Several other property owners present obstacles to Ilitch plans for Foxtown hockey arena

Ilitch Holdings, Inc. apparently has yet to take control of three properties fronting Cass Avenue between W. Montcalm Street and W. Columbia Street in the Foxtown area of downtown Detroit. Ilitch entities control the properties on the west side of Cass Avenue including the former Chin Tiki bar and restaurant used in the Eminem film "8 Mile," the historic Detroit Moose Lodge and the Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order of Noble Mythic Shrine.

The properties noted as #201, #202 & #203 in the graphic below combined with parcels controlled by Freda Alibri, #180, form the better part of almost 1 square block in an area predominately controlled by various Ilitch enterprises and located behind the Ilitch-owned Fox Theater. Speculative reports have suggested the area behind the Fox Theater could possibly be the site of a new hockey arena to replace Detroit's Joe Louis Arena.

click graphic for detailed map

Ilitch controls Cass Avenue LLC; and what about Cass Avenue Development properties

John Kotlar, Vice President of Tax Affairs at Ilitch Holdings, Inc. is the registered agent of record with the Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth (DL&EG) for an entity known as Cass Avenue, LLC. Kotlar is also agent of record for Ilitch Holdings, Inc. and Ilitch-owned Olympia Development of Michigan LLC.

An entity recorded as Cass Avenue Development -- but not registered with the Michigan DL&EG -- holds title to at least 8 parcels (see below) in downtown Detroit near the historic Detroit Masonic Temple. The parcels encompass nearly two square blocks. (see map)

click graphic for larger view

Is Cass Avenue Development a d/b/a for Ilitch-controlled Cass Avenue, LLC; although no entity by that name is registered as such with the DL&EG.

It has been reported that Ilitch Holdings, Inc. (Olympia Entertainment) has been in negotiations to take over the management of Detroit's Masonic Temple Theater, currently under management of Nederlander Co. LLC.

MAP of properties controlled by Cass Avenue Development.

Detroit forum affirms Ilitch paid record price for .17 acre Foxtown parcel

On 12.24.07 a forum participant, 3rdworldcity, posted the following affirmation of a previous TVT post in a forum thread, "Motown site (Woodward/75) back in the news:"

Dennis K [Keffalinos] was paid $1,600,000 for the .17 acre parcel on Grand River. That's $234/sq. ft., not a bad price. (Price reported by Verifiable on this forum, which I verified from the seller.) What is amazing is that the Ilitch entity took no steps to prevent the public from seeing the purchase price, such as filing a Valuation Affidavit. Unbelievable. That [apparent] slip-up will cost them a fortune when negotiating future purchases and may sink an arena behind the Fox if they have much more land to acquire.