  Peter Member Username: Peter Post Number: 3 Registered: 02-2007 |
Hey guys, I have been reading this forum for a few years so I figured it was time to finally join. It seems as though no one really likes Mike Ilitch... for whatever reason. Why? I am not a huge fan but I want to know what everybody thinks. | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 4565 Registered: 11-2004 |
Mike Ilitch is a conundrum in so many ways. He lauded money at his Red Wings to get a championship (pre-salary cap days) and yet turn nearly a blind eye to his Tigers. So as a Detroit sports fan it's tough to love him and hate him in the same breath. He'd restore the Fox Theater to a phenomenal grandeur and yet demolish a handful of other historical buidlings in town. So I wouldn't say he's universally hated or loved but since he is in the public eye and is a power broker in this town, he is open for criticism. (Message edited by smogboy on February 26, 2007) | ||
Blort Member Username: Blort Post Number: 23 Registered: 02-2007 |
Well I don't know him personally. So I can't say that I like or dislike him. But I'm not a big fan of his monopoly-like business practices within the city. A little competition for Mr. Illitch could really get bumping, but illitch would never allow competition. He would rather buy up vacant buildings and demolish them for parking lots. We better hope that whoever takes over his company when he dies has the same kind of brains and doesn't bring everything down, or else it could be ugly. | ||
Mikeg Member Username: Mikeg Post Number: 631 Registered: 12-2005 |
quote: Gee, I didn't realize that Mr. Illitch owned all of the property in the CBD. Then again, maybe I am not the one who is confused: monopoly Do the anti-Ilitch posters on this forum agree that Detroit would be better off if he took his money and invested it elsewhere? | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 2466 Registered: 02-2005 |
Possibly, Mikeg. Things may not have happened quite as soon, but eventually the market would produce someone who could renovate a theatre and build a sports bar and build a stadium. It might be more healthy because they could be three seperate wealthy people rather than one, and the three of them, whether they colluded in the process of building a theatre-stadia district or, probably could have made it happen without destroying as many buildings as Ilitch. I love his teams. I respect most of his sports decisions these days. I'm sure he'll give us a great product with a new Wings stadium. He went above and beyond with the Fox; it probably would have taken many more years for other parties to come along with the money to fix it up. Still, the loss of so much urban fabric is hard to reconcile. And I know how he really feels about the city as a place to live, because he was quoted in the paper sometime last year as saying, "well, we have really world class suburbs to live in." | ||
Blort Member Username: Blort Post Number: 25 Registered: 02-2007 |
When did I say anything about the CBD. I'm talking about entertainment. Amazing how you can go see a show at a theatre, owned by Illitch, then grab an overpriced beer at a Hockeytown bar across the street, owned by Illitch, then walking to a parking lot, owned by Illitch, to grab your car, while on your way passing a few Illitch owned vacant buildings. Where is the competition? | ||
Track75 Member Username: Track75 Post Number: 2504 Registered: 10-2003 |
quote:Perhaps, but you might see the Lions playing in Wixom, the Tigers in South Lyon and the Red Wings in Macomb Township. There was no inevitability to the Fox being restored, any more than the many other theaters that are now part of some landfill somewhere. I'd agree that his actions are a bit of a mixed bag, but the line of folks willing and able to invest tens or hundreds of millions of dollars downtown was pretty damn short 20 years ago. The queue is not all that much longer now. | ||
Yelloweyes Member Username: Yelloweyes Post Number: 92 Registered: 02-2007 |
I almost started a similar thread: If I were Mike Illitch I would.... I think he has a lot of influence and power in the downtown area. I wish his company would move faster on his properties. But he is the original renisance man of Detroit with the Fox. | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 2467 Registered: 02-2005 |
Track, you're right, to Ilitch's credit he's persisted in keeping downtown an entertainment district, at the very least. This comes at the expense of his demand for parking, but at least he has reinforced a message that I agree with: that the center city is where theatre and sports should be kept. I sometimes wish we could have more classy events at the Fox, though... | ||
Mikeg Member Username: Mikeg Post Number: 632 Registered: 12-2005 |
quote: Why then did you write: A little competition for Mr. Illitch could really get bumping, but illitch would never allow competition. He would rather buy up vacant buildings and demolish them for parking lots. You never once mentioned entertainment in your post number 23. I will reiterate, "Then again, maybe I am not the one who is confused...." | ||
Yelloweyes Member Username: Yelloweyes Post Number: 93 Registered: 02-2007 |
