 
Sparty
Member
Username: Sparty
Post Number: 204
Registered: 02-2004
Posted From: 68.62.2.64
| | Posted on Saturday, August 19, 2006 - 2:12 am: |    |
tons of people out tonight. jazz band at the town pump. great vibe ever after a loss...city keeps losing money. but the tigers keep doing well. granted they lost fri night....how much do we have to rely on the tigers in the next two month to belive detroit will be ok? remember, this budget deficit is not getting any better. the city should run out of money by fall.... |
Lilpup
Member
Username: Lilpup
Post Number: 1272
Registered: 06-2004
Posted From: 69.130.18.100
| | Posted on Saturday, August 19, 2006 - 2:18 am: | |
the city's been a few months away from running out of money for five or six years now... |
Rjk
Member
Username: Rjk
Post Number: 442
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 68.41.145.5
| | Posted on Saturday, August 19, 2006 - 7:22 am: | |
The Tigers more than any of the three teams downtown because they play 81 games helps downtown (Wings 41, Lions 8). With the Tigers impressive young talent (Bonderman, Verlander, Zumaya, Maybin, Sanchez, and Miller, to name a few) they're going to be good for a long time to come. Hopefully Ilitch is willing to jack some big time money up for these players because when their contracts are up they're not going to come cheap.
More people coming downtown and seeing some of the improvements can only be a good thing. |
Lowell
Board Administrator
Username: Lowell
Post Number: 2863
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 66.167.211.213
| | Posted on Saturday, August 19, 2006 - 9:05 am: | |
'Saving Detroit' is a bit grandiose, but having a winning team is definitely benefitting Downtown Detroit. One of my biggest disappointments when the new stadium opened was how bad the team sucked as it impacted the number of people coming downtown and left them with a sour taste after all the pathetic losses.
Now there are far more after game venues, fans are starting to learn them and are in far better spirits. There is what I call a 'lost generation' - a generation of people, largely older embittered types, who never came downtown and, by extension, neither did their kids.
As a result the offspring of that generation or those who are looking at downtown with fresh eyes have to learn the new downtown and become comfortable with it -- where to park, where to eat, where to party... That learning process is still going on [Lions games are helping too except for the sour taste part]. As downtown continues to improve and they learn more, the results are going to be very positive for Detroit and the whole region. |
Mackinaw
Member
Username: Mackinaw
Post Number: 2045
Registered: 02-2005
Posted From: 69.221.36.81
| | Posted on Saturday, August 19, 2006 - 9:51 am: | |
The Tigers are a regional draw, like the Lions and Wings, but perhaps even more so since visiting baseball games are "events" for tons of people. People come from rural and exurban areas for baseball. To have them see a vibrant city is a good thing; while they would never dream of living in Detroit, the new Detroit that they have been seeing when they come from events like a Tigers game has got to change their impression of the city. Reversing negative perceptions is the least we can hope for.
In terms of $$...this is great for downtown businesses. 81 games, the first half of which averaged 25-30 thousand/game, the latter half will average about 40,000/game. You could add another dozen sellouts if we go deep into the playoffs. At one point downtown bars relied on the Wings, which brought 18-20,000/game 41 times.
Tigers games also add more pedestrian traffic downtown. They occur in the warm months when people are willing to walk around town. In the cold months, only the tough people walk around the city at 10pm at night. For the Wings, most people just take the people mover back to their car, and then since they are pissed because they have to drive back in the snow, they just leave rather than hang around downtown.
Tiger games were always fun. But now they are quality baseball shows, sometimes intense, and usually ending in a positive outcome. This is good all around no doubt. |
Viziondetroit
Member
Username: Viziondetroit
Post Number: 714
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 69.246.10.173
| | Posted on Saturday, August 19, 2006 - 9:58 am: | |
Saving Detroit? That's a stretch.... maybe if everyone got parking tickets at every game then they would be saving the city. |
Focusonthed
Member
Username: Focusonthed
Post Number: 439
Registered: 02-2006
Posted From: 24.192.25.47
| | Posted on Saturday, August 19, 2006 - 12:58 pm: | |
I was at the game on Thursday at a party at Cheli's...we were on the roof till past midnight, and downtown was still jumpin' when we left...on a Thursday. That's a good thing. |
Jt1
Member
Username: Jt1
Post Number: 7758
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 66.19.20.197
| | Posted on Saturday, August 19, 2006 - 1:04 pm: | |
It helps but figure it only extends for about 5 square miles less than 4% of the city.
I am as excited about downtown as anyone but it is a small part of the city and the rest of the city needs to be righted before we can discuss real 'saving'
Good to see all the same |
Paulmcall
Member
Username: Paulmcall
Post Number: 5
Registered: 05-2004
Posted From: 68.40.119.216
| | Posted on Sunday, August 20, 2006 - 12:41 pm: | |
Good points Jt1.
