 
Ray
Member
Username: Ray
Post Number: 641
Registered: 06-2004
Posted From: 68.42.220.37
| | Posted on Sunday, March 19, 2006 - 3:30 pm: |    |
GR has a great downtown. It's strange, however, why a known city- and people-hating republican like DeVoss would spend millions on business and cultural developments in downtown grand rapids.
When I read how he created a company that employs thousands here in Michigan, I am filled with rage and hatred. This is obviously a cheap trick designed to confuse the masses as to his true diabolical intentions.
We must stop this man from becoming govenor before he facilitates further economic development and urban renwal.
God help our state if Jen Granholm is defeated.
<== wonders if the average sorry finger-in-his-ear Michigan resident comprehends that the national recession ended five years ago and the entire national economy (save Michigan) is booming, that nationally jobs are plentiful, that we've had 10-15 year run of good-to-great automobile sales in the national market, and most states are running a significant budget surplus. |
Pape06
Member
Username: Pape06
Post Number: 1
Registered: 02-2006
Posted From: 69.215.245.224
| | Posted on Sunday, March 19, 2006 - 6:25 pm: | |
First post, been reading for a couple months now though, I just had to comment on Ray's post. Best sarcastic post I've read on this site, made for a good laugh. |
Bob
Member
Username: Bob
Post Number: 832
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 64.12.116.204
| | Posted on Sunday, March 19, 2006 - 6:50 pm: | |
The biggest question with DeVos is will he ignore Metro Detroit in favor of giving preference to the westside of the state. Will DeVos play partisan politics and favor the Republican Westside, or will he help continue John Engler's tradition of ignoring Metro Detroit. Is DeVos going to make things sound nice to try to get our vote since Metro Detroit has a lot of voting power, and then do what he wants or will he really do what he says he will do. He needs to start coming up with a platform and answering some questions, instead of just saying he is a job creator, because he employs a lot of people in a successful company. Will he bring back the school voucher fight once elected, or will he decide voters have spoken on the issue. You can not deny he has done a lot for Grand Rapids, but he has a lot of questions to answer to get the votes from Metro Detroit, which is a large voting block that could sway any election. Will he have an agenda that will help urban areas and fight sprawl, or will continue to keep up the sprawl is good because it is development and growth. Lots of questions that he has yet to answer. |
Ray
Member
Username: Ray
Post Number: 644
Registered: 06-2004
Posted From: 68.42.220.37
| | Posted on Sunday, March 19, 2006 - 11:33 pm: | |
Bob, you raise a good point. There is an undeniable contepmt for Detroit on the part of the West-side right wing and perhaps we would be dissapointed at the result of a DeVos victory.
I met him in person (DeVos) recently, and I think we means well. I don't think he will screw us.
I hate to be bitter, and I see first-hand and intimately, the contemptous awful behavor of the Oakland County Repblican Party on issues like mass transit and Detroit. Believe me, if I come across as an angry Republican, the people I'm most mad at are the Oakand County Republicans themselves.
The thing is, we live in on a planet that is for the the foreseeable future driven by markets, and we have a state government that in its core, its very DNA, doesn't get markets and is leading us down the wrong path.
My prayer (and prayer is about the point I'm at with this state) is that DeVos will meld market success and understanding with a humanistic drive to rebuild our cities. Maybe I'm deluding myself. |
Bob
Member
Username: Bob
Post Number: 835
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 64.12.116.204
| | Posted on Monday, March 20, 2006 - 9:20 am: | |
DeVos does seem to mean well, and he does have a track record of knowing what he is doing. But he needs to start giving more details about what he wants to do. Vagueness does not make him any different than Granholm. The other thing I am going to have a hard time getting past is his fanatical wife. She said a lot of things during her tenure as head of the MI Republican Party that scare me. I am really hoping he is very different, which he seems to be so far. I would like to hear more from him. |
Michiganjfrog
Member
Username: Michiganjfrog
Post Number: 4
Registered: 03-2006
Posted From: 198.212.237.23
| | Posted on Monday, March 20, 2006 - 10:56 am: | |
quote:Gistok: The population of Grand Rapids proper is what... less than 200,000? The 2 closest cities, Muskegon and Holland (each less than 50,000 people?), both are about as far away from Grand Rapids, as Ann Arbor is from Detroit.
