Crain's Detroit: Ilitches could break ground on new arena in 2013

[KasperTheGrittyGhost]

Construction is expected begin no later than autumn on a new downtown arena for the Detroit Red Wings, according to a sports economist who has done work for the team's owners and is familiar with their plans.

"I would hope that they would be able to get it in the ground by the fall," said Mark Rosentraub, a professor of sports management at the University of Michigan. "A lot of that depends on the infrastructure."

He's worked for the Ilitch family, which owns the Red Wings, as a consultant to create economic impact, jobs and tax estimates and models for the $650 million arena district project, he said. Rosentraub cautioned that he's had no contact with the Ilitches since early December, so he doesn't know if plans have changed.

Sandra van Meek, a spokeswoman for Ilitch-owned Olympia Development Co. that's overseeing the project, declined to comment. Driving the project's timeline and cost will be infrastructure needs, Rosentraub said.

"Most of the infrastructure is already there. You don't need new access to the freeways or widening the street," he said.

Until site testing is done, the real project cost won't be known.

"They'll be putting up a very heavy building," Rosentraub said, noting that arenas tend to have more runoff from rain and melted snow than office or residential buildings, which makes drainage infrastructure a key priority. "All of that is very dependent on the environmental engineering. You don't get the final price until you get into it," he said.

Rosentraub said the "best case" construction timeline is 20-22 months. That schedule would mean the Wings would play at Joe Louis Arena for two or three more seasons.

http://kuklaskorner.com/tmr/comments/crains-detroit-businesss-shea-ilitches-could-break-ground-on-new-rink-durin?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

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[Kiddington]

Assuming this is correct, our new digs should be ready right about the time the Islanders move to Brooklyn.

Yaaaaaaaaaaay.

 

[Brodie]

I think that timescale is very optimistic... I don't see public funds being forthcoming this year so unless Mr. I has already done some significant fundraising (always possible), I'm not sure they'd have the cash to start the process now. Still, hopefully we see some renderings soon, those things are like opiates.

 

[icKx]

Still think it's a shame to have a city parked on a river and put every stadium overlooking the freeway.

 

[Brodie]

riverfront stadiums are wastes of prime commercial and civic space

every great city is on a body of water, not many of them waste their waterfronts on arenas and stadiums

 

[icKx]

Stadiums aren't a commercial development?

Detroit has a 1,000 acres of waterfront civic space called Belle Isle Park

Or perhaps you think the public interest is better served by polluting refineries and the dead neighborhoods that live in the shadow of them, a sentiment I'm not sure most serious people share.

 

[Brodie]

I think the riverfront would be best served by more developments ala riverwalk than taking that acreage and putting a giant block of concrete on it. Compare the well-kempt Windsor riverside to Detroit's to see what we should shoot for.

 

[sully6one]

I'm sure this may help the 2014 off season FA signings a little

 

[icKx]

Windsor's riverside has a jogging trail, some park benches, a casino and a few hotels (i.e. giant blocks of concrete). Really nothing special. Although it is clean.

The riverwalk was a good idea but now that we have one, we have one.

 

[KasperTheGrittyGhost]

Detroit really needs to manage its assets better, and in this case an arena connecting Downtown and Midtown is much more valuable than one on the riverfront.

 

[Retire91]

This is long overdue. I wonder if they will install urinal troughs at the new arena.

I would rather see them build the arena up in Auburn Hills or Orion by the great lakes crossing. I would really be interested to see statistics on how many people that attend the game even live within the Detroit city limits or even an adjacent city and another statistic on what percentage of the people that drive in do not do anything in the city other than go to the game. It makes for a horrible drive to try and get from the burbs to the stadium just to get to wait in traffic and stare at burned out abandond factories and have bums try to sell you fake parking tickets.

Bell Isle would be interesting if they made sure the roadways could handle the traffic. Really wouldn't be keen on waiting an hour to get across a bridge both ways. If t hey actually made Bell Isle a redwings metropolise that would be an interesting idea if they made the traffic work.

 

[izlez]

This is long overdue. I wonder if they will install urinal troughs at the new arena.

I would rather see them build the arena up in Auburn Hills or Orion by the great lakes crossing. I would really be interested to see statistics on how many people that attend the game even live within the Detroit city limits or even an adjacent city and another statistic on what percentage of the people that drive in do not do anything in the city other than go to the game. It makes for a horrible drive to try and get from the burbs to the stadium just to get to wait in traffic and stare at burned out abandond factories.

