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chances14

Illitch announces plan to build new arena

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Ugh as much as I know they need an updated building this makes my heart hurt...

Yeah our organization will lose a lot of character when The Joe goes. The prices are reasonable, so a lot of us average fans can go, which helps the atmosphere. A new rink means higher prices and more of a corporate, quiet crowd.

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Guest RedWingsDad

Little Caesars Parthenon

DO IT!

Also, if I was a Detroit citizen, I would be glad for my tax dollars going to something proven to be profitable and worthwhile for the city. Throwing good money after good, instead of good money after bad.

Edited by RedWingsDad

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Doubt it. If illitch would have bought the pistons maybe. I guess I could be wrong but I hope not.

Tom Gores has said several times the Pistons could join the Wings in Detroit

Looking forward to a new Arena. The Joe wasn't made for tall people lol

Edited by PumpkinEscobar

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If the new arena and surrounding development does for Detroit what the Van Andel, B.O.B. and everything else has done for Grand Rapids, it's a big win for the city. Downtown GR went from a mostly deserted ghost town after 6:00 and on weekends to constantly busy and continuous development.

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Guest Playmaker

Comerica and Ford Field was supposed to revitalize Detroit. We've seen how well that's gone. I think GR is the exception as opposed to the rule with new stadiums. They rarely bring the big economic boost that's promised.

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I think that Ford Field and Comerica have helped, as have the casinos, but there hasn't been much else added down there that I've seen. This new project is taking out a big chunk of old buildings and either replacing them with new stuff or renovating them. It might not do much long term, but it's better than doing nothing.

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Tom Gores has said several times the Pistons could join the Wings in Detroit

Looking forward to a new Arena. The Joe wasn't made for tall people lol

I'm 6'1'' and relatively lean, and I have some problems.

I kneed the woman in front of me multiple times, but she was awesome so I just bought her a few beers got drunk with her and after the 1st she just laughed at me every time.

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Guest Playmaker

I think that Ford Field and Comerica have helped, as have the casinos, but there hasn't been much else added down there that I've seen. This new project is taking out a big chunk of old buildings and either replacing them with new stuff or renovating them. It might not do much long term, but it's better than doing nothing.

I guess I still haven't figured out why we are giving huge tax breaks and selling land for next to nothing to multi billionaires. Aside from a few temporary construction jobs, what kind of good jobs are going to be created? The people profiting from the casinos and stadiums are people like the Ilitches, not the residents. I think there were similar promises from the Ilitch family regarding Comerica. It was supposed to create all these jobs and there would be a domino effect and uplift the entire area. But if you walk the next block over from the park, there's still rampant blight. While I'm all for a new stadium, let the Ilitch family pay for it. They have the funds.

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I guess I still haven't figured out why we are giving huge tax breaks and selling land for next to nothing to multi billionaires. Aside from a few temporary construction jobs, what kind of good jobs are going to be created? The people profiting from the casinos and stadiums are people like the Ilitches, not the residents. I think there were similar promises from the Ilitch family regarding Comerica. It was supposed to create all these jobs and there would be a domino effect and uplift the entire area. But if you walk the next block over from the park, there's still rampant blight. While I'm all for a new stadium, let the Ilitch family pay for it. They have the funds.

I mean I know I'm just one person, but working for a major hotel downtown I definitely see a benefit from the arenas. Hell if it wasn't for the arenas, bars, restaurants, residential builidings, hotels, casinos, attractions, retail would all diminish greatly. On nights there are no concerts/games/events, downtown is a mostly ghost town. But the nights where there is Monday night football, or big name concert Detroit feels like a real thriving downtown. The sport's franchise are one of the advantages the city has, it's good that they are taking advantage of it.

Illitch already bought most of the land surrounding the area, the only reason any one would buy the remaining land would be to try and slow down the arena's building process to try and sell at a higher price to Ililtch and that would just be a hindrance to everyone in the city. If no one wanted to buy the land before Illitch showed interest in it, then that's why he should be given the rest of the land, so something will actually be done with it besides sitting on it, or paving a parking lot.

The downtown area has improved with the arenas, sure there is still blight in the downtown area, if anyone thought that a new arena would solve that issue was mistaken at the very start. Arenas are just a part of solution, and world class arenas would definite help business, and the people that work there.

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I guess I still haven't figured out why we are giving huge tax breaks and selling land for next to nothing to multi billionaires. Aside from a few temporary construction jobs, what kind of good jobs are going to be created? The people profiting from the casinos and stadiums are people like the Ilitches, not the residents. I think there were similar promises from the Ilitch family regarding Comerica. It was supposed to create all these jobs and there would be a domino effect and uplift the entire area. But if you walk the next block over from the park, there's still rampant blight. While I'm all for a new stadium, let the Ilitch family pay for it. They have the funds.

Riiiiight. So let's forget the fact that Illitch is a businessman first and foremost, not a goodwill ambassador, and that the majority of all arenas are all funded the same way. Why should he be an exception? Why should he front the whole thing when that's simply not the norm?

I'm sorry to be blunt but it shouldn't be his problem nor responsibility to make sure to provide jobs for residents, especially when so many are lacking even basic education and many times, completely illiterate. Do what's economically feasible as well as practical, which is how every other business is run. This is a great investment for Detroit, something EVERYBODY can get excited about, and will take blighted land and turn it into something fun. And yet people still complain.

Sheesh, you guys act like he's supposed to be running a charity drive or something. This sense of entitlement is ridiculous.

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In GR it started with making downtown more attractive. The arena went in, a few restaurants and bars went in. More people started coming down or sticking around after work instead of heading to the suburbs for dinner. It slowly built from there, a new bar/restaurant opened here, one place started pulling in bigger name bands on the weekends instead of just local and regional acts, things got nicer, some buildings were converted to living spaces that appeal to single people with cash to spend, which meant more places to spend that money came in, etc. Now Spectrum hospital and Grand Valley State have both expanded a ton, and downtown GR is a pretty busy place almost any night you go down there. Before, the GVSU downtown campus was one building and no living space. Now they have a bunch of apartments, the original building, a medical center, plus a pretty good sized complex of classrooms and offices. It's going to take more to turn Detroit around, and it won't happen overnight, but given that the alternative is nothing being done and the Wings moving to the suburbs, I think this is the better solution.

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Guest Playmaker

http://news.illinois.edu/news/04/1117stadiums.html

The facts just don't support that a new sports arena offer an economic boost.

Who said the Ilitch family won't make money if they build the arena themselves? Ted Turner built the Atlanta stadium with all private funds, and it sure doesn't seem like he's poverty stricken.

It isn't about being negative, it's about making sensible financial decisions. The Ilitches are basically getting a new building without investing very much money and will have to pay little or no taxes. I think many other self employed business people, myself included would like that deal.

Also, think 10 years down the road when the Red Wings might not be the big draw they are now (see Detroit Pistons).

Edited by Playmaker

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