Grand Rapids has a population of just 195,515 (2004), but has many large suburbs. Wyoming has a population of 70,300. Kentwood has a population of 46,535, Walker has 23,315, Georgetown Twp has 43,703, Plainfield Twp has 31,348, and Gaines Twp has 22,813, plus there are several others. The immediate Grand Rapids area (adjacent cities and townships) has a population of over 500,000. (This immediate area doesn't come close to the areas of Muskegon, Holland, or Grand Haven.)
Muskegon has a population of 39,954. The immediate Muskegon area is much larger when you include its suburbs. Throw in Norton Shores, Muskegon Twp and others and it has a population well in excess of 100,000.
Holland has a population of 27,185. Include the adjacent townships of Holland Twp and Park Twp and the population is nearly 80,000.
Grand Haven has a population of just 10,733. But the immediate Grand Haven area has a population of nearly 45,000.
quote:Last I remember Kent County (Grand Rapids) only had about 500,000 people in the county. Thats way less that "little" Macomb County's 900,000.
As of July 1, 2005, Kent County had a population of 596,666. Macomb had a population of 829,453. So, you understate Kent County's population by 96,666 and overstate Macomb's population by 70,547. That's a population swing of 167,213. Interesting...
quote:Unfortunately I don't have a recent Almanac. Maybe someone could check theirs and find out how many folks live in these counties (all the ones that touch Grand Rapids Kent County):
Kent, Ottawa, Muskegon, Newaygo, Montcalm, Ionia, Barry and Allegan.
1,379,212.
quote:And if these are all included, then we're talking about a land area twice that of metro Detroit.
According to the Office of Management and Budget (federal government), the Grand Rapids CSA is 4,729 square miles. The Detroit CSA is 1/3 larger at 6,287 square miles.
(Message edited by Michiganjfrog on March 20, 2006)
(Message edited by Michiganjfrog on March 20, 2006)
(Message edited by Michiganjfrog on March 20, 2006) |
Blueman459
Member
Username: Blueman459
Post Number: 2
Registered: 03-2006
Posted From: 205.188.116.137
| | Posted on Thursday, March 23, 2006 - 12:38 am: | |
It appears this project has to do with the music industry.. www.woodtv.com/Global/story.as p?S=4668950&nav=menu44_1 |
Bvos
Member
Username: Bvos
Post Number: 1312
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 66.238.170.32
| | Posted on Thursday, March 23, 2006 - 9:36 am: | |
So that's why the Motown folks have been so reluctant to do anything with the former Donovan Bldg. site, they're moving to Grand Rapids! |
Bob
Member
Username: Bob
Post Number: 841
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 64.12.116.204
| | Posted on Thursday, March 23, 2006 - 9:54 am: | |
My question is what would the music industry want with Grand Rapids. Its a nice city and all, but not much of a music tradition, at least not on the scale Detroit has. Maybe DeVos is starting a Christian Rock Hall of Fame. |
Michikraut
Member
Username: Michikraut
Post Number: 133
Registered: 05-2004
Posted From: 80.136.85.69
| | Posted on Thursday, March 23, 2006 - 11:17 am: | |
First off: Devos did not start a company in GR, his father(or grandfather?) did. Jay Van Andel and Richard Devos are the founders of Amway and saw to the growth of Ada (once a seperate village from GR, now surrounded by GR). Now from what I heard most of the buildings are empty or used for wharehousing and manufacturing of Amway products have been outsourced. The same fate befalling workers of Steelcase, another institution in GR. During the 70´s and 80´s entire city neighborhoods were home to workers of these two huge companies. Hence the clean and tidy appearances of the inner city. Downtown GR is quite nice, nothing to compare to Detroit- only half the size (due to natural barriers: Grand River on one side and steep valley walls. The city sits in a narrow valley. On the east side of the valley is two strong and attractive historical Districts: Cherry Hill Neighborhood, Heritage Hill and further out Easttown. It would be hard to expand in this direction.)