No one is going to "save" the city except the people who live and work there.
If they don't have enough pride, resourses and moral fiber, nothing and no one can "fix" it for them.
The Tigers can be a source of civic pride but they are a business too. It's nice to see them be successful on and off the field. |
Jerome81
Member
Username: Jerome81
Post Number: 1072
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 64.142.86.133
| | Posted on Monday, August 21, 2006 - 3:05 am: | |
It brings people down. It is summer. New businesses. New eyes. They spend their money supporting city businesses.
Hell yes it helps. Will it save it? No. But it might just be part of a catalyst that gets the snowball rolling. |
Kenp
Member
Username: Kenp
Post Number: 30
Registered: 03-2006
Posted From: 216.93.121.82
| | Posted on Monday, August 21, 2006 - 10:05 am: | |
Went to the game Friday against the Rangers. We parked in the Compuware lot, and had drinks at the Hard Rock. They validate which is cool. I noticed parking has now moved up from $10 to $15 in the lots around the stadium.
The city was alive after the game it took us forever to get to the E-way. |
Baltgar
Member
Username: Baltgar
Post Number: 21
Registered: 06-2006
Posted From: 67.38.83.5
| | Posted on Monday, August 21, 2006 - 10:27 am: | |
Kenp - you should stay in downtown for a drink before you go home. Traffic lightens up significantly this way. |
Kenp
Member
Username: Kenp
Post Number: 32
Registered: 03-2006
Posted From: 216.93.121.82
| | Posted on Monday, August 21, 2006 - 10:37 am: | |
There was actually a lot of other things going on downtown on Friday night. A Band playing outdoors in the Harmonie Park area and a lot of others businesses doing well.
I have parked at Compuware many times for Lions games and never had a problem getting out. And Im not complaining about the traffic, its great to see actually. |
Vas
Member
Username: Vas
Post Number: 599
Registered: 01-2004
Posted From: 68.40.89.188
| | Posted on Monday, August 21, 2006 - 10:39 am: | |
Yeah, riding the people mover with people aboard and also a lot of positivity in the air.
The Tigers doning well, is really helping dowtown. |
Supersport
Member
Username: Supersport
Post Number: 10503
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 64.118.137.228
| | Posted on Monday, August 21, 2006 - 11:55 am: | |
I thought the casinos were saving the city? God knows year after year they seem to cover all the city's financial shortfalls. LOL |
Mackinaw
Member
Username: Mackinaw
Post Number: 2052
Registered: 02-2005
Posted From: 69.221.36.81
| | Posted on Monday, August 21, 2006 - 12:35 pm: | |
^^Kenp, Harmonie Park has proven to be a great place for live music/outdoor eating all summer. The music and sounds of people chatting which reverberated across downtown late at night was something I noticed one friday night when I was downtown late after a game. |
Motorcitymayor2026
Member
Username: Motorcitymayor2026
Post Number: 1160
Registered: 10-2005
Posted From: 24.231.189.137
| | Posted on Monday, August 21, 2006 - 12:43 pm: | |
I am sure that the Tigers have kept a few bars/restuarants in business that would have otherwise been in deep trouble. |
Wazootyman
Member
Username: Wazootyman
Post Number: 104
Registered: 02-2006
Posted From: 68.75.220.9
| | Posted on Monday, August 21, 2006 - 12:49 pm: | |
I recall that Chelios was on with Drew & Mike a couple of months ago, saying that other than during Tigers' games, his downtown Cheli's doesn't do very well. However, I was in there Saturday prior to the game, and the place was so packed full of people you could hardly move.
I'm pretty sure he's happy the Tigers are doing well. |
Motorcitymayor2026
Member
Username: Motorcitymayor2026
Post Number: 1161
Registered: 10-2005
Posted From: 24.231.189.137
| | Posted on Monday, August 21, 2006 - 12:53 pm: | |
Yea I heard that interview, and he said that game days account for a very large percentage of his business, but he said his weekday lunch crowd was beginning to grow a little bit |
Lowell
Board Administrator
Username: Lowell
Post Number: 2884
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 66.167.211.213
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 22, 2006 - 3:16 pm: | |
The Tigers are definitely having an impact from what I saw last night. I started out with my friend by eating a Harry's. When we got there [early 5 PM] there were only a bunch of cops and a couple of table occupied. When we left at 6:15, it was packed.
Cliff Bells 0, Town Pump 30.
We left before the top of the 9th with a good spirited crowd, so I decided to show my friend Cliff Bell's. Nary a soul in there.
We went up the street to the Town Pump where about 30 people were present. By the time we left, a pint and hour later, there was standing room only.
Monday night on Park Avenue in Detroit? Pinch me. Ten years ago only the scurrying rats would have been heard.
From the streets of the D, your reporter... |