Discuss Detroit » Archives - Beginning January 2006 » Dome will have fitting farewell « Previous Next »
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Itsjeff
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Username: Itsjeff

Post Number: 5447
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 68.42.168.211
Posted on Saturday, January 28, 2006 - 1:38 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

PONTIAC - It's only natural that - during what will likely be among its last days - the Pontiac Silverdome will play a key role in one of the biggest sporting events in the world.

It will be the home away from home for the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers as they prepare to meet the National Football Conference champion Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL on Feb. 5 at Ford Field in Detroit.

http://www.theoaklandpress.com /stories/012806/loc_2006012804 .shtml
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Hornwrecker
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Username: Hornwrecker

Post Number: 758
Registered: 04-2005
Posted From: 66.2.148.215
Posted on Saturday, January 28, 2006 - 1:49 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I think that there is also a world, youth football championship series going on there now. I haven't seen anything on the local news about it, but channel 9 ran a story on it, since the defending champs are the Canuckians.
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Royce
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Username: Royce

Post Number: 1427
Registered: 07-2004
Posted From: 69.212.231.238
Posted on Monday, January 30, 2006 - 12:32 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I know this is unrelated to the Silverdome, but has anyone heard if they are adding the additional seats to Ford Field like they said they would for the Super Bowl?
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Erikd
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Username: Erikd

Post Number: 516
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 69.242.214.106
Posted on Monday, January 30, 2006 - 3:47 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Good riddance to that dump. I don't think it's possible to build a stadium harder to get in and out of than the Silverdome. Not only does the remote location with limited freeway access make the site a traffic nightmare for every event, the stupid air-supported roof requires 80,000 people to try to enter and exit through a handful of revolving doors, resulting in a human stampede after every event.

Thanks to the Silverdome's shitty location, and Oakland County's total bungling of the '82 Superbowl, we are STILL hearing people bitch about what a failure that event was. The biggest complaints about Detroit hosting this Superbowl are mostly based on how bad Oakland County fucked up 24 years ago.

TEAR THAT SCHITT DOWN!!!
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Gumby
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Username: Gumby

Post Number: 818
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 204.39.225.237
Posted on Monday, January 30, 2006 - 4:08 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

well said Erikd
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Clark1mt
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Username: Clark1mt

Post Number: 40
Registered: 06-2005
Posted From: 4.229.156.67
Posted on Monday, January 30, 2006 - 4:58 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Lest ALL the blame is dumped on Oakland County, let's all not forget how much of a problem GHWB caused.

As far as the Silverdome itself, I can't wait to see it go. I live within sight of it along Opdyke Rd. , and during events the best thing to do is stay home and torture pizza delivery guys by forcing them to deal with the traffic. The site will probably fill in with such business types as are across Opdyke in the Executive Hills development, in otherwords light commercial and office spaces. At the very least this will benefit Pontiac far more than the Silverdome has since the Lions left.
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Dsmith
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Username: Dsmith

Post Number: 84
Registered: 07-2005
Posted From: 68.41.202.23
Posted on Monday, January 30, 2006 - 5:08 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

LOL at Erikd calling I-75 and M-59 a 'shitty location'. I hope your not in commercial/industrial real estate.
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Supersport
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Username: Supersport

Post Number: 9830
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 69.246.37.236
Posted on Monday, January 30, 2006 - 8:52 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)


quote:

LOL at Erikd calling I-75 and M-59 a 'shitty location'. I hope your not in commercial/industrial real estate.




You obviously never dealt with the cluster fuck of a mess going to and leaving a Lions game up there. ErikD is right, it was a shitty location. Just as the Palace of Auburn Hills is.
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Wolverine
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Username: Wolverine

Post Number: 114
Registered: 04-2004
Posted From: 141.213.196.136
Posted on Monday, January 30, 2006 - 8:58 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

From a commercial (office and retail) and industrial standpoint, yes it is a good location. But a stadium is a different story, and I've dealt with the misery of leaving the Silverdome many times.

I've left downtown Detroit a few times when Lions fans happened to be leaving a game, and freeway access has never seemed to be a big problem. Or it could just mean more Lions fans are hanging around downtown after the game.
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Audible_nectar
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Username: Audible_nectar

Post Number: 58
Registered: 11-2005
Posted From: 12.214.103.152
Posted on Monday, January 30, 2006 - 9:49 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

"I know this is unrelated to the Silverdome, but has anyone heard if they are adding the additional seats to Ford Field like they said they would for the Super Bowl?"


