 
Raptor56
Member
Username: Raptor56
Post Number: 193
Registered: 05-2007
| | Posted on Monday, November 26, 2007 - 5:28 pm: |    |
After some time perusing the internet and not being able to find much, I was wondering if anyone could post/e-mail pictures of the original permanent Detroit casino building models that were presented when the original proposals were accepted in the late 90's. I'm interested in comparing what was originally proposed to what they currently are building. |
Upinottawa
Member
Username: Upinottawa
Post Number: 1022
Registered: 09-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 27, 2007 - 8:26 am: | |
bump.
anyone? |
Gistok
Member
Username: Gistok
Post Number: 5811
Registered: 08-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 27, 2007 - 1:09 pm: | |
Although I don't have any pics, I can remember Steve Wynn's Mirage entry. It was called the Marquessa, and was to be located on the site where the MGM permanent casino is today. It was a massive 800 million dollar casino with a 800 room hotel tower reminiscent of the MCS tower, but in a Beaux Arts style, with a huge conservatory in front of the tower, and a fancy Porte Cochere in front of that.
Compared to that plan, and the MGM twin towered plan of that era, the MGM permanent casino we have today is rather disappointing and understated. |
Downtown_dave
Member
Username: Downtown_dave
Post Number: 223
Registered: 07-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 27, 2007 - 1:55 pm: | |
Wynn also proposed moving DTE's headquarters to create a larger buildable site - the Port Cochere sitting right about where the Walker Cisler Building is. That idea was also scuttled given the impracticality of relocating the company's System Operations Center - the "nerve center" of Southeast Michigan's electric infrastructure.
Greektown's entry was also a twin-towered affair with a skybridge, a la Atlantis Resort, linking the two towers.
And don't forget Barden's flying saucer-like entry for Grand Circus Park site (where the Statler was) with a built-in Motown Walk of Fame...
These were pie-in-the-sky dreams to get casino approvers' attention. It worked, but the results we have are on a more practical scale for the market and city. |
Matt
Member
Username: Matt
Post Number: 1226
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 27, 2007 - 2:26 pm: | |
I have the pictures. If asked nicely, I might be persuaded to post them. :P |
Raptor56
Member
Username: Raptor56
Post Number: 195
Registered: 05-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 27, 2007 - 2:42 pm: | |
Matt-> Pretty Please with ice cream and silver dollars on top :-p
I remember the GreekTown proposal looking pretty slick with its two towers and arched sky bridge. I had remembered the MGM plan being somewhat office building esque, and can't remember a thing about the original Motor City casino proposal. |
Matt
Member
Username: Matt
Post Number: 1227
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 27, 2007 - 4:38 pm: | |
I'll post the pictures when I'm at my desktop where I have the photos stored.
All of the original proposals looked pretty lavish. Then as time passed, the renderings went through many changes.
If I'm correct, Motor City's original rendering was the one Gistok described as Beaux Arts style. Then it changed to look very suburban office complex, then to what is currently being built. |
Andylinn
Member
Username: Andylinn
Post Number: 649
Registered: 04-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 27, 2007 - 4:43 pm: | |
oh my, the pictures for motorcity would REALLY help with a project i'm working on right now (see my post titled motorcity casino) I would really apprediate your help! (and will cite you in this presentation I need to give!)
thanks - andy |
Jmarx
Member
Username: Jmarx
Post Number: 47
Registered: 01-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 27, 2007 - 4:50 pm: | |
Maybe I just haven't followed this closely, but why were the casinos downsized so much compared to these original renderings? (which hopefully we'll see soon!)
Were these original grand plans just the casino companies trying to get support, or did the city push-back as it was concerned with crime etc at the time (before they were put up)? |
Spiritofdetroit
Member
Username: Spiritofdetroit
Post Number: 736
Registered: 11-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 27, 2007 - 6:18 pm: | |
wow.... quite a change |
Matt
Member
Username: Matt
Post Number: 1229
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 27, 2007 - 6:28 pm: | |
The original renderings were revealed (correct me if I'm wrong) when the casino licenses were granted to MGM, Motor City (then owned by Atwater) and Greektown Casino.
Plans were scaled back due to the debacle of the whole riverfront property and lawsuits that followed. I also believe that an agreement was reached with the city and the casinos to scale down the hotel rooms from 1,200 each to 400 for incentive to continue with their plans for permanent casinos.