Illitch obviously is a smart businessman. Yes he has created an entertainment monopoly in Detroit. I'm jealous. Is this good for Detroit? Yes, no, maybe. There are a lot worse things that have happened to the city. Detroit is only as good as it's people. He hasn't really effected the lives of the people in the city (accept for keeping tax dollars in the city), he serves the more of the suburban crowd. | ||
Psip Member Username: Psip Post Number: 1455 Registered: 04-2005 |
I, for one, welcome our Macedonian Parking Lot Cartel Overlords. | ||
Perfectgentleman Member Username: Perfectgentleman Post Number: 162 Registered: 03-2006 |
The city has and its people have benefited greatly from his investments. As nobody else seems to be lining up to do so, we should not question his motives. I am quite sure he could have gotten a better return on his investment elsewhere. It is amazing that people bitch about the rich folks no matter what they do. He is in the arena trying to do positive things, of course not everyone will agree with his approach. The guy isn't perfect, but he has done more for the city than Kwame Kilpatrick and the entire city counsel combined. | ||
Jerome81 Member Username: Jerome81 Post Number: 1312 Registered: 11-2003 |
Easy to knock Mr. Ilitch. I, however, won't. Sure there was the whole M-L mess (that was his, right?), but beyond that, he kept downtown (and some might say the heart of Detroit) at least with a glimmer of hope in its darkest time, and if it weren't for him, we might not be where we are today or still waiting for others to come in and do something close to the amazing things he has done. The fox could be a parking lot. The wings could be playing in Auburn Hills. The Tigers in some other suburb. The entertainment that exists downtown could not exist. But beyond that, I don't know that, on the whole, there is a greater believer (with the money to really make a difference) in Detroit. He did part of what he did because it made business sense, but a huge part of what he did was done because he loves this city and wanted to do what he could with the businesses he had to bring it up from the abyss. No, he can't save it all himself, but if everyone in the city with the pull and power and money he has were to have half the heart and love for Detroit that he does, this city would be one amazing place. Nobody will do everything to please everyone all the time, and Ilitch is no exception. But he loves this city, wants to see it succeed, and puts his money where his mouth is. I will never hate a person who does that. | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 2470 Registered: 02-2005 |
There are three straight blocks of surface parking lot on the city's main street in a front-and-center location. People will say that this is "so Detroit." I say it's "so Mike Ilitch." Ilitch's developments span several city blocks, making it hard for any smaller people to get in the market. If someone wants to buy one of these precious parking lots and build a mixed use building they'll be paying top dollar. Which leads to another point, all this crap about the possible arena west of the Fox has led to exorbitant asking prices for vacant land in that area, shutting out all small developers for the short-term. | ||
Digitaldom Member Username: Digitaldom Post Number: 578 Registered: 08-2004 |
Well sometimes there is a madness behind what he is doing.. Remember the whole riverfront fun with the casino's? Sound familar? Illich just cut to the chase YEARS ago and bought all the property he needed for the new arena to prevent having to deal with unfair land deals... Yeah unfortunately it seems he hasn't gotten the follow through thing down pat yet.. maybe he is waiting for a tax break or something? Seems he is sitting on all those properties waiting for something big... Does anyone have a full map of Illich holdings in Downtown Detroit.. I have a theory.. but until I see the huge map.. It's more than the new Olympia I talked about before.. Now that they own a portion of Motor City.. I just wonder.. hmmm... Motor city move in a few years to a combined, theatre, Hockey Arena, Hotel and Casino? Just a thought.. but the land he has.. would certainly support all those into a nice Illich town.. right around the fox town area.. Correct me if I am wrong.. but I don't believe "currently" (motor city hotel is not built and occupied yet) owns any hotels in the stadium area... Hmmm.. what could he being thinking? | ||
Taj920 Member Username: Taj920 Post Number: 186 Registered: 01-2004 |
I think Mike Ilitch has been absolutely great for Detroit; if Monaghan kept the Tigers, they would have been playing in Domino's Farms or Tampa Bay. | ||
Blort Member Username: Blort Post Number: 26 Registered: 02-2007 |
"quote: When did I say anything about the CBD. I'm talking about entertainment. Why then did you write: A little competition for Mr. Illitch could really get bumping, but illitch would never allow competition. He would rather buy up vacant buildings and demolish them for parking lots. You never once mentioned entertainment in your post number 23." I also never mentioned the Central Business District. | ||
Mikeg Member Username: Mikeg Post Number: 635 Registered: 12-2005 |
quote: Where do you think Illitch's properties, entertainment venues and sports teams are located, in the New Center area? What a maroon..... |