GR was truly a sleeping little city till the mid eighties. The Christian Reform Church was very strong and prominent. Kent County was a dry county for a long time and I can still remember driving down 28th Street while in High School and it being deserted as every business was closed on Sunday, even gas stations were closed. It was big scandal when the first stores(mall?) wanted to be open on Sunday. Possibly it was Meijer,(another prominent name in the area, sponsor of huge horticultural garden, based out of Greenville?) So GR was spared many of the unrest of the 60´s and 70´s being such "whitebread city" (GR was/is a favorite testing market for new products due to its strong middle class roots). Also due to the religiousity of GR is the large young population. There is an unbelievable quantity of large families (4-5 kids) since the parents married right out of high school/College (the only legal and acceptable way to have sex??)
GR has a large educated population due to the numerous colleges in and around the area: Aquinas (Catholic), Calvin (Christian Reformed), A Baptist College, Community College, WMU, Hope (Holland not that far away), and numerous branches of other Universities. |
Southwestmap
Member
Username: Southwestmap
Post Number: 432
Registered: 01-2005
Posted From: 64.79.90.206
| | Posted on Thursday, March 23, 2006 - 11:42 am: | |
From a Wood-TV story today on the "Mystery Development" comes this rating for Grand rapids:
By Rick Albin
(Grand Rapids, March 22, 2006, 6:33 p.m.) A new report puts Grand Rapids sixth in the world when it comes to developing new jobs and ideas.
The report is called the World Knowledge Competitiveness Index, and what it measures is important according to Matt Abraham, an analyst at Grubb & Ellis | Paramount.
Abraham says it shows, "The capacity, capability of a region to develop new products and innovative ideas, and translate that into economic value and wealth."
The report compares 125 cities worldwide. Only San Jose, Boston, San Francisco, Hartford, and Seattle fare better.
According to officials at Grubb & Ellis | Paramount, who make this kind of thing their business, this could be an important tool in showing the rest of the world what Grand Rapids has to offer.
"When you look at a report like this, it's not that the report is so important. It's that it tells what kind of city we are," according to Grubb & Ellis | Paramount Vice President Bill Bussey.
Bussey points out a few important areas:
The number of patents generated in our area is 16th per capita in the world.
Grand Rapids is number four when it comes to higher education.
Education investment in Grand Rapids is tenth best in the world.
So what does all of this mean? Could it be used to attract big investors, perhaps like the much-talked about "mystery development?"
It would appear so, but Bussey says big deal or not this report reflects just part of what the area has going for it.
“You asked me about the mystery development and I don't know any more than you do. But put it in perspective, I hope it happens because from what I've read in the papers it will be a great thing for Grand Rapids. If it doesn't happen, this is still a great place to be."
It is a place that Bussey predicts will continue to grow in the next ten years, much like it has in the last ten.
Grubb & Ellis | Paramount is the real estate company representing the mystery billion dollar development. The company says if the secret project goes through, developers could break ground in a year.
24 Hour News 8 is staying on top of this story. We are working our sources every day, so stay tuned for the latest information. |
Bob
Member
Username: Bob
Post Number: 848
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 64.12.116.204
| | Posted on Thursday, March 23, 2006 - 11:52 am: | |
Here is DeVos's excuse for ignoring Southeast MI. |
Southwestmap
Member
Username: Southwestmap
Post Number: 433
Registered: 01-2005
Posted From: 64.79.90.206
| | Posted on Thursday, March 23, 2006 - 12:04 pm: | |
This designation looks pretty impressive. From a press release by the authors of the annual study:
NEWS RELEASE
Sheffield, UK, 13th December 2005
SILICON VALLEY'S SAN JOSE IS THE WORLD’S MOST KNOWLEDGE COMPETITIVE ECONOMY
Nordic Regions Continue to Thrive,
While Shanghai is Most Improved Performer
The 2005 edition of World Knowledge Competitiveness Index (WKCI) is published today by Robert Huggins Associates. The WKCI is the only composite and relative measure of the knowledge economies of the world’s leading regions.
San Jose, the heart of California’s Silicon Valley heads the WKCI 2005, followed by the US regions of Boston, San Francisco and Hartford. Seattle takes fifth place with Grand-Rapids in sixth position. The highest ranked non-US region is Stockholm in Sweden, which climbs seven places to eighth position. Tokyo (23rd) is the highest ranked region outside of North America and Europe.
