Detroit NOT bankrupt!!!

[npgunner]

Man were we wrong!

They can't keep the street lights on, police and fire stations staffed, or come through on all their pension promises; but the city and state can front a major portion of a new stadium for the Red Wings.

... ... because that's what matters?!

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/07/26/plans-for-new-red-wings-arena-in-detroit-spark-criticism/

[vontar]

They are spending money like there is no tomorrow. Guess it really is easy to spend tons of money when no one is held accountable. Key words "unanimously approved "" funded in part with $284 million in tax dollars."

[Guest 6.8 AR]

The easy part of spending money is when you determine whose money it is you are spending.

[LagerHead]

Man were we wrong!

They can't keep the street lights on, police and fire stations staffed, or come through on all their pension promises; but the city and state can front a major portion of a new stadium for the Red Wings.

... ... because that's what matters?!

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/07/26/plans-for-new-red-wings-arena-in-detroit-spark-criticism/

 

And let us not forget the $60 million headquarters for the fire department. They won't have any trucks to send out but at least they'll not send them out in comfort. 

[Guest TankerHC]

Detroit - Fence it off and start a game show.

[Guest nra37922]

It is just a matter of time before all the Pro teams pack up and leave.  Haven't been to MoTown for quite a few years but I doubt that the areas around the sporting venues are really all that safe. 

[Guest uofmeet]

They are not that bad around at least comerica park. My uncle lives just blocks away. He can normally hear the crowd roar and have enough time to turn around and then watch it on TV.....

[TrickyNicky]

I'd rather see the money go to the Wings than anything else over there. Seems if I had to pick between giving it away to all the welfare cases or giving it to probably the only organization left in Detroit that still has the ability to make money, I'd rather spend it on the guys who actually do SOMETHING with their time other than sit around on the stoop drinking "fowdys". YMMV


Lets go Red Wings!!

[LI0NSFAN]

that money has been in an account for the Wings for nearly 4 years waiting on building site approval. It was a special hotel tax that was increased to specifically pay for a new stadium. The only way it passed was that it could not be used for anything other than the Stadium. If they don't build the stadium/expo center they will loose the North American Auto Show and that brings over 400 million annually to the Detroit area. Plus it was reported that the Red Wings were going to pay rent of $25 million a year,  So the city will get its money back FAST. I agree that if that money had not been set aside years ago it would be ridiculous that they are building a new Arena/expo center. The current Arena/expo center is about the only thing making money for the city right now, but they are loosing shows and events to newer and bigger buildings in other cities. I was working for another sports team in Detroit when this all came up the first time so I had a big interest in how this would all go down. If this was not approved they could have lost their biggest revenue source.

[npgunner]

that money has been in an account for the Wings for nearly 4 years waiting on building site approval. It was a special hotel tax that was increased to specifically pay for a new stadium. The only way it passed was that it could not be used for anything other than the Stadium. If they don't build the stadium/expo center they will loose the North American Auto Show and that brings over 400 million annually to the Detroit area. Plus it was reported that the Red Wings were going to pay rent of $25 million a year, So the city will get its money back FAST. I agree that if that money had not been set aside years ago it would be ridiculous that they are building a new Arena/expo center. The current Arena/expo center is about the only thing making money for the city right now, but they are loosing shows and events to newer and bigger buildings in other cities. I was working for another sports team in Detroit when this all came up the first time so I had a big interest in how this would all go down. If this was not approved they could have lost their biggest revenue source.

So basically what you're saying is this:
I have $500 in the bank that I've saved for the new Xbox ONE. I've recently lost my job, and can't afford to pay the utilities. But it's ok for me to NOT use that $500 to pay my necessities, because I previously earmarked it for the Xbox. And after all, when I have the new Xbox ONE, my friends will come over to play with the new system even though they haven't been coming to play with the old system for quite sometime. Having the new system will all of a sudden mean they over look the filth in my house, and the fact I can't keep the lights on, and they will come over to play with me again.

[Caster]

Detroit - Fence it off and start a game show.

Hunger Games?

[LI0NSFAN]

So basically what you're saying is this:
I have $500 in the bank that I've saved for the new Xbox ONE. I've recently lost my job, and can't afford to pay the utilities. But it's ok for me to NOT use that $500 to pay my necessities, because I previously earmarked it for the Xbox. And after all, when I have the new Xbox ONE, my friends will come over to play with the new system even though they haven't been coming to play with the old system for quite sometime. Having the new system will all of a sudden mean they over look the filth in my house, and the fact I can't keep the lights on, and they will come over to play with me again.

