Re: Tear the roof off: Silverdome to be split into concert hall, indoor arena, soccer-specific stadi I remember them looking at a study a few years ago about relieving traffic issues in the city (knowing what I know now, traffic in Detroit is a cakewalk compared to the epic cluster**** that is Miami or the 8 million people that work in and around DC). They mentioned in that study that over 93% of the Detroit area drive themselves to work. So, if you estimate back then that the workforce was about 3 million, 2.79 million people drove themselves to work. That's a lot of cars, and Detroit is unlike any other city in the percentage of people who drive themselves to work. Commuter rails will come around, but Detroit will take some time to adapt. The rail lines will have to be built and then walking communities will then adapt to those lines. But, it will take decades, not seasons, for that to be accomplished. In the end, it will be a great thing for tourism, convenience and traffic relief.
Re: Tear the roof off: Silverdome to be split into concert hall, indoor arena, soccer-specific stadi I had attended a few of the meetings of the mass-transit crowd, called Transportation Riders United (TRU). However, I only see failure in what they've tried already. (They had promised a Pontiac-Detroit-Ann Arbor rail system "in a few months" but now seems years away.) And they have this grand plan (based mostly on high-speed bus routes), that just won't work. http://www.detroittransit.org/ (P.S. I've included the web site for those who are interested, but I don't believe a word that they say.)
Re: Tear the roof off: Silverdome to be split into concert hall, indoor arena, soccer-specific stadi You don't have to believe anything they say. Even if what they say is true, this is a nonprofit organization that has nothing to do with actually getting it done. Consider them an advocacy group that is fighting to expand the rail system in the area...they aren't the group that actually gets it built. That will always be the government (local, state, federal).
Re: Tear the roof off: Silverdome to be split into concert hall, indoor arena, soccer-specific stadi I think the idea to do this is great but will this plan happen?
Re: Tear the roof off: Silverdome to be split into concert hall, indoor arena, soccer-specific stadi SEMCOG had promised a Howell-Ann Arbor-Ypsi-Airport-Dearborn-Detroit commuter rail and that is a government entity.
Re: Tear the roof off: Silverdome to be split into concert hall, indoor arena, soccer-specific stadi SEMCOG is not a government entity...they're an organization that works on behalf of local governments. Again, they advocate for certain things that their member local governments desire or need, including a commuter rail. In the end, it would be the actual governments that would be responsible for authorizing, planning and executing the building of any transportation.
Re: Tear the roof off: Silverdome to be split into concert hall, indoor arena, soccer-specific stadi I came across this thread again last night and BOOM, the biggest news yet about the light rail is released today: http://www.detnews.com/article/2011...nounced-for-$500M-Woodward-light-rail-project Still significant issues to be worked out, but a promising proposal. If this and the SEMCOG rail do happen, the next logical step would be a northern expansion. Both lines would have the potential to reach Pontiac (either down Woodward or via Amtrak stations like the SEMCOG plan)... so we might not be more than a decade away from the stadium being reachable entirely by public transportation from anywhere in the western and southern burbs.
Re: Tear the roof off: Silverdome to be split into concert hall, indoor arena, soccer-specific stadi "significant issues" is a nice way to put it. Funny how this came out right when the mayor and council are caught up in (yet another) tussle on the budget, with the city facing some kind of shutdown (or "lockout" in sports terms) on Friday. According to Transportation Riders United, "If no compromise is reached soon, the People Mover will close, bus riders will be left stranded, Woodward Light Rail will be threatened, and Detroit transit may be devastated for years to come!" (their words) [ http://www.detroittransit.org/ ] But I might just go to their July 11 talker on this. There doesn't seem to be any new documents on the light rail web site, as of now. [ http://www.woodwardlightrail.com ]
Re: Tear the roof off: Silverdome to be split into concert hall, indoor arena, soccer-specific stadi Once you get to the Pontiac area, there are plenty of places that could become destinations for a light rail system: downtown Pon, Silverdome, Oakland U, Chrysler, Palace of AH, Great Lakes Crossing shopping center, DTE Energy theatre. Would be nice if we could squeeze the Ultimate Soccer complex (and the movie studio across the street) into those plans, especially if that 5K professional stadium gets built on-site. More likely, the Ult would get served from a hub, probably from downtown or OU, via shuttle busses, for game days.
Another attempt at putting together a mass-transit system in the area, is a'coming. This study is looking at Woodward only (not a complete-regional plan), from DET to PON. The question will probalby be what would be the mode to move people: rapid bus, light-rail, or some combo of them (light-rail for most of the route, turning to rapid-bus south of Grand Blvd in DET). There are public presentations (starting today) for the next two weeks. And from the list of proposed station stops: the nearest one to the Ultimate (with a possilble pro-level stadium) and Silverdome would be the Square Lake/St. Joseph's Hospital stop. home page: http://www.woodwardanalysis.com/ meetings flyer: http://woodwardanalysis.com/pdfs/public_meeting_flyer_1112.pdf lots of good info in this presentation: http://www.woodwardanalysis.com/pdfs/09_18_2012_steering_committee_mtg_presentation.pdf They do note in their sets of docu's, that this is studay number 245,672,781 on this, and don't want the public to get "studay fatigue" on the topic. And they do note that the list of proposed stops (and the graphs in the presentation) stop at the Detroit border. They didn't go into details on Detroit stops because that had been covered extenstively in the 245-million other studies. Now, will it work? I am SLOWLY turning from "it would never work" (as I posted above, two years ago), to MAYBE the rapid-bus method working. Of course, we have to incorporate the Ult into the plans... how else would all of those Frsisbee Football fans get to the stadium? http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2012/10/23/news/local_news/doc5087163147a5c661620116.txt
Mike Illitch plans for an arena downtown: discuss. Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/.../Ilitch-seeks-downtown-Detroit-arena-district Detroit Free Press: http://www.freep.com/article/20121204/NEWS01/121204054/Ilitch-proposes-downtown-arena-arts-district Oakland Press: http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2012/12/04/news/state/doc50be53f02728e500901782.txt
Roof has been deflated. Not sure if start of plan or if they are going to replace the roof which would seem like it would end this plan. Terry Foster @TerryFoster971 History happened today. The Pontiac Silverdome roof is deflated. but they did it on purpose this time EDIT: http://www.dailytribune.com/article/20130103/NEWS/130109789/roof-of-pontiac-s-silverdome-deflated-as-renovations-begin#full_story Sounds like the stadium plan is off based on those quotes.
There is now a report that the roof might have been torn, forcing the decision to start deflation: original article: Renovations start at Pontiac Silverdome, as roof is deflated Published: Friday, January 04, 2013 http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2013/01/04/news/doc50e5be926d710163578024.txt update: Silverdome roof was torn, says Pontiac building official Published: Friday, January 04, 2013 http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2013/01/04/news/doc50e755365be1d994015573.txt some of the commenters in the original article have speculated this, saying that any controlled deflation needed permits pulled from the City. I do like the comment that with the installation of solar panels, it will be called the Solardome now. Nothing officially posted on the S'dome site: http://www.silverdomesoccer.com/ (note: http://www.silverdomeevents.com/ is the indenticle site, but I like the "soccer" URL) Just wondering out loud: if they put up a hard-roof, and still want to do the split-level arena(s), how high does a roof need to be for pro soccer? The current roof is 202 feet above floor: http://www.silverdomesoccer.com/about-us/fun-facts.html And with MLS pushing their season more forward (starting March 2 this season), and farther back, maybe a covered stadium is not-so-bad an idea for a city this far north. a (very) few picks of the AC Milan [v] Panathinaikos match: http://www.silverdomesoccer.com/media/image-gallery.html?gallery=1
By the sounds of things this is what there plan was from the beginning Tear the roof off. I don't think you need a permit to deflate a roof however I am not a construction magnate. Looks like someone in the news dept just wants to sell some papers LOL. Do any of you gentlemen know anyone you can ask? Maybe the owners have the go ahead from MLS. on another note I did find this I do think this Billionaire is a smart man but very quite about what he does or does not do. http://www.canadianbusiness.com/bus...t-gainers-in-2012/?gallery_page=3#gallery_top
Sorry, f'gal, but I have the completely opposite storyline. My reading is that the roof was originally torn, which forced the decision to deflate, THEN they float the story that it was planned from the start. Just what is this "newspaper-selling" angle of yours? And how do you make the assertion that MLS is on board? Still no formal announcement on the stadium's web site. But keeping "quiet" (which is what I think you meant to say) just creates more speculation.
My angle is to take a story that everyone has reported on it already and add a twist to it. Every other news outlet was consistently the same, then this crappy paper comes out with its "findings" hence my opinion to try to sell more papers! My "assertion" was an assumption only stop pouncing on me like a dog in heat! Geez you seem like such an angry old man!
And to add if there was an issue or a rip or a hole in the roof I think you would be able to see it. From the shot above the roof looks intact and no visible damage unlike in 85 http://atdetroit.net/forum/messages/107211/120955.jpg