Original Atwater/Motor City Casino design:
Suburban Motor City Casino Rendering 1
Suburban Motor City Casino Rendering 2
Suburban Motor City Casino Rendering 3
Final Motor City Casino Rendering
Original MGM Rendering
Final MGM Rendering
Original Greektown Casino Rendering
Original Greektown Casino Rendering 2
Secondary Greektown Renderings
(I believe the first two are when Greektown was talking about building a completely new complex at Gratiot and I-375)
Final Greektown Rendering
(Message edited by Matt on November 27, 2007) |
Mdoyle
Member
Username: Mdoyle
Post Number: 260
Registered: 10-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 27, 2007 - 7:30 pm: | |
Id kill for that original Atwater Casino right on the river. In fact I'd love to have had all of the casinos on the river hooked up by the riverwalk. The original riverfront casino plan was the only plan that ever made sense, also it was most likely the only plan that might have had a chance in improving an area. As it stands now the casinos (perhaps aside from Greektown) have done absolutely zero to improve thier surroundings with Motor City Casino being the biggest culprit. There is none of the great foot traffic that the original riverfront casinos were to bring, with peds walking from casino to casino spurring a whole new entertainment district. Now theyre solitary fortresses. |
Andylinn
Member
Username: Andylinn
Post Number: 650
Registered: 04-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 27, 2007 - 10:09 pm: | |
sorry to disagree, mdoyle, but i've always thought that putting the casinos on the waterfront would have been a horrible idea. waterfront should ideally be reserved for public, and high density residential... plus... the original location (atwater) WAS a reviving warehouse/bar district at the time of the casino announcement... thank you archer for squashing that. |
Detroitrise
Member
Username: Detroitrise
Post Number: 868
Registered: 09-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 27, 2007 - 10:17 pm: | |
I just love the original renderings for MGM and Greektown. Talk about huge additions to our skyline! |
Detroit313
Member
Username: Detroit313
Post Number: 562
Registered: 02-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 27, 2007 - 10:23 pm: | |
I have to disagree with the high density residential Andy. Why block the river off from Jefferson with a cluster of high-rise buildings. I think Detroit should have riverside parks from Jefferson to the river; IMO.
But-Detroit would have been better off with all Casino'e on the river instead of spread out like it is today. Plus 800 rooms instead of the 400 they have now.
Let's face it Archer knew what he was doing by making Detroit's Riverfront not only a regional destination, but a global.
Sorry KK had to settle for less.
<313> |
Ramcharger
Member
Username: Ramcharger
Post Number: 498
Registered: 05-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 27, 2007 - 11:50 pm: | |
I agree that a riverfront casino district had the best chance of attracting out of state gamblers. The mistake was trying to put it on the east riverfront instead of the west. The land west of Riverfront Towers would have been much easier to acquire. There were far fewer property owners to deal with and the city would have avoided the wild speculation that doomed the east riverfront casino project.
Also, I didn’t like that Kwame allowed the casinos to cut their investments from 800 room hotels to 400 room hotels thus losing additional construction and service jobs and the economic boost the larger hotels would have meant to the city. However, if the smaller casino hotels in any way helped bring about the renovations of the Book Cadillac and Fort Shelby hotels then it was a fair trade off. |
Gistok
Member
Username: Gistok
Post Number: 5822
Registered: 08-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 2:34 am: | |
Thanks for the pics Matt! You are missing one MotorCity Casino rendering though... between the initial and Suburban 1 renderings, there was one design that had yellow-beige bricks.
And did you have a rendering of the Marquesa, Steve Wynn's Mirage Casino entry? That one was my favorite of all. |
1953
Member
Username: 1953
Post Number: 1487
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 8:59 am: | |
That Atwater one is sweet. |
Detroitstar
Member
Username: Detroitstar
Post Number: 810
Registered: 01-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 10:02 am: | |
Thanks for the list of photos, they bring back memories of wild debates about the designs!
Just to clear things up though, that is not the final greektown rendering. The final version looks more like what is being constructed, with a more box tower, not that rounded crap. |
Matt
Member
Username: Matt
Post Number: 1230
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 12:29 pm: | |
Hm. Can't say that I have ever seen another Motor City Casino rendering, or one of a Marquesa. o_O |
J32885
Member
Username: J32885
Post Number: 50
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 05, 2007 - 12:40 am: | |
Special thanks for finding the original casino designs. The "Original" Greektown Casino Rendering, looks like one of Donald Trump's casino buildings. I also like the Atwater Casino Rendering, it as that Monte Carlo feel to the design. |
Wolverine
Member
Username: Wolverine
Post Number: 383
Registered: 04-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 05, 2007 - 1:31 am: | |
Wow,I had never seen the original waterfront Motor City casino. That would have been pretty incredible looking. |
Matt
Member
Username: Matt
Post Number: 1234
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 05, 2007 - 11:49 am: | |
*sigh* Yes, I think having all of the casinos on the riverfront (or atleast clustering them together elsewhere) would have made it a nice destination district. |