"Hockeytown" as posted at Wikipedia

as posted at WIKIPEDIA, the free encyclopedia:

Hockeytown

Hockeytown is a nickname for the city of Detroit, which arose in 1996 thanks to a marketing campaign by the city's NHL franchise, the Detroit Red Wings. The nickname, over time, has gained national and international recognition, and has become an official nickname of the Joe Louis Arena.

To capitalize on the Hockeytown name and its 40 years of restaurant industry expertise, Ilitch Holdings, Inc., parent company of the Red Wings, established Hockeytown Café in 1999 adjacent to its corporate headquarters in the historic Fox Theater building at the heart of the Foxtown neighborhood of downtown Detroit.

Blogger decalres its "The End of Hockeytown" ... Ilitch not fan friendly

blogger YzerFan19 posted The End of Hockeytown on 10.06.07 at DetroitHockey.Net:

...The ticket prices are far from the worst but they're not good, either. Yeah, you can get tickets for $22 or even $9 if you go to the box office but the $44+ tickets are the vast majority of seats. And the exhibition prices are the same as regular season. Last week I took my dad to the Wings-Leafs exhibition, seats were at center ice but were the last row in the arena, right in front of the press box. Total cost, $100 (Ticketmaster charge included, but not parking).

That kind of thing p*sses the fans off. The Wings came back from the lockout and their big thing was "Look, we're not raising ticket prices!" Aside from the $9 seats that I can't get because I live in Lansing and it's not so easy to just hop down to the JLA box office, they haven't lowered ticket prices (even just to raise them again) since the lockout. It's like they didn't even try to make it up to fans.

And some of the more embedded (or embittered) bloggers will also point out that the Wings' organization is extremely media-unfriendly. The beat writers basically have to spew what the team tells them.

Their website is awful. Their only official fan communication is through a $40/year subscription site that they don't even take the time to update (I paid my $40 twice and then figured out how to hack their forums, so I feel better that they're not getting my money for that sh*t anymore). The players aren't accessible to fans (unless you pay $500 to enter the Hockeytown Hold'em Poker Tournament that just happens to be at the casino owned by the Ilitch family)...(Full Post)

Snce when did Hockeytown become Ghost Town? After a decade, it's time for Ilitch to make over the Red Wings' experience

from a story, "Detroit too good to be ignored," published 10.04.07 in The Macomb Daily:

But since when did Hockeytown become Ghost Town?

There were a lot of empty seats -- too many to dismiss --Wednesday night as the Red Wings opened the season with a 3-2 shootout victory over the Anaheim Ducks...

...Well, except the attendance. It was announced at 17,610 -- and that was generous. It was the first time the Red Wings didn't announce a sellout of a regular-season home game since 1996 -- a total of 396 games.

The days of the Red Wings dropping the puck and a sellout crowd automatically showing up at Joe Louis Arena are gone. It doesn't matter if the Red Wings remain the preeminent NHL franchise, either.

This much is clear: The Red Wings need to freshen up the way they put on a game.

If you walked into Joe Louis Arena Wednesday, other than the empty seats, it might as well have been 1995.

The same endless loop of taped organ music. Same old bit with Mo Cheese dancing to "The Curly Shuffle." Same lame "Score O" game between periods.

Then there is the cost of tickets. It's too much under the circumstances. The Red Wings' player payroll has been sliced nearly in half because of the salary cap, and reality is these are extremely difficult economic times in Southeastern Michigan.

The Red Wings need to do more than sell a few tickets for nine bucks to cure their woes..."

As "Hockeytown continues to shrink, down to Hockeyvillage;" Ilitch acknowledges prices are too high

From a story, "The thrill is gone with the Wings," published 10.04.07 in the Detroit News:

...There were huge pockets of vacant seats, more than popped up even during the playoffs. The announced crowd of 17,610 was about 2,500 [15%] below capacity, an amazing drop-off and the Wings' first regular-season non-sellout since 1996, a span of 396 games...And yet, Hockeytown continues to shrink, down to Hockeyvillage. You hope it doesn't fall to Hockeyneighborhood before the league and the fans stop taking each other for granted..."It meant to us -- wake up," owner Mike Ilitch said last week, talking about the empty seats. "In other words, the price is too high...

.

Gamble alongside the Detroit Red Wings; bid on which player you'll sit next to

10.03.07

Know when to hold 'em

A donation of $500 can get people into the Hockeytown Hold'em Tournament on Nov. 5 at MotorCity Casino.

Participants can bid on which Red Wing to play along side. The top three finishers will be awarded prizes, including a grand prize trip for two to an away game on Red Bird II during the 2007-08 season. Second place gets a suite for a home game and third place gets four tickets to a home game.

Limited spots are available by calling the ticket office at (313) 396-7575.

NHL's Red Wings are sponsoring their first Hockeytown Hold 'Em Tournament

10.03.07

THE TICKER: Play poker against the Red Wings

Our best bet of the day

And it is a bet. Literally.