Bell Isle would be interesting if they made sure the roadways could handle the traffic. Really wouldn't be keen on waiting an hour to get across a bridge both ways. If t hey actually made Bell Isle a redwings metropolise that would be an interesting idea if they made the traffic work.

Not a lot of people may live in the city, but at least the city is a central location. Auburn Hills or Orion screws over just about everyone except those in the Northern Suburbs. I know I would go to a lot fewer games if it was over an hour drive (without game traffic) to every game

 

[Retire91]

Not a lot of people may live in the city, but at least the city is a central location. Auburn Hills or Orion screws over just about everyone except those in the Northern Suburbs. I know I would go to a lot fewer games if it was over an hour drive (without game traffic) to every game

That's true there really isn't a good thruway to get from like Ypsilanti, Westland, Ann Arbor. Maybe they could put it in Novi. I just think its time to leave Detroit behind like the Pistons did.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Not a lot of people may live in the city, but at least the city is a central location. Auburn Hills or Orion screws over just about everyone except those in the Northern Suburbs. I know I would go to a lot fewer games if it was over an hour drive (without game traffic) to every game

Why the Pistons are failing. To be clear if you had to pick a suburb area, the Northern Suburbs are probably the place, I personally would target Troy if that was the only option take the old Kmart area or some of the more open lands around there. In any event it is not a good idea. You hurt the traffic from East and West of the city. I don't know how much traffic comes from south of the city I am sure some. Cutting out the Northville/Novi area or the Grosse Pointe areas is not a great idea. They could still come to the Northern Suburbs but the communte for all involved to Detroit is about the same all around.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

That's true there really isn't a good thruway to get from like Ypsilanti, Westland, Ann Arbor. Maybe they could put it in Novi. I just think its time to leave Detroit behind like the Pistons did.

Detroit is spaced out there is no good way to do this in the suburbs, the Pistons actually will probably move back downtown, not the other way around. Especially if this facility is made for both. I can tell you as a Chrysler kid that grew up on both sides of town you're talking about the commute from either is enough to turn off fans and hurt the gate. Both can get downtown though in a couple different ways and are easily done.

 

[Zetsyuk]

Windsor's riverside has a jogging trail, some park benches, a casino and a few hotels (i.e. giant blocks of concrete). Really nothing special. Although it is clean.

The riverwalk was a good idea but now that we have one, we have one.

An entire Riverside-spanning park with gardens, art displays, fountains, sculptures, etc. But you know, jogging trail works too.

 

[Brodie]

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/...certain?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|p

A University of Michigan professor who is a consultant on a potential $650 million, 35-acre sports and entertainment complex in Detroit dismissed earlier media reports that said he predicted construction for the downtown project could begin this fall.

Mark Rosentraub said he didn't intend to give a firm timeline for the project that includes a new home for the Detroit Red Wings professional hockey team.

 

[Kiddington]

To be expected, I suppose.

 

[RedWinger10]

There still remains the issue that the city of Detroit may come after the wings for an alleged $70million in owed money that the Red Wings organization allegedly never paid to the city of Detroit. Given that the city of Detroit is nearly bankrupt you can bet there will be a strong push from local politicians to collect. A collection of that sum of money may put a hold on the construction project.
http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2012/12/26/report-red-wings-may-owe-up-to-70-million-to-the-city-of-detroit/

 

[RedWinger10]

And as for the location looks like behind fox theater by the Michigan veterans center on Woodward.
http://www.freep.com/article/20130203/SPORTS05/130203031/Negotiations-still-ongoing-for-new-Red-Wings-arena-say-officials

Between downtown and mid town

 

[RedWinger10]

It is looking like the arena will end up being owned bu the state of Michigan (if the plan stands now) some have said it will be privately AND tax money but it is looking like it will be heavily funded by tax dollars.

 

[ScottyBowman]

It is looking like the arena will end up being owned bu the state of Michigan (if the plan stands now) some have said it will be privately AND tax money but it is looking like it will be heavily funded by tax dollars.

The more money you make, the more free things you get.

 

[RedWinger10]

According to "reports" it could be soon

http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2013/02/construction_on_detroit_red_wi.html