According to one of the report’s authors, Dr Robert Huggins of the Management School at the University of Sheffield, ‘San Jose, and Silicon Valley as a whole, has had its problems in recent years. The lingering effect of the dot com crash and the offshoring of IT activities to places such as India have led to soaring unemployment rates. However, all the data indicate that the region continues to lead the way as the world’s knowledge powerhouse’.
The WKCI is an integrated and overall benchmark of the knowledge capacity, capability and sustainability of 125 regions across the globe, and the extent to which this knowledge is translated into economic value, and transferred into the wealth of the citizens of these regions, utilising 19 knowledge economy benchmarks, including employment levels in the knowledge economy, patent registrations, R&D investment by the private and public sector, education expenditure, information and communication technology infrastructure, and access to private equity. The WKCI is the only existing instrument that benchmarks such regional performance at a global level, with index comprising of 55 North American regions, 45 from Europe and 25 from Asia-Pacific. |
Jimaz
Member
Username: Jimaz
Post Number: 519
Registered: 12-2005
Posted From: 68.2.191.57
| | Posted on Thursday, March 23, 2006 - 1:15 pm: | |
Southwestmap, thanks for those interesting articles.
A side note (to all) regarding innovation: Although it can be measured in the past, it's important to avoid attempts to develop algorithms for future innovation. It leads to the spontaneity paradox. |
Wmuchris
Member
Username: Wmuchris
Post Number: 293
Registered: 06-2005
Posted From: 69.58.36.2
| | Posted on Friday, March 24, 2006 - 9:04 am: | |
Well guys,
Looks like this GR Mega-Development has hit a bump in the road. The owner of a new All-nude dance parlor is refusing to sign a confidentiality agreement that must be signed before any kind of closing is made.
The owner of said place has said that barring "anything short of the buyer showing up with an armored truck full of money" the deal is off. Wouldn't you know that it would end up being some sleazy dance hall owner that would stand in the way of this thing?
http://www.wzzm13.com/news/new s_article.aspx?storyid=51980
The mayor has said that this is not the end of the deal, but only a stumbling block. However, my skepticism just rose on this whole project.
-connecting the east and west coast.
WMUChris |
Bob
Member
Username: Bob
Post Number: 853
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 64.12.116.204
| | Posted on Friday, March 24, 2006 - 9:08 am: | |
Interesting, maybe they could just build the whole development around his business. It sounds like this project would have been nice for GR. |
Dsmith
Member
Username: Dsmith
Post Number: 99
Registered: 07-2005
Posted From: 68.41.202.23
| | Posted on Friday, March 24, 2006 - 3:05 pm: | |
Wzzm has it wrong, the name of the purchaser on the buy/sell agreement is Atlanta attorney David Minkin not David Mink.
David N. Minkin
Co-Managing Shareholder
Greenberg Traurig, LLP
David Minkin has extensive experience in several practice areas, including commercial real estate, financial restructuring, corporate finance, government relations and alternative dispute resolution. Due to his Harvard Business School and business knowledge and experience, David engages in "business consulting" for many of his clients. In addition, David has extensive experience in working with family businesses and dealing with interpersonal difficulties among top officials within business organizations.
Areas of Experience
Commercial real estate
Financial restructuring
Secured transactions
Commercial lending
Corporate finance
Government relations
Significant Representations
Commercial real estate: Represents financial institutions and life insurance companies in all phases of construction financing, permanent financing, asset-based financing and revolving credit facilities; also represents developers, operators and equity investors in the development and construction, leasing, management and acquisition of hotels, shopping centers, office buildings, apartment complexes, office/warehouse facilities, and other commercial facilities.
Financial restructuring: Ongoing representation of the country's largest banking institution, including lead counsel in a five-year workout involving properties in seven states and requiring the coordination of over 20 creditors.