The Red Wings are sponsoring their first Hockeytown Hold 'Em Tournament, Nov. 5 at MotorCity Casino.

For a $500 donation to the Detroit Red Wings Foundation, you get to play poker against Wings like Nicklas Lidstrom and Henrik Zetterberg. (Swedish Hold 'Em?)

The grand prize is a trip for two to a road game on the Wings' Red Bird II. Second prize is a suite for a home game, and third is four tickets to a game and a meet-and-greet with select players.

Call 313-396-7575.

In the wake of Rick Tocchet's NHL gambling ring ...

Nearly a year ago, it was scandalous when Mrs. Wayne Gretzky (Janet Jones) was linked to an NHL gambling ring involving NHL's Rick Tocchet; but now Mrs. Mike Ilitch (Marian Ilitch) is pulling the Detroit Red Wings into her MotorCity Casino for an inaugural gambling-fest designed to draw others into her newly expanded Las Vegas-style gambling hall. YES, she's using the Red Wings to promote her casino.

as posted 10.02.07 on the official Web site of the NHL's Detroit Red Wings:


Put on a poker face with the Red Wings

DETROIT -- The tables will heat up at the Red Wings' inaugural Hockeytown Hold’Em Tournament presented by the MotorCity Casino.

Be part of the action on Monday, November 5 as the Wings ante-up for charity in this Texas hold’em format poker tournament.

For a $500 donation to the Detroit Red Wings Foundation, you can try your hand and test your nerves going head-to-head with Nicklas Lidstrom, Henrik Zetterberg and the rest of the 2007-08 Red Wings.

Beginning at 4:30 p.m., you will be treated to a cocktail reception at Iridescence, MotorCity Casino’s four-diamond restaurant where you can raise the stakes and bid on your favorite Red Wings' player to play along-side during the event. The action fires up inside the Poker Room at 6 p.m.

Prizes will be awarded to the top three finishers, including a grand prize trip for two with the team to an away game on Red Bird II during the 2007-08 season. Second-place will receive a suite for a Red Wings' home game during the 2007-08 regular-season. Third-place will receive four tickets to a Red Wings' regular-season game including a meet-n-greet session with select players following the game.

A limited number of participant spots are available by calling the Red Wings season tickets office at 313-396-7575. Table sponsorships are also available.

All proceeds will benefit the Detroit Red Wings Foundation. The goal of the Detroit Red Wings Foundation is to satisfy the unique needs of our community through the sport of hockey. The Detroit Red Wings Foundation, a subsidiary of Ilitch Charities for Children, is an IRS recognized 501c3 organization.

Councilmembers question Ilitch lease on Cobo Center, Joe Louis Arena

9.20.07

Cobo expansion plans under way

David Josar / The Detroit News

DETROIT -- The director of Cobo Center told a city council committee this morning that the Detroit Auto Dealers Association is expected to give his staff a presentation soon on a proposed 30,000-square-foot expansion.

Director Tom Tuskey said he is unsure of the details but that he will give council the information as soon as he meets with the dealers group, which puts on the annual North American International Auto Show in Cobo.

"They want a modest expansion. They have some conceptional plans but they have yet to present them," said Tuskey, who appeared before council to give an update on the long-term lease Olympia Arenas has for Joe Louis Arena, the Cobo parking garage and Cobo meeting areas. "It could be as early as next week or a little after that."

Tuskey noted that several other plans are being touted to boost the size of Cobo.

For example, Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano, since last December, has been shopping a $968 million plan to buy and expand Cobo to ensure Detroit keeps its signature auto show.

"This is a Detroit facility," Councilwoman JoAnn Watson said. "Let's keep the horse before the cart."

Meanwhile, Councilwoman Monica Conyers asked whether it was "fraud" that Olympia Arenas, one of the companies controlled by the Ilitch family, has what is essentially a 60-year lease on Joe Louis Arena, Cobo and the parking garage.

An opinion by the legal department found the agreement is binding. They also said an earlier determination that the company had to give notice whether they wanted out of the lease this summer was wrong.

City lawyers determined that while the deal was inked in 1978, the terms of the contract didn't come into play until 1980, when a permanent occupancy permit was issued for the facility.

"This seems wrong to me," Conyers said.

Speculation has ramped up in recent months over whether the Red Wings, which play in Joe Louis Arena, would stay there or build a new facility behind the Fox Theatre and Hockeytown Cafe, which are also owned by the Ilitch family.

The team has not made a decision on what to do.

The deal was made before the Ilitches owned the team.

You can reach David Josar at (313) 222-2073 or djosar@detnews.com

Ilitch has another year to determine fate of Joe Louis Arena

8.15.07

Lease up for Cobo, the Joe in 2009

It's Detroit law department's view; Tiger Stadium plan due Aug. 31.

David Josar / The Detroit News

Olympia Arenas, the company controlled by Mike Ilitch and his family, has until June 2009 to make a decision on whether it will extend its lucrative lease of the Joe Louis and Cobo arenas, according to a recent law department opinion.

