  Sg9018 Member Username: Sg9018 Post Number: 158 Registered: 10-2006 |
L. Brooks Patterson will not attend a regional meeting on friday to talk about Cobo. The city of Detroit do not want to sale Cobo Hall to a regional authority. Here is a quote from Ken Cockrel Jr, "My understanding of the county executive's plan is that it calls for the outright sale of Cobo Hall. And I, from jump street, have been resistant to that." Here is a other quote from Ken Cockrel Jr , "Cobo Hall is owned by the City of Detroit, it is a City of Detroit asset, and someone has to make a very compelling argument to me why that asset should be sold," he said. More From the Free Press, http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs .dll/article?AID=/20080220/BUS INESS04/802200321 | ||
Alan55 Member Username: Alan55 Post Number: 1251 Registered: 09-2005 |
What a surprise - L. Brooks not attending a meeting to improve Cobo Hall. Especially puzzling, since he's been so helpful in the past. | ||
Fareastsider Member Username: Fareastsider Post Number: 835 Registered: 08-2006 |
Duh they havnt been going anywhere for 10 years. Something taking forever around here is so strange though.... | ||
Digitalvision Member Username: Digitalvision Post Number: 572 Registered: 11-2003 |
Wow. Seems like Ficano jumped the gun before people were on board - but he probably figured they never will be on board and by putting in the public maybe he could force a few parties to switch. I think then the State should provide the money in conjunction with the county and city and don't worry about Oakland County - and forget buying it. Major regional co-operation doesn't happen here, especially over county lines - and making any kind of plan that does require it is asking for a lot of headache. Job one is get rid of the habitrails in the proposal to lower cost... then renegotiate the work rules or change management or something so that it doesn't take an hour and a half and are extremely rude to get help (I'm sorry, the service at Cobo sucks - and when I go to other union-staffed convention centers the service is fabulous and they still get paid well). I don't expect the auto show to stay in January, anyway. Almost no city looks it's best in the dead of winter; and it would make it more attractive for people to come. | ||
Lefty2 Member Username: Lefty2 Post Number: 1214 Registered: 07-2007 |
I can't really blame him for looking out for Oakland County's taxpayers interests. After all there is over (supposedly) $209 million in deferred maintenance costs. Why did it get to this state of disrepair can only be blamed on mismanagement. If the Ren Cen wants a walkway, let them pay for it. If it is such a great deal there should be financing in a heartbeat by greedy lenders. This has to be the most expensive convention center redo in history. | ||
Professorscott Member Username: Professorscott Post Number: 1115 Registered: 12-2006 |
To: Hon. Ken Cockrel, City Council From: Prof. Scott Subj: Ownership of Cobo Ken, You're right. Detroit owns Cobo, so Detroit can figure out how to fix it, and pay for the upgrades. Sorry the rest of us were looking into this. Prof. Scott | ||
Livernoisyard Member Username: Livernoisyard Post Number: 5260 Registered: 10-2004 |
That $200+ million deferred maintenance (no secret, really) on Cobo is essentially another part of the city of Detroit's deficit. That alone equals about 10% of the city's bonded debt. At some point, Detroit taxpayers will have to pay it. Imagine if Detroit were to undertake even more operations that it wouldn't be able to fully fund. It's no secret that mass or rapid transit revenues (fares) don't come anywhere close to paying for the annual operating costs. Just how is Detroit going to swing a wasteful expansion to its mass transit (i.e., rapid transit) system when it cannot even fund its present mass transit system, even after cutting back service and pruning routes from its bus system? | ||
Professorscott Member Username: Professorscott Post Number: 1116 Registered: 12-2006 |
Without getting specific, since this isn't a transit thread and shouldn't become one (there are plenty already), government is about making choices and deciding, given limited resources of every type, what it is we want to do and what it is we don't want to do. The biggest enemy is inertia: the tendency to just keep doing what you've been doing, whether it's working or not. | ||
Figebornu Member Username: Figebornu Post Number: 63 Registered: 01-2008 |
We need to get rid of Patterson the bum as well. All he has ever done is get drunk and play the race card. | ||
D_mcc Member Username: D_mcc Post Number: 259 Registered: 12-2007 |
^^^Sounds a lot like Kwame... How can a white guy play the race card??? | ||
Livernoisyard Member Username: Livernoisyard Post Number: 5261 Registered: 10-2004 |
You cannot sever one large deficit item from another when the city of Detroit is staring bankruptcy in the face. Face it, Scott and others. Were it not for politics, Detroit would and should have already been in the initial stages of receivership. [Maybe, it is but we just don't realize it yet...] And the state of Michigan still isn't planning to forgive anytime soon the debt owed the state by another (but separate) Detroit enterprise--DPS. And how much is that debt? Also somewhere around $200 million, isn't it? | ||
Danny Member Username: Danny Post Number: 7142 Registered: 02-2004 |
Cobo Hall expansion is not in L.B. Patterson's agenda. Leave it to the next Oakland County exec. Brenda Lawrence. | ||
Gnome Member Username: Gnome Post Number: 776 Registered: 08-2007 |
Let me understand this, Ficano wants to make Cobo a tax-free zone in order lure conventions into the city. hmm...what the heck is going to happen to every retail store in SE michigan? No wonder L. Brooks is against this hare brained scheme. Cobo would fill up with a series of mattress blow-outs, appliance store liquidators and rug merchants. Meanwhile retail stores would close, more people would get laid off ... disaster. I admire Patterson for telling the way it is and for not buying into Ficanco's Fiscal Fiasco. Patterson has been at the forefront of backing a plan to expand Cobo, but this scheme is no way to do it. How anyone can say differntly just doesn't understand the history of Cobo and the reasons it has lost smaller shows to the Rock Finacial Showplace in Novi or the Lansing Center or even the Gilbrator Trade Centers. Anyone here ever work a trade show at Cobo? Ever deal with massive restraints placed on exhibitors? Hundreds of dollars to plug into the power source. Hiring three union guys to roll a cart from the loading dock? Then the waiting and waiting for them to do simple tasks. It is maddening. | ||