Here is the thing, your Xbox one does not make you money, and you don't have tax payers to answer to. If they said screw the new arena the people that paid the tax would be up in arms. The people that paid for this don't live in the city of Detroit. The tax was implemented in the outlying areas. Only the CITY of Detroit has money issues. the County and all the other areas around there are perfectly fine and have offered to help but the City council and the residents do not want the "County (non-black)" helping them. I think that the City would have been fine if they would have let the state and surrounding area help them.

 

 

Here is an analogy for all of you who like them. You have been saving up to get a better Semi to make more money. Yours is shot and you just lost your job because of it. Do you 

 

A. live off that savings just to keep the lights on

or 

B. get the new semi and get more money coming back in

 

one will keep the light on for a while the other will allow you to make money and keep them on longer. I know how I would go. 

 

 

I am not saying that I am proud of what is happening in Detroit but this is the one thing they have done to try and raise money. When you only have 700,000 residents and I would say 90-95 percent live on Government money it is hard to collect taxes. Most of the tax money Detroit gets comes from the Sports teams and casinos. I would do whatever I could to keep them from moving.

Edited July 26, 2013 by LI0NSFAN

[LI0NSFAN]

Hunger Games?

Zombie land was already shot down. Maybe you should send them that idea. Make it extra minutes on the Obama phone and you might have them lined up.

[npgunner]

@li0nsfan

I disagree with you on many things:

1. The LAST thing ANYONE should do when going into backruptcy, is to take on new debt.

2. I understand your truck analogy (by the way, you can make money play video games [majorleaguegaming.com/]). My answer would be to buy a truck with the money you've saved, not go into debt any further, and continue working. It may not be the most brand spanking new truck on the lot, but you could buy one that will tow a load. And if you've been irresponsible enough to own a trucking business without setting aside an emergency fund for when your truck breaks down, then you find a trucking company that you drive for without owning the truck.

3. What you're saying is that it is ok for the city of Detroit to buy a new toy (yes, a stadium is a toy); when they can't even afford the necessities. If the Red Wings want a new stadium, fine, grant them the land rights and whatever approvals they need to build and fund the stadium themselves. No need to burden the municipality with all that debt (see #1). How many stadiums actually turn a profit for themselves v how many require continued injections of new capital from the cities?

4. If the Red Wings can't afford the new stadium out-right, go on a capital building fundraiser until they have the money, or save up for it. Why not let the player's/coaches contribute? If the fans want it, take a collection; sale some stuff. Who knows. All kinds of ways to build funds for an organization like that.

5. The argument that the stadium is going to bring in a new tax base ... doesn't the current stadium already do that? A new stadium will maybe increase that tax base just until the newness wears off (a few years); then it will be back to what it is now, only with a lot more debt involved. And by the way ... the city is going to get taxes from goods sold in/around the stadium regardless of whether they pay for it or not; why pay millions of dollars for that privilege?

6. Yea, it sucks for the surronding areas that contributed to the stadium fund; but when the oil spill happened in the Gulf a few years back it really sucked for anyone that owned BP stock. That loss will have to be written off as a bad investment; and they should learn from the loss (vote out the idiots that approved it).

7. What's the difference in these two situations: 1.) the poor "from-the-tit" community begging Detroit for new subsidy for gas money (or whatever they want, you make it up) when Detroit is going broke; and 2.) the middle-class "hockey fan" demanding a new hockey stadium when Detroit is going broke? No difference, they both need to be told NO!

8. Why would you build a stadium somewhere that you can't guarantee the lights will be on. It's a lot easier to watch games when the lights are on ... just ask New Orleans:

[LI0NSFAN]

@li0nsfan

I disagree with you on many things:

1. The LAST thing ANYONE should do when going into backruptcy, is to take on new debt.

2. I understand your truck analogy (by the way, you can make money play video games [majorleaguegaming.com/]). My answer would be to buy a truck with the money you've saved, not go into debt any further, and continue working. It may not be the most brand spanking new truck on the lot, but you could buy one that will tow a load. And if you've been irresponsible enough to own a trucking business without setting aside an emergency fund for when your truck breaks down, then you find a trucking company that you drive for without owning the truck.