The city law department delved into the issue last month at the request of the auditor general, said city spokesman James Canning.

Earlier this year, the City Council's fiscal analyst said the lease expired in 2008, and Olympia had to tell Detroit this summer what it planned to do.

The law department, after reviewing the lease and its sub-agreements which total more than 100 pages, decided the agreement runs through June 30, 2010, and Olympia has until June 30, 2009, to decide whether it will continue operating and using the venues.

The law department opinion brought relief to Red Wings fans who were unsure how long the team would play in Joe Louis Arena.

"At least we know we can stop gossiping for a couple years as to what will happen with the Red Wings," said Yancy Hunter, 43, during lunch at the Hockeytown Cafe on Tuesday.

"Not much is going on with the other teams right now, so this is becoming gossip fodder for us. Will The Joe be replaced? At least not now. Now all we have to worry about is Tiger Stadium."

A consortium led by legendary sportscaster Ernie Harwell is working against an October deadline to come up with a plan that could preserve much of Tiger Stadium, which has been virtually unused since 1999. The team starting playing in Comerica Park in 2000.

Grosse Pointe attorney Gary Spicer, who is working with Harwell, said the city will have Harwell's complete plan by Aug. 31.

Harwell, who was the voice of the Tigers for more than 40 years, is touting a concept that will incorporate museums, a 10,000-seat ball field, residential lofts and commercial development for the corner of Michigan and Trumbull.

"Things are moving forward," said Spicer.

The City Council voted last month on a plan that would mean demolition could begin in October, but George Jackson, the city's head of economic development, said a viable redevelopment plan with solid financing could keep the stadium standing.

The question about when Joe Louis Arena's lease expires has fueled speculation as to what will happen with the Red Wings.

Companies controlled by the Ilitches have acquired nearly all of the land behind their Fox Theatre and Hockeytown Cafe, fueling speculation they will build a new home for the Wings and move the team to the Foxtown area on Woodward north of Grand Circus Park.

The lease, which was crafted before the Ilitch family owned the team, is considered one of the most lucrative in the National Hockey League and is a reason the Red Wings are one of the league's most valuable teams.

Olympia Arenas pays the city just $450,000 a year to lease both Joe Louis Arena and Cobo arena. The city gets a cut of concessions plus a ticket surcharge, which has averaged around $2.5 million a year since 2000.

Detroit officials have no say in whether the contract will be extended.


Other related stories at the Detroit News:

• Harwell readies plan for stadium
• Harwell goes extra inning to save Tiger Stadium
• Tiger Stadium milestones
• Emotional fans criticize razing plans
• Harwell to make last pitch for old ballpark
• Tiger Stadium proposals fell short
• City: Revisit Tiger Stadium plans
• Detroit council wants more info on Tiger Stadium plans
• Tiger Stadium plan hits a snag
• Tiger Stadium's fate on hold
• Tiger Stadium project goes to council, public today
• Planning Commission doesn't back Tiger Stadium redevelopment plans
• Plan to raze Tiger Stadium resisted
• Tiger Stadium view from above was priceless
• Ilitch has to decide the Joe's fate soon

These are the folks said to be driving a turn around for Detroit

excerpted from a story published 6.21.07 in the Detroit Free Press:

THE PLAYERS: Groups, people helping downtown rebound

Dozens of groups and thousands of people are playing roles in revitalizing Detroit. Here are some major players: ...

...General Motors: Since it bought the Renaissance Center for its new world headquarters, GM has played a major role in spurring redevelopment of the city's riverfront. Matt Cullen, GM's head of economic development, cochairs [with Derrick Miller] the Riverfront Conservancy, which oversees the new RiverWalk. Other private corporations playing big roles include Compuware and Ilitch Holdings. [Cullen's wife Karen Cullen is VP of corporate communications at Ilitch Holdings, Inc.],

...Detroit Riverfront Conservancy: Created in 2002, the conservancy runs the $250-million effort to build, operate and maintain the RiverWalk. Now about half complete, the RiverWalk one day should encompass the entire 5.5-mile length of the riverfront from the Ambassador Bridge to Gabriel Richard Park near the MacArthur Bridge to Belle Isle. Faye Alexander Nelson, a former Wayne State University official, serves as the conservancy's president and CEO...

...Ilitch Holdings: Now headed by President and CEO Christopher Ilitch, son of founders Mike and Marian Ilitch, this pizza and entertainment conglomerate owns the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red Wings, the Fox Theatre, Hockeytown Café, Motor City Casino and lots of vacant real estate on the northern edge of downtown [Foxtown] that may or may not one day become home to a new hockey arena. ... (Complete Story)

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070621/NEWS01/706210369&template=printart

Missing from this story are the names of those who manuever behind the scenes (attempting to stay "under the radar") on behalf of the entities and individuals highlighted; people like Michael J. Malik, R. Thomas Vigliotti, Timothy A. Stoepker, Herb Strather and others who recognize and are pros at exploiting leverage. These people are often at the heart of "brokering" deals, and "facilitating" process in a highly charged political environment.

