  Hnewman Member Username: Hnewman Post Number: 1 Registered: 01-2008 |
Hey all-- I'm a writer with the Free Press working on a story about the impact the three Detroit casinos have had on the city (and especially the neighborhoods that immediately surround them), and I'm looking for input. If you have any thoughts on the subject - or better yet, if you live near one and observe the effect first-hand - would you mind dropping me an e-mail? I'm at hnewman@freepress.com. My deadline is Thursday morning, Jan. 17. Thanks in advance for your help, and sorry for the borderline spam; I've been lurking here for a while and I'm pretty impressed with people's passion about our town.  Cheers, Heather Newman Detroit Free Press | ||
Hybridy Member Username: Hybridy Post Number: 199 Registered: 08-2006 |
motorcity is the only casino with a true residential neighborhood around it and that neighborhood is very empty the new woodbridge development is not bad as long as its maintained unfortunately motorcity is the most gaudy and visible casino in the city-its also got the lowest rating, in my book, of the three who would want to live near it? | ||
French777 Member Username: French777 Post Number: 309 Registered: 10-2006 |
Welcome to the Forum | ||
Neilr Member Username: Neilr Post Number: 640 Registered: 06-2005 |
Before the sidewalk on Lafayette was closed to allow for the Greektown Casino expansion, I used to walk that way almost twice daily on my way to and from downtown, crossing the valet parking driveway exit. The Greektown valet drivers were noticeably courteous towards pedestrians. They always gave me the right of way. Even at times when they could have sped up across the sidewalk, they waited for pedestrian traffic to clear. | ||
Charlottepaul Member Username: Charlottepaul Post Number: 2234 Registered: 10-2006 |
Greektown is the one that BY FAR interacts the best with the surrounding neighborhood... | ||
Yaktown Member Username: Yaktown Post Number: 292 Registered: 02-2006 |
Hello Newman...welcome to the forum. | ||
Goat Member Username: Goat Post Number: 10017 Registered: 10-2003 |
Bump | ||
Mbr Member Username: Mbr Post Number: 279 Registered: 03-2005 |
Are there any DTE folks here? I'm curious to hear what they think about working across the street from MGM. Is there any other example of a Fortune 500 company with a headquarters next to a Casino? | ||
Gambling_man Member Username: Gambling_man Post Number: 1042 Registered: 11-2003 |
Heather, I hope you got the information you needed. I forwarded a couple of restaurant contacts to you through Martin Waymire, hopefully they helped. | ||
Terryh Member Username: Terryh Post Number: 652 Registered: 11-2006 |
I would be totally and utterly indifferent if I lived next to a casino. Casinos provide jobs and entertainment-excitement for many individuals. Some gamblers get out of hand, but that is one of the prices we pay for liveing in (supposedly) one of the freest societies in the world. Freedom of choice. I would mind my own business if a casino was near my residence. | ||
Tigers2005 Member Username: Tigers2005 Post Number: 182 Registered: 02-2005 |
I love Greektown Casino, it provides me with free parking and access to the DPM (best 50 cents you can spend in Detroit). I don't think the Greektown District would have nearly as much going on if the casino didn't end up there. GC makes its neighborhood better. MGM and MCC are really just islands in their neighborhoods, so they really don't help or hurt their area. People drive to these casinos go inside and gamble or go to a bar/restaurant and go back to their car and leave. They don't really generate much pedestrian traffic in the surrounding area. It's too bad that they weren't more like Greektown. I really think it would be much more attractive for out-of-state casino tourism if they were close enough together to walk between them through lively areas. I would like to at least see some type of shuttle service between the casinos. I think that they would all benefit from having a little more connectivity between them. In the summer, it would be nice if there were a pedestrian ferry crossing the river from the Hart Plaza area to CW. If the casinos want to be attractive as a tourist destination, they need a more collaborative effort. | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 6174 Registered: 08-2004 |
Tigers2005... I doubt that you will find ANY interest with either the Detroit casinos, the city or the state in providing a convenient way for folks to cross over to Windsor Casino to support the Ontario Provincial Treasury! No interest whatsoever... It was a likely reason for the gondola crossing to never get off the ground (that and providing for additional customs folks). | ||
Jeanofarc Member Username: Jeanofarc Post Number: 12 Registered: 12-2003 |