This is something I've been looking out for in recent weeks, in the midst of all of the press stories. It was my understanding that the stadium capacity was 65,000 as built, but retrofitted to allow expansion to 70,000 for this game. I have yet to see any more detail on this. The only thing I've been able to see is that the upper corner sections in the stadium appear to have a few added rows on the 300 level (I've seen ticket row numbers as high as 30 in those corner sections), and one corner of Ford Field has a HUGE auxilary pressbox. But I am curious where those extra 5,000 seats will be. Guess I'll find out once I get there.

I've never been in the Silverdome, but from what I have heard, it wasn't the most comfortable building of it's type - not enough bathrooms, HUGE seating sections, and not enough space in aisles and walkways. In other words, just like most every other similar sized stadium of it's day. Ever go to the old Soldier Field?? Now getting in and out of there WAS - and still IS - a joke.

From what I have read, Ford Field is the creme de da creme in modern indoor stadia - I've read LOTS of positive comments, mostly from rival fans. If it impresses the rivals, it must be pretty good.
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Dnvn522
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Username: Dnvn522

Post Number: 91
Registered: 11-2004
Posted From: 204.24.64.25
Posted on Monday, January 30, 2006 - 11:08 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Call me crazy, but I never had a problem with the Silverdome. Sure exiting the parking lot was a little crazy after the game, but I've had that problem with lots of sporting events...at most facilities.

And I never had problems getting in or out or to the bathroom or to my seat. The biggest difference that I enjoy between the Silverdome and Ford Field is the view from the cheap seat(the only ones I know). I can actually read a player's number at a Ford Field. :-)
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Bongman
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Username: Bongman

Post Number: 917
Registered: 12-2003
Posted From: 198.111.56.128
Posted on Monday, January 30, 2006 - 11:14 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I thought the Silverdome was a simple, yet beautiful facility. You fools keep paying that extra money at Ford Field to sit farther away. Bong-Man appreciates the couch view, and the billionaire appreciates the income.

The only traffic problems at the Silverdome were caused by the Pontiac police, who must have took seminars in gridlock.
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Jt1
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Username: Jt1

Post Number: 6584
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 198.208.159.20
Posted on Monday, January 30, 2006 - 11:57 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

One thing to consider when talking about the shitty location. I don't believe that it is so much a fault of the location but more how the stadia and the surroundings were developed.

Ford Field and Comerica seem easier to leave because a decent number of people go out after the games and spread the amount of people leaving over a larger period of time.

The Palace and Silverdome are both compound set ups were, no matter if you are leaving or going for drinks you must get in your car and leave the lots.

Different scenarios but I guess that is why I never liked the location or set up of the 2 places in the first place. People should be able to walk someone for dinner or drinks after a game, not be forced into a traffic jam.
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Dougw
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Username: Dougw

Post Number: 951
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 136.1.1.154
Posted on Monday, January 30, 2006 - 3:29 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Amen, jt1. There are a lot of good things about Ford Field, but the *best* thing IMO is that you can walk to a lot of stuff after the game.
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Hardhat
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Username: Hardhat

Post Number: 85
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 71.144.94.214
Posted on Monday, January 30, 2006 - 3:38 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Besides savings on cooling costs, is there a reason why the Silverdome wasn't air conditioned? I don't recall reading much about it, but a lot of people must have sweltered during summer events.
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Supersport
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Username: Supersport

Post Number: 9835
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 64.118.137.228
Posted on Monday, January 30, 2006 - 5:36 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

A fitting farewell for this shit hole would be drinking a case of PBR while watching it get imploded.
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Jjaba
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Username: Jjaba

Post Number: 2987
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 67.160.138.107
Posted on Monday, January 30, 2006 - 5:57 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Stadiums in Central Business Dstricts are very accessible on weekends or night games. 50 years of freeway contruction aims many roadways to the CBD. People park on the street or walk a few blocks to parking lots, or better yet, walk to a subway, light rail, or elevated train.

Although not a good place to watch baseball, Montreal's Olympic Stadium had two stops on the Metro under the stadium. They opened the gates and had trains available after a game. There was no waiting.

Yankee Stadium has elevated and subway access right there. They can clear the neighborhood very quickly via public transit while the suburban lemmings wait in long lines to leave the Bronx.

Other towns with great sports transports include St. Louis, Toronto, NY Mets and MSG, San Francisco, Oakland, Boston, Philly, Atlanta, Wash., DC, Denver, Portland and Chicago Comiskey and Wrigley. Some of the worst locations are Dodger Stadium, Tampa Bay, Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Kansas City, and where the old Charlotte Hornets played.

jjaba, on sports logistics.

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