Municipal infrastructure: Represents several companies engaged in businesses relating to municipal infrastructure, including the privatization of water systems and wastewater systems. In particular, currently doing extensive work with a firm that is developing "waste-to-ethanol" facilities throughout the country.
http://72.14.203.104/search?q= cache:ohQ0WY0uEBAJ:gtlaw.com/b ios/corporate/minkind.htm+%223 290+Northside%22+parkway+minki n&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=3 |
Dsmith
Member
Username: Dsmith
Post Number: 100
Registered: 07-2005
Posted From: 68.41.202.23
| | Posted on Friday, March 24, 2006 - 3:12 pm: | |
Grand Rapids Development is out of Chicago, they incorporated 09/02/2004. |
Mcnamara
Member
Username: Mcnamara
Post Number: 36
Registered: 06-2005
Posted From: 204.22.230.98
| | Posted on Friday, March 24, 2006 - 3:18 pm: | |
Greenberg Traurig is a big lobbyist(if not the biggest) for the indian tribes, how much you want to bet the big developement is a Casino/entertainment complex. |
Mcnamara
Member
Username: Mcnamara
Post Number: 37
Registered: 06-2005
Posted From: 204.22.230.98
| | Posted on Friday, March 24, 2006 - 3:20 pm: | |
same firm Abramoff was with... |
Bob
Member
Username: Bob
Post Number: 865
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 64.12.116.204
| | Posted on Friday, March 24, 2006 - 3:24 pm: | |
A big casino complex in the middle of Grand Rapids, that does not make sense. It was the Grand Rapids Republicans that helped kill the Indian casino going in Allegan County to the south, gambling does not fit their Christian beliefs. |
Focusonthed
Member
Username: Focusonthed
Post Number: 58
Registered: 02-2006
Posted From: 209.220.229.254
| | Posted on Friday, March 24, 2006 - 4:17 pm: | |
^^^ Yeah, there's been a giant fight for years about an Indian casino just like 15 miles from GR. There's no way they'll build one downtown. |
Mcnamara
Member
Username: Mcnamara
Post Number: 38
Registered: 06-2005
Posted From: 204.22.230.98
| | Posted on Friday, March 24, 2006 - 4:22 pm: | |
thats Gun Lake, totally different story then downtown GR. |
Mc5rules
Member
Username: Mc5rules
Post Number: 166
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 148.61.85.121
| | Posted on Friday, March 24, 2006 - 4:24 pm: | |
Pretty much the only thing anybody knows with any certainty is that it ain't a casino...that's about the only thing that's been confirmed by people in the know. |
Wmuchris
Member
Username: Wmuchris
Post Number: 294
Registered: 06-2005
Posted From: 69.51.137.10
| | Posted on Friday, March 24, 2006 - 5:48 pm: | |
They are saying that it has to do with the music/ entertainment industry.
http://www.woodtv.com/Global/s tory.asp?S=4672798&nav=menu44_ 1 |
Detroitman
Member
Username: Detroitman
Post Number: 941
Registered: 06-2004
Posted From: 216.78.33.81
| | Posted on Saturday, March 25, 2006 - 8:38 am: | |
Developer may put GR rap on map
Saturday, March 25, 2006
By Nancy Crawley
The Grand Rapids Press
http://www.mlive.com/news/grpr ess/index.ssf?/base/news-28/11 43271512155930.xml&coll=6 |
Bob
Member
Username: Bob
Post Number: 866
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 152.163.100.8
| | Posted on Saturday, March 25, 2006 - 4:33 pm: | |
This just makes no sense, in Grand Rapids? I love Grand Rapids and all, but hip-hop and GR don't seem to be two things that go together. Maybe I am wrong, and I think this is a cool development, but in GR? |
Erikd
Member
Username: Erikd
Post Number: 558
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 69.242.214.106
| | Posted on Saturday, March 25, 2006 - 10:03 pm: | |
When people talk about hip-hop meccas, Grand Rapids is the first city that comes to mind. People think Kwame is the hip-hop mayor, but you haven't seen Dick DeVos hittin switches in his '64. When Dick and Betsy are sittin on dubs and rollin 20 deep, bitches better recognize. |
Gistok
Member
Username: Gistok
Post Number: 1920
Registered: 08-2004
Posted From: 4.229.81.101
| | Posted on Sunday, March 26, 2006 - 12:10 am: | |
Michiganjfrog, I am not sure what a "CSA" area is, but I bet it's not the same thing as a SMSA (Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area), which may have been a term once used by the census people. And I can see how metro Detroit has at most 5 counties in the metro area, but according the whatever a CSA is.... it would include something like 9 counties (including St. Clair, Lapeer, Genesee, Livingston, Washtenaw and Monroe.... and still have a few hundred square miles to get to the CSA area of 6,287 Sq Miles.