I live near the Motor City Casino and have a clear view of the light show hotel which is straight down my street. The mentioned light show runs all the time, with various themes from rainbow to american flag designs. The constant flashing can not be escaped by those living closer. I have a friend who's bedroom window glows even when his curtains are drawn. I remember the neighborhood before it was demolished and there were many homes that probably housed people for nothing or so cheap they couldn't relocate and it created more homeless. I've witnessed the increase in homeless walking around my neighborhood. My street used to be quite and now many cruise fast down the street running stop signs. We have more police cruising the blocks, more petty crime. I don't see anything good out of it; esp the Motor City; but I'm not a gambler. The neighborhood has not improved over it. | ||
Elwoodp Member Username: Elwoodp Post Number: 26 Registered: 03-2006 |
Tigers2005: I agree with you regarding the Motor City and MGM lacking any integration with the surrounding neighborhoods. Furthermore, there has been and will likely not be any spin-off business as a result of the permanent casinos. The Motor City and MGM truly are islands unto themselves. For that reason, I regret that a stronger push to cluster the casinos within the CBD was never made. A study done during Mayor Archer's tenure recommended clustering the 3 casinos to better market a segment of the city as a gaming district. I remember all too well the problems the city encountered with attempting to acquire land on the east riverfront. Several businesses closed as a result. It may have been a blessing in disguise given the current development plans in that area. But I am sure enough land elsewhere in the CBD or nearby could have been procured to cluster two if not all three of the casinos. As an alternative to clustering, I wish the city could have used this rare opportunity to leverage its position and push for the permanent casinos and hotels to include plans to renovate one or more of the many vacant buildings. MGM spent $800 million on its casino. I can’t imagine it would have cost nearly as much to renovate the Michigan Central Station as a hotel and build an attached casino (remember the Book Cadillac is being renovated for $180m). Who knows, maybe the Hudson’s building could have been saved. It was, after all, demolished in 1998; two years after voters approved a law paving the way for the 3 casinos. | ||
Detroitplanner Member Username: Detroitplanner Post Number: 1523 Registered: 04-2006 |
Not true, I can stay at the Viking and walk to both the MGM Grand and Motor City. Very convenient. | ||
Urbanpioneer Member Username: Urbanpioneer Post Number: 25 Registered: 10-2007 |
So you've stayed at the Viking? Pray tell what your experience was like ... I'm fascinated about them the same way I rubberneck at traffic accidents. Is that transient population? hookers? Drug rooms? | ||
Matt Member Username: Matt Post Number: 1240 Registered: 10-2003 |
Where exactly do you live Jeanofarc? | ||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 4480 Registered: 10-2003 |
Good post Elwoodp. I would like to have seen the casinos in a strip, behind the Fox as the first plan called for would have been ideal, related to nearby sports and entertainment. Definitely a lost opportunity there. I would like to see an additional license[s] issued in exchange for the developer restoring and incorporating a fabulous ruin, the Book Building and the MCS you mentioned immediately come to mind. Regarding the latter, I would hate to see Moroun reap a windfall but, 'big dogs gotta eat first'. It might also negatively impact the blossoming Corktown neighborhood unless handle well. Hnewman, welcome to the forum. Please update us as to what you produce. | ||
Detroitplanner Member Username: Detroitplanner Post Number: 1525 Registered: 04-2006 |
NO! I've not stayed at the Viking, one of the few places that make the Leland House look good | ||
Vetalalumni Member Username: Vetalalumni Post Number: 888 Registered: 05-2007 |
Have Riverboat Casinos been considered in Detroit? Went on one many years ago and my only complaint was the irritating second-hand cigarette smoke due to poor ventilation. Out west here, many of the (Indian owned) Casinos are located in relatively rural areas outside of the city. Access is sometimes along (dangerous) winding two-lane highways. | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 6179 Registered: 08-2004 |
Well since riverboat casinos are a step down from permanent landbased casinos, I think the answer to that question is NO. | ||
Elwoodp Member Username: Elwoodp Post Number: 35 Registered: 03-2006 |
Heather's article was published in today's Freep. http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs .dll/article?AID=/20080205/ENT 11/802050314/1035 | ||
401don Member Username: 401don Post Number: 254 Registered: 11-2007 |
Like we've said before, except for Greektown, the casinos have built fortresses. Seems to me I remember reading prior to construction that MGM was supposed to be much more integrated with the street. Fountains, benches, retail/restaurants facing the street. Did I imagine this? |