3. What you're saying is that it is ok for the city of Detroit to buy a new toy (yes, a stadium is a toy); when they can't even afford the necessities. If the Red Wings want a new stadium, fine, grant them the land rights and whatever approvals they need to build and fund the stadium themselves. No need to burden the municipality with all that debt (see #1). How many stadiums actually turn a profit for themselves v how many require continued injections of new capital from the cities?

4. If the Red Wings can't afford the new stadium out-right, go on a capital building fundraiser until they have the money, or save up for it. Why not let the player's/coaches contribute? If the fans want it, take a collection; sale some stuff. Who knows. All kinds of ways to build funds for an organization like that.

5. The argument that the stadium is going to bring in a new tax base ... doesn't the current stadium already do that? A new stadium will maybe increase that tax base just until the newness wears off (a few years); then it will be back to what it is now, only with a lot more debt involved. And by the way ... the city is going to get taxes from goods sold in/around the stadium regardless of whether they pay for it or not; why pay millions of dollars for that privilege?

6. Yea, it sucks for the surronding areas that contributed to the stadium fund; but when the oil spill happened in the Gulf a few years back it really sucked for anyone that owned BP stock. That loss will have to be written off as a bad investment; and they should learn from the loss (vote out the idiots that approved it).

7. What's the difference in these two situations: 1.) the poor "from-the-tit" community begging Detroit for new subsidy for gas money (or whatever they want, you make it up) when Detroit is going broke; and 2.) the middle-class "hockey fan" demanding a new hockey stadium when Detroit is going broke? No difference, they both need to be told NO!

8. Why would you build a stadium somewhere that you can't guarantee the lights will be on. It's a lot easier to watch games when the lights are on ... just ask New Orleans:

We could argue back and forth all day, i guess we can agree you would like them to sit back and watch the city fail. I would prefer they do everything they can to make money. they have very little money making things in the city. If the North American Auto show leaves the casinos said they were going to leave as well. That auto show is the biggest in the country and is the main money maker for the city, by not building the new place for the show you are just giving up.

[xjsnake]

It's not that Detroit is refusing to use the money for something other than the stadium, it's that they legally can't as a good chunk of it didn't come from the City of Detroit to begin with.

 

If you own a restaurant with your friends and suddenly you need to pay for hookers and blow but don't have the $ you can't just take money from the restaurant to pay off your dealer. You'll get thrown in jail for embezzlement. Same concept applies here.

[LI0NSFAN]

It's not that Detroit is refusing to use the money for something other than the stadium, it's that they legally can't as a good chunk of it didn't come from the City of Detroit to begin with.

 

If you own a restaurant with your friends and suddenly you need to pay for hookers and blow but don't have the $ you can't just take money from the restaurant to pay off your dealer. You'll get thrown in jail for embezzlement. Same concept applies here.

Well put, I was just trying to stay away from the hookers and blow reference. lol

[TrickyNicky]

Well put, I was just trying to stay away from the hookers and blow reference. lol

Hey it's Detroit, we've already covered the RedWings, talked about the North American Auto show, there's just not much more happening there.

[xjsnake]

Hey it's Detroit, we've already covered the RedWings, talked about the North American Auto show, there's just not much more happening there.

 

The Tigers

The Lions

The International Autoshow

Woodward Dream Cruise

Fox Theatre

Fisher Theatre

Detroit Gran Prix

 

All of those events and venues are in the City of Detroit

[TrickyNicky]

The Tigers
The Lions
The International Autoshow
Woodward Dream Cruise
Fox Theatre
Fisher Theatre
Detroit Gran Prix
 
All of those events and venues are in the City of Detroit

Fine fine, If you want to get technical. :rolleyes:

[xjsnake]

Fine fine, If you want to get technical. :rolleyes:

 

LOL

 

I used to live in Metro Detroit and still have lots of friends in the outlying cities so I keep up with developments up there fairly closely.

Edited July 29, 2013 by xjsnake

[Guest nra37922]

LOL

 

I used to live in Metro Detroit and still have lots of friends in the outlying cities so I keep up with developments up there fairly closely.

Isn't New Fallujah a suburb of Detroit? 

[Mariner]

Isn't New Fallujah a suburb of Detroit? 

 

It's called Dearborn :pleased: