Ilitch wants to own Pistons, move team to Detroit Read more: Ilitch wants to own Pistons, move team to Detroit (Auburn Hills: hotels, casinos)

[scolls]

Originally Posted by Retroit

I'll go along with that. I guess my ideal riverfront area would be where people could go and sit on a large grassy area and simultaneously enjoy a large panoramic view of both the river and the buildings of Detroit. The idea of standing in a convention center/hall and looking out the window at the river, or walking down a pathway between a brick wall and the river is not as appealing. It seems to me that there are enough vacant areas of Detroit in less scenic areas that would be better suited for arenas, halls, stores, etc.

That's true now but in the 50's when Cobo was originally built that wasn't the case.

I wouldn't be opposed of razing areas around Rosa Parks Blvd from Michigan Ave down to the riverfront and making it a large park like Grant Park in Chicago.

[Retroit]

Much of downtown was occupied when Cobo was built. It was dumb back then, and it's even dumber now. At one time the river was viewed as more of a sewer and industrial area. People now want parks and outdoor recreational areas.

You raise a good point of razing other areas. (haha...raise/raze) I've long felt that there should be a ban on all new construction between Jefferson and the river and Fort Street and the river for the entire length of the river. Tear down as many abandoned buildings in those areas as possible, and create a huge park.

[detroitlove]

Originally Posted by Retroit

The Cobo Hall should be demolished and be replaced with a public park, preferably with more greenery and less concrete than Hart Plaza. Joe Louis should be torn down immediately after the Wings move out and be turned into a public park. If a new stadium is built in the city, it should be built entirely with Ilitch's own money and should not be built on the riverfront or downtown.

you live in Eastpointe...why don't you ask the people who actually LIVE in Detroit what they would rather have Cobo or a park? smh

[ForStarters]

Auburn Hills begins to make a public case to keep the Detroit Pistons - For Immediate Release ... by Bill Shea - Crain's Detroit Business

Even if Ilitch buys the Pistons, Auburn Hills is going to make a big stink about the team coming home to Detroit.

The fact is, the Pistons should have never been moved to Auburn Hills in the first place. I understand Bill Davidson paid for the arena himself so that he could put it next to his glass company, but the Palace is inaccessible to 2/3 of the Metro population. The stadium is in the middle of nowhere, even for Oakland County.

Keep the Palace as a nice venue for OC events, but the Pistons and the Wings should have a stadium downtown. The Palace has not spurred any development around itself and Auburn Hills a nightmare to get to during snowy basketball season. Having the Pistons back in the city (where they belong) is one piece of the puzzle of putting Detroit back together, which will benefit the entire region.

[Retroit]

Originally Posted by detroitlove

you live in Eastpointe...why don't you ask the people who actually LIVE in Detroit what they would rather have Cobo or a park? smh

Why is it my job to ask Detroiters what they want? Shouldn't their elected representatives be doing that?

(By the way, last February the Detroit $hitty Clown Show voted against a Cobo Hall expansion.)

[scolls]

Huh? They voted to have it run by a regional authority in order to expand it. The regional authority is the one holding up expansion, not Detroit city counsel.

[Retroit]

That's true somewhat. They did subsequently refused to vote against(although never actually voted for) the expansion. But my point is that apparently one little old suburbanite in Eastpointe is not the only one that has a difference of opinion on the matter.

[detroitlove]

Originally Posted by Retroit

Why is it my job to ask Detroiters what they want? Shouldn't their elected representatives be doing that?

(By the way, last February the Detroit $hitty Clown Show voted against a Cobo Hall expansion.)

well lets see, you're the one on here going on and on about tearing down something that has been apart of this city forever to build a park???? how would you, a suburbanite, know what WE want? why should they tear down Cobo because someone who lives in Eastpointe says so? You keep talking about a stadium is meaningless because it will just be a temporary place for outsiders but you'd be one yourself. Does that make sense? You don't live here and I doubt you'd drive from Eastpointe to Downtown Detroit soley for the purpose of looking at the river lmao

[ForStarters]

Originally Posted by detroitlove

well lets see, you're the one on here going on and on about tearing down something that has been apart of this city forever to build a park???? how would you, a suburbanite, know what WE want? why should they tear down Cobo because someone who lives in Eastpointe says so? You keep talking about a stadium is meaningless because it will just be a temporary place for outsiders but you'd be one yourself. Does that make sense? You don't live here and I doubt you'd drive from Eastpointe to Downtown Detroit soley for the purpose of looking at the river lmao

I am not sure what Retroit is talking about regarding turning COBO Hall into a giant park. Detroit already has many parks along the river. They would include Chene Park, Belle Isle, and a several mile long Riverwalk.

That said, Dan Gilbert has expressed an interest in replacing COBO with a new, state-of-the-art convention center. As a Detroiter, I think this is a solid idea. COBO center is okay, but is past its prime. At the time COBO was built, building designs took the form of concrete bomb shelters that are not welcoming and not visually appealing. Because a convention center is literally, a giant showcase, appearances and accessibility are everything. A new convention center should be more integrated with the streetscape, be connected to new mass transit, should have food and beverage stations, and should not look like a bomb shelter.

To tie this all back to the thread topic, when Ilitch builds a new stadium, JLA will be redundant space downtown. If it isn't able to be easily converted, it should be torn down with the building of a larger convention center. Detroit has been drawing in a lot of conventions lately outside the usual perennials and should be able to handle even larger events including more break-out and conference rooms. I say that we can compete with Las Vegas for conventions, especially with the casinos at full force and mass transit around the corner.

[Retroit]

Originally Posted by detroitlove

well lets see, you're the one on here going on and on about tearing down something that has been apart of this city forever to build a park???? how would you, a suburbanite, know what WE want? why should they tear down Cobo because someone who lives in Eastpointe says so? You keep talking about a stadium is meaningless because it will just be a temporary place for outsiders but you'd be one yourself. Does that make sense? You don't live here and I doubt you'd drive from Eastpointe to Downtown Detroit soley for the purpose of looking at the river lmao

Actually, I have gone downtown to walk along the Riverwalk. It is a great improvement, but it is nominally a park.

detroitlove, don't be so offended that I'm sharing my opinion. People frequently do that on internet forums, you know. I was asked by a fellow non-Detroiter what I thought of Cobo Hall, and I gave my honest opinion. If you think that only Detroit residents should be allowed to share their opinions, I suggest you contact the moderator of this forum.

Better yet, why don't you share your vision of the riverfront, instead of repeatedly attacking mine?