Discuss Detroit » Archives - January 2008 » Olympia Entertainment takes over Masonic Temple « Previous Next »
Top of pageBottom of page

Mikie
Member
Username: Mikie

Post Number: 141
Registered: 06-2006
Posted on Monday, February 18, 2008 - 1:26 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

"Mike Ilitch-owned Olympia Entertainment is expected to announce today or Tuesday that it has taken over management of the Masonic Temple under a deal aimed at expanding his family's sports and entertainment empire and saving the tax-ridden landmark, which faces foreclosure March 1."

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pb cs.dll/article?AID=/20080218/B IZ/802180403
Top of pageBottom of page

3420
Member
Username: 3420

Post Number: 158
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Monday, February 18, 2008 - 2:01 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I wonder if the Illitches would bring back the Metropolitan Opera.
Top of pageBottom of page

Rb336
Member
Username: Rb336

Post Number: 5189
Registered: 02-2007
Posted on Monday, February 18, 2008 - 2:02 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Why would they?
Top of pageBottom of page

3420
Member
Username: 3420

Post Number: 159
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Monday, February 18, 2008 - 2:05 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thought it would be nice for an opening at the Masonic Temple.
Top of pageBottom of page

Tarkus
Member
Username: Tarkus

Post Number: 456
Registered: 04-2006
Posted on Monday, February 18, 2008 - 2:20 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Ummm 3420, you do know that there is an Opera House in Detroit, don't you? It's called "The Detroit Opera House" and they put on Operas.
Top of pageBottom of page

Mikie
Member
Username: Mikie

Post Number: 142
Registered: 06-2006
Posted on Monday, February 18, 2008 - 2:24 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

By the way, if you open the article there's a link under "related articles" to some great pictures of the interior.
Top of pageBottom of page

3420
Member
Username: 3420

Post Number: 160
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Monday, February 18, 2008 - 2:40 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I know there is an Opera House Tarkus. Been to the Detroit Opera House numerous times to enjoy the fine arts. At one time the Metropolitan Opera did shows at the Masonic Temple back in the day.
Top of pageBottom of page

Iddude313
Member
Username: Iddude313

Post Number: 155
Registered: 07-2005
Posted on Monday, February 18, 2008 - 2:45 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I'm glad the Ilitch's are going to help out the Masonic.
That building would look awesome properly uplit at night!
It's such an architectural landmark.

This makes me wonder about the American Hotel.
Will it get razed?
Top of pageBottom of page

3420
Member
Username: 3420

Post Number: 161
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Monday, February 18, 2008 - 2:50 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The American Hotel would make some great apartments.
Top of pageBottom of page

Neilr
Member
Username: Neilr

Post Number: 658
Registered: 06-2005
Posted on Monday, February 18, 2008 - 2:54 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Tarkus, the Met used to come to Detroit for one week every year. They would present a different opera every night for that week at Masonic. I don't believe that it cut into the attendance at Michigan Opera which has a much longer season (at that time in Music Hall). If anything, the excitement of the week increased the local interest in opera. Also, local restaurants did a booming business that week.
Top of pageBottom of page

Raptor56
Member
Username: Raptor56

Post Number: 267
Registered: 05-2007
Posted on Monday, February 18, 2008 - 3:23 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

ummm... Isn't this old news?
Top of pageBottom of page

Lilpup
Member
Username: Lilpup

Post Number: 3509
Registered: 06-2004
Posted on Monday, February 18, 2008 - 3:52 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

It wasn't a done deal before, Raptor.

The Met quit touring because it was too expensive, and now they have the movie theater broadcasts anyway. There's no way they'll hit the road now.

One of the Masonic management's major beefs was that Nederland catered to the smaller Fisher and quit booking stuff into Masonic, so the Temple wasn't making the $$ they should have been.
Top of pageBottom of page

Norwalk
Member
Username: Norwalk

Post Number: 213
Registered: 11-2006
Posted on Monday, February 18, 2008 - 4:01 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Ilich? Kiss the American Hotel Goodbye
Top of pageBottom of page

Mikie
Member
Username: Mikie

Post Number: 143
Registered: 06-2006
Posted on Monday, February 18, 2008 - 4:03 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Since the Fisher Theater has been brought up, I was wondering if anyone else heard a rumor that the theater is going to close. When I was on a tour of the building last week the rumor came up but the tour director would not confirm it (but her eye's said yes).
Top of pageBottom of page

Lilpup
Member
Username: Lilpup

Post Number: 3510
Registered: 06-2004
Posted on Monday, February 18, 2008 - 4:06 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

closing for renovation, not closing for good is what I've heard
Top of pageBottom of page

Treelock
Member
Username: Treelock

Post Number: 276
Registered: 03-2005
Posted on Monday, February 18, 2008 - 4:07 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

A colleague of mine at work visited the Masonic a couple of months ago and said all the employees at the time were wearing Olympia Entertainment badges and shirts. Why it's taken them so long to announce it is anyone's guess.
Top of pageBottom of page

Lilpup
Member
Username: Lilpup

Post Number: 3512
Registered: 06-2004
Posted on Monday, February 18, 2008 - 4:11 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

If the MTA finances were as ugly as I heard then it probably took a while to really study the feasibility and hammer out the details.
Top of pageBottom of page

Greatlakes
Member
Username: Greatlakes

Post Number: 149
Registered: 07-2007
Posted on Monday, February 18, 2008 - 4:13 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Surprised nobody mentioned this:

quote:

One key would be linking the Masonic and MotorCity by an elevated tram so casino-goers could watch a show at the temple and shuttle back to the gambling venue, Dorn said.