And.... a CSA is not the same thing as a metro area. Apples and oranges....
And.... the Grand Rapid's 7 county "area" has 1.379 million people.... they still need another county or two to get to 1.5 million. Interesting.... |
Hardhat
Member
Username: Hardhat
Post Number: 113
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 69.221.94.195
| | Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 12:07 pm: | |
http://www.mlive.com/news/grpr ess/index.ssf?/base/news-0/114 3468906252950.xml&coll=6
Document outlines plans for mystery development
Monday, March 27, 2006
By Nancy Crawley and Ken Kolker
The Grand Rapids Press
GRAND RAPIDS -- A developer with offices in Los Angeles and Atlanta is among the leaders in the mystery project along the Grand River, a spokesman confirmed today.
Duane E. Faust, a California-licensed real estate agent who owns ESNA Corp., is identified in a 22-page document that outlined plans for $1.6 billion project.
The document, dating from April 2005, envisions a 41-acre commercial, entertainment and residential district.
It includes a letter from Mayor George Heartwell in which he expresses his commitment to "creating the entertainment hub of the Midwest here in Grand Rapids."
Details have changed, but the proposal generally describes what the development could look like, spokesman Don Hunt said this morning.
"The specifics in the documents reflect a very early draft and should not be taken at where things are at present," Hunt said. "The dollars and specific components are very much out of date."
The document -- labeled "Draft-confidential" -- lays out a financing proposal for sweeping redevelopment of the industrial riverfront south of downtown.
Among the highlights: a 2,500-seat indoor and outdoor concert venue and a million-square-foot, multi-story mall. That is the same footage as the Woodland Shopping Center.
The district also would include an amphitheater, cinemas and small museums, and up to 1,500 town homes and condominiums. Shops, restaurants, a park and a riverwalk would round out the development.
Hunt said those were preliminary plans, created by a Los Angeles company for the developer. The company, Step Strategy Advisors, no longer is involved, he said.
He said he couldn't say whether the plans have grown or been scaled back.
The document was "commissioned" by the developer and Faust was "one of the parties involved in the project," Hunt said. "Duane is active in the leadership of this project."
He said Faust was not available for comment today but likely would discuss the project this week.
Faust recently bought a $1.37 million home north of Atlanta, records show.
The document states ESNA a year ago was in the process of securing purchase options on private land within the so-called "mystery development" area: from the Grand River east to Grandville Avenue and from U.S. 131 to Wealthy Street. The site has been the focus of intense interest in recent weeks as details have begun to surface.
The document also shows Mayor Heartwell and Faust have been corresponding since at least July 2004.
"I would like the opportunity to express my personal commitment to creating the entertainment hub of the Midwest here in Grand Rapids, Michigan," Heartwell wrote on July 12, 2004.
In another letter a year ago, he referred to the project as "Alpha One" and told developers the city was willing to sell land it owns in the project area. That land was formally put up for bid last week.
Heartwell's letter went on to say the sale process is competitive and told Faust "your proposal would have to pass muster against other proposals. . . . in a fair and open procedure prescribed by law and local ordinance."
Heartwell this morning declined to comment on the document or the letters, written on city letterhead.
"I'm bound by a confidentiality agreement," Heartwell said. "I'm simply not going to put myself in legal jeopardy given the binding document I signed."
The document shows ESNA has been counting on obtaining city-owned land along the river now used by the Public Works Department. It further stated the city "will be providing the public portion of the land under a negotiated long-term lease arrangement."
In the letter, Heartwell acknowledged Faust's proposal "might include deferred payment for the real estate."
Last week, the City Commission voted to put the 16 acres on the market for $35 million, seeking letters of interest from developers by May 19.
ESNA's plan indicates it planned to pay about $25 million for the private parcels within the project area, plus whatever it cost to obtain the city land.
The company would then refinance at a higher value once the whole parcel has been assembled and rezoned and the project designed.
Within three years, ESNA planned to sell the 41-acre parcel to an entity called River Grand LLC. There is no explanation of who controls that group.