Ilitch may ease out Nederlander to take control of Masonic Theater

6.19.07

David Coates The Detroit News
In recent years, Masonic groups have relocated, and fewer plays and concerts were held at the Masonic Temple.

Ilitch may manage ailing Masonic

Robert Snell / The Detroit News

DETROIT -- Mike Ilitch could soon expand his sports and entertainment empire to include operating the landmark Detroit Masonic Temple, which is broke and owes more than $226,000 in unpaid taxes and water bills and faces possible foreclosure early next year.

The huge Gothic-style building's owners are negotiating with Ilitch-owned Olympia Entertainment, and Masonic officials hope a deal can be signed later this month to book shows and concerts and manage the largest Masonic temple in the world. The building is included on state and national registers of historic places. The Masonic Temple Association would still own the building.

"It will absolutely, 100 percent never be for sale," association President Bill Betz said. "If the deal goes through, the bills will be paid -- immediately."

Negotiations between the temple and Olympia are continuing, and financial details are not yet public.

A deal would expand an Ilitch sports and entertainment empire and give it a bigger piece of the local concert and performance industry -- and help save an architectural gem. Ilitch, a pizza baron who along with wife Marian owns Little Caesars Pizza, the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red Wings, has created a sprawling sports and entertainment district along Woodward, south of I-75, that includes Comerica Park, the Fox Theatre, Hockeytown Cafe and the potential site of a new Joe Louis Arena.

The deal also could generate enough cash for temple owners to pay off delinquent water and sewer bills and unpaid taxes dating to 2005 and keep open a building seen by some as a key to revitalizing the Midtown area.

"It's too important to lose. It's an anchor and such an important piece of real estate in that area," said Francis Grunow, executive director of Preservation Wayne, a historic preservation group.

Olympia and Masonic Temple officials have negotiated for about six months. "We have had talks with representatives of the Masonic Temple but nothing is imminent," Ilitch Holdings spokeswoman Karen Cullen said Monday. (Complete Story)

http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070619/METRO/706190379

You may also want to review these posts or select a "label" below for other related posts:

• Detnews.com: More about the Masonic Temple Theater
• Spin about Moose Lodge isn't truthful; reporter was mislead
• Ilitch has own plans for ticket price increases and taxpayer subsidies
• Has Illitch acquired the historic Moose Lodge in downtown Detroit, and what are his intentions
• Demolition Crew working on site at Detroit's United Artists Theater Building
• Ilitch gets $700,000 to demolish historic Madison-Lennox Hotel
• UPDATED: The web of companies behind Ilitch & Malik casino syndication partners
• Race is on ... status of Detroit casino expansions
• MotorCity Casino unveils first part of $275 million expansion
• Ilitch has an insatiable appetite for land in downtown Detroit; see Live map of all 170 properties
• Ilitch land scam focus of national report examining abuses of eminent domain
• Did Ilitch pay $1.73 million for Elizabeth Street Lofts?
• Taxpayers & secret slush fund financing Detroit Mayor's high flying lifestyle

Behind the Scenes: Ilitch and City in Hockey Arena showdown

note: on September 29, 2006 the Detroit News ran a story entitled "Ilitch to announce Joe's fate within 30 days." An announcement is 232 days over due (or almost 8 months).

6.18.07

The lease agreement between Detroit and the Ilitches for Joe Louis Arena, above, and Cobo Arena expires in August 2008.


Ilitch has to decide the Joe's fate soon
Wings must renew lease in Aug. or go for new arena


David Josar / The Detroit News

DETROIT -- Mike Ilitch and the Detroit Red Wings have two months to tell city leaders whether they will exercise their option to renew for 20 years the exclusive lease -- considered the best of any NHL team -- for Joe Louis Arena and Cobo Arena.

The Aug. 16 deadline is expected to set in motion intense deal-making and negotiations that will involve the future of Cobo Arena, Joe Louis Arena -- the home of the Red Wings -- and how much money the state, city and taxpayers are willing to toss in to subsidize a new Detroit hockey arena.

"They talk to us all the time," Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick said. "They're still trying to decide whether to stay and improve the (Joe Louis) facility or move."

Ilitch, whose fortune started with a suburban pizza place in 1959, bought the Red Wings for $8 million in 1982. The team is now worth an estimated $258 million -- a value due in large part to the bargain-basement lease on the Joe. According to Forbes magazine, he is among America's richest citizens, worth $1.5 billion...

Some executives for Ilitch's companies are not sure city officials have the right deadline date. They note, for example, the team did not take occupancy for more than a year after the agreement was signed, a situation they suggest pushes the renewal date back...

Either way, a showdown is expected this summer...

Council doesn't like deal
So far, the Red Wings and their owners have remained quiet. The city isn't saying much, either.

The city recently sold to Olympia Development, another of the Ilitch-run companies, two vacant, tax-reverted parcels behind the Fox for $200,000. Earlier this year, the city awarded Olympia development rights for the historic GAR building nearby.

