possible way the show can stay in MI. But Detroit is out of the running, I'm afraid. The space simply isn't there and the city has decline to agree to the only proposal that would have provided it.

**R8RBOB** · May-21-09, 10:54 AM

Originally Posted by artds

If the show moves to Novi instead of Chicago, then yes, you can expect Detroit to file lawsuits against OC concerning the liquor taxes and whatnot and for OC to fight those lawsuits with vigor. But that doesn't bring the show back to Detroit. There's really no scenario now under which the show remains in Detroit. The organizers of the show have quite clearly stated their need for additional space, and they're the ones now engaged in talks with OC and the MI legislature see if there's any possible way the show can stay in MI. But Detroit is out of the running, I'm afraid. The space simply isn't there and the city has decline to agree to the only proposal that would have provided it.

Where are you at buddy? Detroit is not out of the running. Until the state legislature agrees to a set of bills proposed by the Senate Republicans, there is no race.

Maybe you should read this article: http://www.freep.com/article/2009052...way++Bing+says

**Novine** · May-21-09, 01:50 PM

Did you miss the news reports that Detroit City Council rejected the regional authority? The rejection means that the flow of money to Detroit will end. No money for expansion. No money for rehabbing Cobo. Nothing. The auto show isn't going to stick around under those conditions.

**Danny** · May-21-09, 02:09 PM

The Cobo expansion plan was in the works since the Archer administration. But lots of political problems and red tapes kept the proposal sleepy. Now Lansing wants Cobo to expand and maintain or take the tax revenues and N.A.I.A.S. to Novi in which most low-income folks don't have a car or no other public transit buses to reach that point. Detroit poltical leaders MUST change themselves first before they can move Detroit forward.

DetroitDad · May-21-09, 10:19 PM

Danny, politicians don't grow.

Trainman · May-24-09, 08:26 PM

If the auto show moves to Novi and the taxpayers pay even one cent for this then we are stupid. Unless the city of Novi pays for the SMART millage and supports DDOT. It is stupid period to move this to Novi.

Downtown Detroit is THE place for this and not any other place, in my opinion.

I think we should all help each other to keep the auto show and fill the buses and trains and buy GM, Ford and Chrysler cars.

And support the Bring Back SMART to Livonia and southeast Michigan in Trainman's. save the... in DETROIT LINKS.

**Hypestyles** · May-26-09, 07:34 PM

I hope for a positive resolution, but...
if the auto show leaves to Novi, that won't be the 'worst' thing.. the Auto Show, in and of itself, is not a core city service for the city of detroit.. if the deal falls through.. Cobo should be spun off to private investors who have the money to renovate properly or simly demolish it and build an entirely new facility.. the other option is to demolish it and provide some riverfront park area for the public, and have a smaller but more efficient event center or community center.. It can also be a hub for mass transit, like the light rail proposals coming forth.. it would be a shame for the light rail/commuter rail projects to take off, only to have to come to a quasi-dilapidated downtown stop like Cobo..