Rb336 Member Username: Rb336 Post Number: 5200 Registered: 02-2007 |
the tax-free zone would not make much of a dent. it's not like they are going to open a target or a macy's etc. | ||
Novine Member Username: Novine Post Number: 438 Registered: 07-2007 |
If LBP was opposed to a tax-free zone, why were his deputies insisting that the Rock Financial in Novi get one too? | ||
Alan55 Member Username: Alan55 Post Number: 1252 Registered: 09-2005 |
"If it is such a great deal there should be financing in a heartbeat by greedy lenders." Remember your line, Lefty, the next time L.Brooks starts bellowing "But we NEED to have that intersection expanded! We gotta have state funds to do it!" If Oakland County road expansion is such a great idea, "greedy lenders" will line up to finance it. | ||
Gnome Member Username: Gnome Post Number: 778 Registered: 08-2007 |
Novine, according to Ficano on a WJR interview the proposal was to create another tax-free zone in Grand Rapids in order to get the State Legislators to sign on. I didn't hear about LBP Deputies making a case for Rock Financial, where did you hear that? I thought the meeting was going to be held this Friday. Was there a pre-meeting? | ||
Livernoisyard Member Username: Livernoisyard Post Number: 5268 Registered: 10-2004 |
Patterson decided to go (or stay) on vacation when that Cobo gang had its big public blowout press conference and legislative blitz right around the time of the NAIAS last month. Ficano was especially pissed when interviewed on WJR then after he heard that Patterson wasn't coming. | ||
401don Member Username: 401don Post Number: 270 Registered: 11-2007 |
With the increase to over 4,000 hotel rooms downtown it's hard to argue that OC will benefit as it has in the past. Has anyone asked Patterson what he is willing to contribute and use that as a starting point? | ||
Warrenite84 Member Username: Warrenite84 Post Number: 244 Registered: 01-2007 |
I agree with KK that the city shouldn't sell Cobo BUT still stuck with any cost overruns. Too bad the governor doesn't have the political firepower to lock these guys in a room, or elevator, and not let them out until they agree to share costs and responsibility EQUALLY. Just get it done! The car companies are ALREADY upping their introductions somewhere else, and all that will be left will be 4 pouting babies who haven't learned to SHARE! Hey, doesn't that sound like early 80's when all we got out of that 500-600 million bucks for transit was the People Mover??? | ||
Livernoisyard Member Username: Livernoisyard Post Number: 5269 Registered: 10-2004 |
The city is responsible for actually doing the maintenance on their facility--not expecting others to do it for the city on their dimes--all $210 million worth. If the city cannot run Cobo effectively (and honestly), then maybe it should privatize Cobo and then the crooks and cronies at Cobo will be left holding nothing. Oh, yeah! That'll happen. | ||
Alan55 Member Username: Alan55 Post Number: 1258 Registered: 09-2005 |
Great! That way, private crooks and cronies will be making lots of money off of a taxpayer resource. We'll just call that "The Engler Method". | ||
Warrenite84 Member Username: Warrenite84 Post Number: 246 Registered: 01-2007 |
It was my understanding that in the agreement they would all equally share in ownership, construction, and all cost overruns. Maybe I'm wrong on this one. | ||
Yeti Member Username: Yeti Post Number: 43 Registered: 09-2007 |
Gnome - Can you elaborate on this? "Anyone here ever work a trade show at Cobo? Ever deal with massive restraints placed on exhibitors? Hundreds of dollars to plug into the power source. Hiring three union guys to roll a cart from the loading dock? Then the waiting and waiting for them to do simple tasks. " Mostly interested in the Union stuff you said. | ||
Livernoisyard Member Username: Livernoisyard Post Number: 5270 Registered: 10-2004 |
What agreement??? Take gubbermint out of the picture and privatize Cobo. It won't be a first. | ||
Digitalvision Member Username: Digitalvision Post Number: 574 Registered: 11-2003 |
I can say, Yeti, that my experience is exactly like Gnomes'. I am all for privatizing it - there is opportunity. Any convention center that has such a large percentage of it's revenue from one show means there is a lot of monetary opportunity if it's run right the rest of the year and brings it's costs in line. | ||
Umbound Member Username: Umbound Post Number: 39 Registered: 02-2008 |
It is just back to square one again; City vs Suburbs city does not want to sell it even though they should or work something out with the burbs. but its ok i know in the back of my head that nothing is going to happen, this is Detroit after all not Chicago  (And i have never been there either or NY) | ||
Yeti Member Username: Yeti Post Number: 44 Registered: 09-2007 |
But the part I dont understand is WHY you have to hire 3 union guys to move the cart. Can't you hire some 16 year old kids from the neighborhood, or make your own kids do it? | ||
Novine Member Username: Novine Post Number: 439 Registered: 07-2007 |
"Novine, according to Ficano on a WJR interview the proposal was to create another tax-free zone in Grand Rapids in order to get the State Legislators to sign on." Robert Daddow, assistant Oakland County executive...supports the tax-free zone as long as Rock Financial Showplace in Novi is included. http://www.crainsdetroit.com/a pps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/2008 0114/SUB/801140334/1084 | ||
Bob Member Username: Bob Post Number: 1682 Registered: 11-2003 |
Let's just face it. They are never going to come up with a solution for Cobo. Our auto show will be reduced to being a regional show and we will have let one more positive for the region slip away from us. |