The Ilitches are known as hard negotiators. In the 1990s, Mike Ilitch threatened to move the Tigers unless the team got a new ballpark -- which it did, across Woodward Avenue from his Fox Theatre and Hockeytown Cafe.

This time, Ilitch is in the driver's seat, thanks to the deal brokered in 1979 by Mayor Coleman Young that kept the team from moving to Pontiac.

Ilitch will decide whether to extend the lease -- the city has no vote -- and if the pact is extended, it will become even more favorable for him and the Red Wings.

Currently, the city imposes up to a 10 percent surcharge on tickets sold to events at Joe Louis and Cobo Arena; Detroit gets a cut of concessions and luxury suites.

If the lease is extended, the city will lose the surcharge -- which brings in about $2.5 million a year -- and, in five years, its share of concession and suite revenue. Council fiscal analyst Irv Corley, in a February report to the council on the lease, said the contract is "strongly in favor" of the Ilitch companies. He called it "convoluted" and questioned whether the city was receiving its fair share of concession sales.

The lease is much more lucrative than those of other teams. For example, the San Jose Sharks pay $1.6 million a year for the building and get a small percentage of ticket sales, but the team also chips in money for capital improvements and agreed to split with San Jose any profits from naming rights.

Council members have been upset for several years about the lease arrangement, but their anger reached a new level in February, when the fiscal analyst, at their urging, probed the specifics of the arrangement between Detroit and the Ilitch-family controlled company.

"This is clearly a sweetheart deal, and if they (the city law department) don't find a way to terminate this contract I'm going to turn it over to the FBI because this is ridiculous," Councilwoman Barbara-Rose Collins said. (Complete Story)

Ilitch has own plans for ticket price increases and taxpayer subsidies

Mike Ilitch doesn't want the state to impose a luxury tax or an entertainment surcharge proposed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm and Lansing lawmakers. The new revenue would be used to support a shortfall in education funding and other public services across the state. The state's other option is to raise income taxes for all residents of Michigan.

The 78-year old Ilitch plans his own increase in ticket prices so he can continue to expand his family's vast sports, entertainment, restaurant and gambling empire; and so he can lock in his position on the list of the "400 Richest Americans." The proposal for a luxury tax/entertainment surcharge could mean he might not be able to hike up his own ticket price increases as much as he wants.

Mike Ilitch's grandkids can afford to go to the best private academies. He can pay for their individual education needs. He's more concerned with expanding his Foxtown playground in downtown Detroit than with addressing the shortfall in statewide education funding. It appears he'd rather see an increase in the state's income tax for all working people in Michigan.

According to Forbes magazine, Mike Ilitch is worth $1.5 billion; making him one of the "400 Richest Americans" -- in fact, he ranks at #242 out of 301 million Americans (tied with Oprah Winfrey and several others). Mike Ilitch is the sixth richest person in Michigan, a state of nearly 10 million people.

As the owner of the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Red Wings and numerous other sporting and theater venues; "of course," you might say, "he's opposed to a so-called ticket tax."

It shouldn't be any surprise that Mike Ilitch is behind a so-called "grassroots" campaign and web site to block the proposed luxury tax/entertainment surcharge. Although the bulk of the Ilitch Family's annual income comes from pizza and gambling ventures; the sports and entertainment operations contribute significantly to Ilitch's net worth and personal image. Besides such a "grassroots" campaign is a great way to collect email addresses and other contact data from fans that can be used for future marketing schemes.

But take a closer look. Ticket prices will go up regardless and Ilitch will have benefited from millions in taxpayer subsidies and tax breaks, not Michigan's kids.

So why is Mike Ilitch opposed to an entertainment surcharge at this time?

1. Because the Ilitch organization has its own ticket price hikes planned, and the market can only take so much. For the 2007 Baseball season the Sports Business News blog indicates Ilitch already hiked up prices 5.2%; and he inflated ticket prices so high during the NHL Playoffs this spring that the Red Wings didn't even sell out their home games in the playoff rounds.
   
   From Anser Khan's blog Red Wings Bulletin: "Obviously, they miscalculated in setting ticket prices for the playoffs. There’s nothing they can do about it now, but, unless the Wings win the Stanley Cup, they’re going to have to lower ticket prices next season, especially in the playoffs."



2. Because Ilitch has his own plans for taxpayer dollars. Ilitch wants taxpayers to support a move to abandon Joe Louis Arena and build a new Ilitch Hockey Arena in Foxtown on land Ilitch owns or contrals that will certainly call for taxpayers subsidies and maybe even some new tax. And then, when there's a new fancier, state of the art hockey arena in Detroit he can jack up ticket prices again.
   
   Shortly after Comerica Park opened, CNN/Sports Illustrated posted an article, New Ballparks lead wave of higher ticket prices, that said:



"The average at Comerica Park is $24.83, the fourth-highest in baseball and a 103 percent jump from the $12.23 average at Tiger Stadium last season, according to the annual survey by the Team Marketing Report." April 4, 2000

A 2006 study by Economics Research Associates (ERA), an often quoted source, notes:

"Of 14 teams analyzed, the Detroit Tigers experienced the greatest increase in average ticket price (103 percent)," when Comerica Park opened.

And as the Detroit News reported last fall when the Tigers won the American League Pennant, "Ticket prices soaring" and the Ilitch organization, not the taxpayers, are benefiting.

It is highly rumored and quite likely Mike Ilitch has plans to build a new hockey arena on property he controls in Foxtown -- an area of Downtown Detroit controlled primarily by Ilitch and various city related agencies and authorities -- where:

• Ilitch Holdings, Inc. has it's corporate headquarters;
• Ilitch owns/controls venues like the Fox Theater, City Theater and Comerica Park;
• Ilitch owns restaurants like HockeyTown Cafe, Johnny Rockets, &
  Foxtown Grille;
• Ilitch owns or controls acres of paid-parking lots; and where,
• Ilitch, in recent years, has methodically acquired more than 75 properties and often boarded up and then demolished historic buildings to make way for parking lots and future expansions using millions in taxpayer subsidies.

And when the new Ilitch Hockey Arena is built, you can bet Mike Ilitch will raise the price of tickets, parking and a beer -- because cand and he will.Mike Ilitch has used taxpayer subsidies and tax breaks to build his business empire many times over -- at least $90 million on Comerica Park alone; if the state legislature enacts an entertainment surcharge it will be his responsibility and he'll decide whether or not to pass the cost on to fans.

Mike Ilitch doesn't want the state to impose a luxury tax on him; nor does he support an entertainment surcharge to fund education and other services for the taxpayers of Michigan. Ilitch wants to increase ticket prices so he can continue to expand his family's vast sports, entertainment, restaurant and gambling empire and guarantee his position on the list of the "400 Richest Americans."

He's asked the general taxpayers to help pay for his Foxtown playground expansions (and increased traffic cops needed to support his game days) before, isn't it time he started delivering on his promises to have the playground pay back the citizens of Michigan.

Congressional Testimony on Ilitch Taxpayer Subsidies

Now Ilitches, Promoter refuse to talk to reporter they previously mislead

5.26.07

Ilitches buy Moose building
Downtown property is in area in which family is rumored to be considering building hockey arena.

Louis Aguilar / The Detroit News

The Ilitch family, owners of a downtown Detroit empire of professional sport teams and entertainment venues, have taken ownership of another empty building in an area of downtown being considered for a new home of the Ilitch-owned Detroit Red Wings.

In February, Atanas Ilitch, president of Ilitch Holding's Olympia Development LLC real estate arm, gained the deed for the empty Loyal Order of Moose building at Cass Avenue and Elizabeth Street along with John Kotlar, Ilitch Holdings vice-president, according to the Wayne County Register of Deeds.

Earlier this week, veteran music promoter Blair McGowan said he and fellow promoter Amir Daiza still owned the building and the Ilitches did not. Ilitch Holdings spokeswoman Karen Cullen said at the time she was unaware of the details of the building, a position she repeated Friday.

The warranty deed lists Moose Building LLC as the building owners. State records show the Atanas Ilitch and Kotlar are behind the Moose Building LLC, which the two formed in February.

McGowan did not return repeated phone calls Friday from The Detroit News. Daiza referred all questions back to McGowan.

The historic building is next to the former Chin Tiki, recently bought by Olympia for Ilitch Holdings, owners of the Little Caesars Pizza chain, the Red Wings, Detroit Tigers, Hockeytown Cafe and Fox Theatre.

The Moose lodge is three blocks west of the Fox Theatre headquarters of Ilitch Holdings in a blighted 15-block area the Ilitches view as a potential major hub of entertainment, sports and retail.

The Ilitches also recently won the right to renovate the city-owned Grand Army of Republic building, which is bounded by the three-way intersection of Cass, Grand River and West Adams. It's a block away from the Moose building.

The flurry of activity comes at a time when the Ilitch family is fast approaching a deadline on whether to build a hockey venue or renovate Joe Louis Arena.

The Ilitches' lease on the city-owned riverfront arena expires in 2009.

You can reach Louis Aguilar at (313) 222-2760 or laguilar@detnews.com.

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070526/BIZ/705260360

You may also want to review these posts:
--The Verifiable Truth:

• State Subsidizing Plans for Detroit Hockey Arena
• Blogger questions Detroit Arena assumptions
• As most of Michigan continues to struggle financially, 11 make Forbes List of World's Richest Billionaires
• Taxpayers give Ilitch $95,000 to tear down his building
• City Sells Historic Building to Ilitch for $220,500
• Ilitch has an insatiable appetite for land in downtown Detroit; see Live.com map of all 170 properties
• Contractors at work on MotorCity Casino have experience with MGM/Mirage & Mandalay Resorts
• Has Illitch acquired the historic Moose Lodge in downtown Detroit, and what are his intentions?
• Demolition Crew working on site at Detroit's United Artists Theater Building
• Spin about Moose Lodge isn't truthful; reporter was mislead

Posts at other webs & blogs ...

