Guess Sports DO make a big contribution to an area's energy and economic vitality

[bailey]

Of course Campus Martius is a tax funded development. That's what sane cities spend tax money to develop.

The casinos were responsible for jump starting Detroit's fledgling hospitality industry, but not how I suspect you think. The Super Bowl would not have happened without them. Most likely neither would the redevelopment of the Book Cadillac and Fort Shelby. I've said all of this before. But it wasn't the presence of casino gambling that did it. It was the hotels that the casinos were forced to build that did it. If someone had built just the hotels Detroit would've gotten the same effect.

You mean the hotels that were supposed to all be on the river and twice their actual size, that were not part of the package that the city promised the National Football League, and like the Book Cadillac, weren't actually completed for the super bowl were the reason the Super Bowl came to Detroit and not because the Lions built a new stadium?

[iheartthed]

You mean the hotels that were supposed to all be on the river and twice their actual size?

What does that matter? The casinos did not want to build them at all, nor did they need to. You missed the point if you ever thought that hotels were part of the casinos business model. They only were built because the city had them under contract to build. The Super Bowl was only given to Detroit once they were able to demonstrate that they had the hotel space to accommodate the event, which is what the city wanted out of legalized casino gambling to begin with.

[bailey]

What does that matter? The casinos did not want to build them at all, nor did they need to. You missed the point if you ever thought that hotels were part of the casinos business model. They only were built because the city had them under contract to build. The Super Bowl was only given to Detroit once they were able to demonstrate that they had the hotel space to accommodate the event, which is what the city wanted out of legalized casino gambling to begin with.

I don't know how to say this more clearly... The casino hotels were not part of the hotel package presented to the NFL. Neither they nor the Book were open for the Super Bowl.

The Super Bowl isn't coming to Detroit without Ford Field being built no matter how many hotel rooms there are in the city.

[iheartthed]

The casino hotels were not part of the hotel package presented to the NFL. They were not open for the Super Bowl.

I'd be very surprised if the casino hotels weren't part of the presentation since the temporary casinos opened a year before...

[bailey]

I'd be very surprised if the casino hotels weren't part of the presentation since the temporary casinos opened a year before...

I don't know what to tell you. It was well reported. The possibility of them was touted, but not factored into the room requirement as they didn't even know when or where they'd be built.

In any event, end of day, no ford field, no superbowl.