Sounds similar to the idea of expanding the People Mover that Marian Ilitch mentioned a while back.
Top of pageBottom of page

Chitaku
Member
Username: Chitaku

Post Number: 1859
Registered: 03-2006
Posted on Monday, February 18, 2008 - 4:37 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

kellafinos owns the hotel next door
Top of pageBottom of page

Mrsjdaniels
Member
Username: Mrsjdaniels

Post Number: 437
Registered: 08-2005
Posted on Monday, February 18, 2008 - 4:43 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Olympia was staffing based on the contract - hence the badges...but it seems like they will be taking over FOR GOOD now
Top of pageBottom of page

Thoswolfe
Member
Username: Thoswolfe

Post Number: 28
Registered: 11-2007
Posted on Monday, February 18, 2008 - 7:22 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

This may not be good news for the Temple, since Olympia controls other competetive venues. deja' vu.
Its too late to bring back the Shriners, they moved to Southfield.
When Nederlander took over management at State Fair, the Shriners were 'ran off' from hosting the annual circus there. Seems there were plans for a racetrack and selling off land, they needed to demonstrate that the coliseum did not generate any income.
When Nederlander took on management of Masonic Temple, rents were raised. All who could leave (Shriners but not Masonic lodges) found new homes. What Nederlander's agenda was noone knows, unless it was to contol a competitive venue then force it into bankruptcy?
Is this a repeat with a different 'operator'?
Top of pageBottom of page

Gps
Member
Username: Gps

Post Number: 12
Registered: 08-2007
Posted on Monday, February 18, 2008 - 7:36 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thoswolfe,
I think regardless of Olympia Entertainment's agenda it is good for the Masons and the Masonic temple that there is a contract that keeps the building operating for years to come. What Illitch decides to do with the space is almost secondary.
Top of pageBottom of page

Gistok
Member
Username: Gistok

Post Number: 6321
Registered: 08-2004
Posted on Monday, February 18, 2008 - 11:31 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I too think that this is a win-win for everyone. Granted most folks don't want the Ilitch's to own everything in the entertainment business, in this instance not taking over the Masonic would have meant certain closure and the relocation of the 14 masonic lodges (most likely to the suburbs)... a bad situation for sure.

As for the Nederlander folks, it appears they are already preparing for the next phase of their Detroit entertainment program. The 4,404 seat Masonic was a little too large for many of their shows.

And yet the 2,089 seat Fisher Theatre (which the Nederlander's shrank down from the 2,975 seat exotic Mayanesque old Fisher Theatre in the 1961 remodeling) is too small (seating wise) for many of their shows.

So the new remodeling will likely take back some of the empty space hidden behind the 1961 shrunken shell of the new Fisher. The outcome is several hundred more seats, most likely by taking back some of the former (larger) Balcony space.

Even the 2 story Fisher lobby once was 3 stories tall. I don't know if that'll be affected by the enlargement/remodeling.

It's too bad that they ripped out nearly all of the old Fisher's exotic plasterwork back in 1961. Might have been cheaper to remodel back to its' old self, had it still existed behind the void of the smaller new theatre shell.

(Message edited by Gistok on February 18, 2008)
Top of pageBottom of page

Treble484
Member
Username: Treble484

Post Number: 47
Registered: 02-2006
Posted on Monday, February 18, 2008 - 11:51 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Nederlander never controled rent at the Masonic, but the shortage in revenues cause the MTA to keep raising rent to make up the difference more or less. Rents for the Shrine and Scottish Rite didn't justify staying there. The Scottish Rite moved when the tax and utility bill became to large and threats of closing the building were made.
Top of pageBottom of page

Single_malt
Member
Username: Single_malt

Post Number: 6
Registered: 02-2008
Posted on Tuesday, February 19, 2008 - 12:09 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

It is a beautiful building nonetheless. As a member of the Masons, Shrine, Scottish Rite, and a few other organizations that meet there or met there, this news is a day late and a dollar short. Most of the revenue generating bodies have left, as previously mentioned, to keep up with the high rents paid to the MTA. Either way, this building is a jewel of the city. If you ever have a chance to visit it, do so. The tours are free, and the architecture, design, and functionality from back in the day shows what this organization was once was. I'm happy that the Illitch organization will breathe life into this building and bring more shows into the theatre. It is just a shame that the Shrine and Scottish Rite have moved out. It only leaves a few Masonic Lodges and The Commandary there.

(Message edited by single_malt on February 19, 2008)

Add Your Message Here
Posting is currently disabled in this topic. Contact your discussion moderator for more information.