River Grand would "seek syndication financing in the amount of $1.6 billion" to buy the land and pay for construction in several phases.
"Each phase of construction will be sold to residential borrowers, national retailers, entertainment conglomerates, major hotel chains, or local and regional business owners," the document says.
No specific entertainment entities are named, but the reference is consistent with confirmations from a number of people familiar with the mystery development. They have said the music and entertainment industry is a significant component.
It is also not clear whether the project as outlined would include facilities for a recording company, as mentioned in previous reports, or whether an urban music company that made previous inquiries into the site would be a tenant. |
Bob
Member
Username: Bob
Post Number: 872
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 152.163.100.8
| | Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 1:19 pm: | |
This just sounds like a giant pipe dream to me. Metro Detroit hs some the highest grossing venues in money and attendance, and with Chicago a hop skip and jump away from Grand Rapids, people are going to go there before they go to GR. |
Detroit_stylin
Member
Username: Detroit_stylin
Post Number: 2575
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 66.202.227.12
| | Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 3:22 pm: | |
From what I have read and know about Interscope Records...I dont know how they can possibly bring 10,000 jobs to that area, especially when they don't even employ 10,000 people where they are currently... |
Wmuchris
Member
Username: Wmuchris
Post Number: 295
Registered: 06-2005
Posted From: 69.58.36.2
| | Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 4:10 pm: | |
Interscope is not the development. It has been reported here on the West Side, that the rumored Interscope Records deal is a bunch of bunk. So I'd expect something else. |
Restoretheroar
Member
Username: Restoretheroar
Post Number: 674
Registered: 07-2004
Posted From: 199.67.138.75
| | Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 5:59 pm: | |
Mystery Developer Named
http://www.woodtv.com/Global/s tory.asp?S=4686537&nav=menu44_ 2_1 |
Wmuchris
Member
Username: Wmuchris
Post Number: 296
Registered: 06-2005
Posted From: 69.51.137.10
| | Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 6:12 pm: | |
According to WOODtv this is what the development calls for
* The plan calls for a 2500 seat indoor/outdoor concert venue and mentions a Performing Arts theatre.
* A one million square foot vertical mall – as a comparison, Rivertown Crossing is just over one million square feet;
* 1500 town homes and condos.
* A state-of-the-art cinema
* Retail shops and restaurants
* A landscaped riverwalk fronting the entire length of the property
* And the draft mentions hotels.
We also reported last night who would buy into this development:
* Entertainment conglomerates
* National retailers
* Major hotel chains
* Local and regional business owners |
Wmuchris
Member
Username: Wmuchris
Post Number: 297
Registered: 06-2005
Posted From: 69.51.137.10
| | Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 6:13 pm: | |
And one strip club square in the middle of things! |
Johnnny5
Member
Username: Johnnny5
Post Number: 193
Registered: 06-2005
Posted From: 71.227.95.4
| | Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 10:47 pm: | |
^^^ That's disappointing news =(. I was really hoping for a large corporate headquarters or a major tourist attraction that would draw people from out of state. While the development sounds interesting IMO it is a bit of a let down considering all the hype it received. |
Collective
Member
Username: Collective
Post Number: 327
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 68.30.193.125
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 28, 2006 - 7:16 am: | |
Good for GR...Interscope is looking at the D right now...well at least Shady Records is considering re-locating. I assume Interscope would be a part of this.
More later! |
Detroitduo
Member
Username: Detroitduo
Post Number: 554
Registered: 06-2005
Posted From: 194.138.39.53
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 28, 2006 - 8:16 am: | |
So, the Bloomfield twp. project moved to Grand Rapids. cool! |
Bob
Member
Username: Bob
Post Number: 873
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 64.12.116.204
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 28, 2006 - 8:30 am: | |
Skipper's rule invoked for GR. I'm sorry, but this thing just sounds too good to be true, even Dick DeVos doesn't have that kind of money to bankroll this thing himself. |
Mrsjdaniels
Member
Username: Mrsjdaniels
Post Number: 181
Registered: 08-2005
Posted From: 69.221.71.182
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 29, 2006 - 9:13 pm: | |
well i guess my MIL was DEAD wrong :-)
Trump casino |
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