• Flickr: Moose Lodge
• Faded Detroit: Ilitch Blocker
• DetroitYes: Loyal Order of the Moose Lodge
• AtDetroit.net: Work has started at the Moose Lodge

Spin about Moose Lodge isn't truthful; reporter was mislead

NOTE: this story appeared in today's Detroit News but it appears representatives for the Ilitch Family (they formed Moose Building LLC on February 5, 2007) and the promoters who perviously owned Detroit's Moose Lodge Building weren't honest with reporter Louis Aguilar since documents filed February 12 and February 19 with the Wayne County Register of Deeds indicate the parties had entered into an agreement and then transferred title on the property to Moose Building LLC.

Ilitches may add to monopoly [have added]
Real estate arm eyes Moose Lodge, which may be another step toward new hockey arena.

Louis Aguilar / The Detroit News

The Ilitch family, owners of a downtown Detroit empire of professional sport teams and entertainment venues, continues to expand its control over a patch of land being considered for a new hockey arena.

The Ilitch's Olympia Development LLC real estate arm, which has already gained control of most of the land behind the Fox Theatre, is now turning its attention to the empty Loyal Order of Moose building at Cass Avenue and Elizabeth Street.

They haven't bought the building but appear poised to get a piece of the action if two veteran music promoters carry through on their promise of turning the building into a 1,500-capacity club and live music venue.

The historic building is next door to the former Chin Tiki, recently bought by Olympia for Ilitch Holdings, owners of the Little Caesars Pizza chain, the Red Wings, Detroit Tigers, Hockeytown Cafe and Fox Theatre. Now Olympia Development President Atanas Ilitch has formed Moose Building LLC with another Olympia executive.

Atanas Ilitch was unavailable for comment and a spokesman declined to say why Ilitch and John Kotlar, Ilitch Holdings' vice president of tax affairs, have formed a corporation named after a building they do not own. [Kotlar and Atanas Ilitch formed the company Feb 5, 2007]

The best explanation could be found in the first three rules of real estate: location, location, location.

The Moose lodge is three blocks west of the Fox Theatre headquarters of Ilitch Holdings, in a blighted 15-block area the Ilitches view as a potential major hub of entertainment, sports and retail.

Clubs like the Town Pump, Centaur and Park Bar are in the area, which spans the Fisher Freeway service drive to Grand Circus Park.

The Ilitches also recently won the right to renovate the city-owned Grand Army of Republic building, which is bounded by the three-way intersection of Cass, Grand River and West Adams. It's a block away from the Moose building.

All that activity has allowed the Ilitches to stitch together enough properties to create a nearly open four-block swath of land directly behind the Fox Theatre big enough to house a new hockey stadium.

The flurry of activity comes at a time when the Ilitch family is fast approaching a deadline on whether to build a hockey venue or renovate the Joe Louis Arena. The Ilitches' lease on the city-owned riverfront arena expires in 2009. Mike Ilitch, co-founder of the Little Caesars Pizza chain that started it all, has hinted he prefers building a new arena near the Fox Theatre.

One sports economist estimates a new facility would bring the Red Wings at least $10 million in additional revenue each year from naming rights and luxury box sales alone.

The Ilitches have not made a decision, said Ilitch Holdings spokeswoman Karen Cullen.

"I know what it looks like, but, believe me, stranger things have happened," Cullen said. "We're still exploring both a remodel of the Joe Louis Arena and a new site. We are looking at a variety of options."

The Loyal Order of Moose building is [was] owned by two prominent music promoters and club owners. Blair McGowan, one of the co-owners, said he was unaware Olympia Development had formed a corporation named after the building but seem unfazed by the most recent move by the Ilitches. [McGowan's company entered into an agreement with Moose Buliding LLC filed Feb. 2, 2007 witih Wayne County Register of Deeds]

"We've talked to them a lot about the building and our plans," said McGowan, whose family once owned and operated St. Andrew's Hall downtown. "We're independent operators. But they're the biggest players in the world of entertainment down here. So, well, there you have it. We work with many different people."

When asked if he and his partner, Amir Daiza, are considering selling the Moose to the Ilitches, McGowan replied:

"We will never put that building in jeopardy of being demolished. And we would not like to be in a position to stop them from putting up a new hockey arena. [an agreement the parties entered into is reportedly prohibits demolition of the Moose Lodge]

"What they are doing for Detroit is fabulous,"

Detroit News Staff Writer Robert Snell contributed to this story. You can reach Louis Aguilar at (313) 222-2760 or laguilar@detnews.com.

See a map of Downtown Detroit that plots more than 160 properties owned/controlled by the Ilitch Family and other key parcels centered in Foxtown and the area surrounding MotorCity Casino.

