http://freep.com/article/20091123/NEWS03/91123057/1318/Judge-Sale-of-Pontiacs-Silverdome-can-proceed Sale can go through. Interesting times.
Yea, I posted that in another 'Dome thread. As Opal and I have said, there was no legal grounds for the other company to challenge the result of the auction. They were just SOL.
I just shot Andrew an e-mail. I'm going to try and contact Triple Properties to hopefully set up some kind of interview.
Toronto developer acquires Pontiac Silverdome Reading between the lines of this article, it really sounds like this developer is small potatoes. I seriously doubt he has the resources to do anything of substance with the Silverdome property. My guess is he turns around and re-sells it in 2010 to make a tidy profit. I don't think he has the finances to back a MLS team, and probably nowhere near the financial ability to remodel the Silverdome into a smaller soccer venue.
I don't understand. Why are you so gung-ho about us getting an NASL team instead of MLS? Seems like everywhere this news popped up that's all you've mentioned. And, well, that has been all you've mentioned, as in you have nothing else to add. Care to explain?
Realistic for who? As it is, it's going to take a lot of work to get the Silverdome MLS-ready. Believe it or not, it's going to take MORE work to get it ready for the NASL, as you don't need a stadium half as big. Besides, no one in town is interested in the NASL. All we've heard about interest is in either MLS or USL. NASL won't happen unless someone ELSE comes out of nowhere. I put those odds at 1000-1, and only that good because the Silverdome sale in itself was a stunner.
I think either way the silverdome is not going to be the destination of any pro soccer scenario in Detroit. Theres just simply too much work. You could most likely build a brand new barebones stadium for the same price if not cheaper then what it would cost to get the silver dome ready to be a viable stadium. In any case, I think this is just further proof that our support needs to be given not to this Toronto firm but to Dan and the Bucks. At least until the point where something credible is said from this company.
I agree. It really sounds like this guy submitted a lowball, almost what he thought was a joke, bid and was shocked to be the highest joker; soccer was just the first thing that he could think of when he was asked what he would do with it. I sometimes wonder if, had he known that he could have got it for so cheap, Dan wouldn't have bought it? Probably not, since he does already have at least part ownership in the USA property nearby, but damn, that's still damn cheap.
It also could be a major headache -- not too surprising that the city of Pontiac wanted to offload it -- maintenance/upkeep are a substantial financial drain.
According to Andrew contact information is scarce to come by for this company. I haven't had a chance to look yet myself though. Sorry about editing your post. I hit the wrong button. That's what I get for trying to listen to a coworker's story and post a reply at the same time.
I haven't been able to find anything. I have a bunch of questions I would love to ask them though!! Keep the ideas up for getting the word out. Maybe we need to get on the radio or TV some how....hmmm.... Anyone have contacts so we can get a scarf on some "celebrities" in Detroit? I have some left that we can use for that purpose. Who would you like to see them on?
I mean, sports figures would be great...as you know, many are revered in this town. And there are other "celebrities". Just a partial list off the top of my head: Steve Yzerman Barry Sanders Dave Bing Joe Dumars Ben Wallace Jim Leyland Magglio Ordonez Mike Illitch (while eating a $5 pizza for bonus points) Nick Lidstrom Chris Chelios Ernie Harwell Dennis Archer Jennifer Granholm Debbie Stabenow Carl Levin Sander Levin Gary Peters John Conyers Debbie Dingell John Dingell Matt Stafford Calvin "Megatron" Johnson Tommy "The Hitman" Hearns Emmanuel Steward Roger Penske Eminem Kid Rock Bob Seger Al Kaline Gordie Howe Anita Baker Vinnie Johnson Now, the feasibility of getting close to these people to get a picture with a scarf...now that's another question.
I saw Steve Yzerman once at Ultimate Soccer, sometime about this time last year... His daughter was practicing there, don't remember which club she was with though.
I could have had Alexi hold up the MCS scarf at RFK for the US game but I left the scarf at the hotel.
After he asked my why I was there(lol Alexi, because I'm supporting the Ticos) I told him about the mascot and he laughed. Sucks that it was one time me or my dad didnt have the scarf at a game.
Jack White has said publicly that he would never move back to Detroit, for various reasons. He currently lives in Tennessee.
Most have already seen this but I figured I would repost it here: http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2009/12/protest_planned_as_group_files.html Protest planned for the sale.
Wow, now I'm glad the guy wasn't serious about soccer. This is going to take years to sort out, and I'd be pissed if it was really holding up my Detroit MLS team.