Off Wing Opinion: Hard Times In Hockeytown

posted by Eric McErlain at Off Wing Opinion:

Hard Times In Hockeytown
The concern over the empty seats at Joe Louis continues. Here's my friend, Paul Kukla:

"Well, this morning I took a quick look at the Wings ticket situation for game 1. I could have purchased a block of 16 tickets in the upper bowl, row 24 at $99 a piece or a block of 20 standing room only tickets for $108 a pop."

Can you imagine if the opposing team was a little closer than Anaheim? The Joe would have a well represented presence from the visiting team.

In 1998, fans here in Washington saw entire sections of the MCI Center draped in red and white during Games Three and Four of the Stanley Cup Finals. It is a sight I will not ever forget. In fact, thanks to that experience, I took a vow to never watch a game ever at Joe Louis, as I already had experienced what it was like first hand..."

And Red Wings marketers call Detroit Hockeytown?

posted 05.16.07 by Jim Armstrong, sports columnist for The Denver Post, at denverpost.com

"If Detroit is Hockeytown, then Anchorage is the Bikini Capital of the World. At least that's what the attendance figures at Joe Louis Arena suggest. The Red Wings have played eight home playoff games and have yet to sell out. ..."

Red Wings Owner demolishing, clearing downtown Detroit

Wayne E. Smith/ The Detroit News Crews demolish a vacant and derelict building this week at 138 W. Columbia St. that was once the Hotel Vermont. Properties controlled by Ilitch-related firms make up a nearly open swath of land in Foxtown.

Ilitches' downtown power play Will 4-block area provide home for Red Wings? Louis Aguilar / The Detroit News

DETROIT -- Ilitch Holdings Inc. is quietly increasing its control of a run-down patch of downtown long considered a potential site for a new hockey arena for the Ilitch-owned Detroit Red Wings. After decades of little activity, a rush of buying, selling and construction work is taking place in the area known as Foxtown, just west of Ilitch Holdings' Woodward Avenue headquarters at the Fox Theatre complex. This week a vacant and derelict building at 138 W. Columbia St. that was once the Hotel Vermont is being razed. One block away on the corner of Elizabeth and Clifford streets, Ilitch Holdings Vice President of Tax Affairs John Kotlar has taken ownership of a parking garage that has been vacant for decades. Kotlar purchased the structure through a company called Elizabeth Street Properties LLC. The address for the company is listed as the Fox Theatre, according to records from the Wayne County Register of Deeds. County deed records also show that Olympia Development LLC, the downtown development arm of Ilitch Holdings, now owns the former Chin Tiki at 2121 Cass Ave. The Polynesian-themed restaurant was featured in the Eminem film "8 Mile" but was shuttered in 1980. Decision Looming on Joe Lewis Arena The activity comes at a time when the Ilitch family is fast approaching a deadline on whether to build a hockey venue or renovate the Joe Louis Arena. The Ilitches' lease on the city-owned riverfront arena expires in 2009. Mike Ilitch, co-founder of the Little Caesars Pizza chain that started it all, has hinted that he prefers building a new hockey arena near the Fox Theatre. No decision has been made about whether the Wings will stay at The Joe or move to a new venue, said Karen Cullen, spokeswoman for Ilitch Holdings. "The bottom line is nothing has changed," Cullen said. "Even without an arena being built there, we care about what is over there," Cullen said. "We continue to study our options." Whatever options come up for Ilitch Holdings, there will be plenty of land to accommodate them. All told, one Ilitch-related firm or another controls a nearly open swath of land that spans four blocks containing only a few vacant buildings, a nightclub and two transient hotels. The holdings span an area from the Fisher Freeway service drive to Grand Circus Park and all the space behind the Fox Theatre. The Ilitches already have a huge presence in the area. Their Detroit Tigers play at Comerica Park across the street from the Fox Theatre. The company also owns Hockeytown restaurant on Woodward and the Detroit Life Building on Park, which the Ilitches intend to restore as a high-end residential development. Olympia Development also has big plans in the adjacent Grand Circus Park area. The company is looking for tenants for the possible redevelopment of a five-acre site that includes the United Artists Theatre building and the former Statler Hotel parcel, which is owned by the city. Olympia continues to market that site along with the city, including talking with Rock Financial/Quicken Loans about moving its headquarters there, Cullen said. Olympia is also seeking tenants for the former Madison-Lenox Hotel land, which is now a parking lot, and the Fine Arts building at 44 W. Adams, just north of Grand Circus Park. While Ilitch Holdings remains mum about its plans regarding a new home for the Red Wings, other downtown property owners say they are counting on something big. "Frankly, I think it's a logical place for a new hockey stadium" said Chuck Forbes, founder of Forbes Management whose company owns the Gem Theatre and the State Theatre just down the street from the Fox. Forbes also owns two properties on Park Avenue, the Women's City Club and the Colony Club buildings, and says he's already invested more then $700,000 in recent upgrades. "We're talking about a formidable, unique district," Forbes said. "You have top-rated theaters, professional sports stadiums, upscale nightclubs, luxury housing. We're really optimistic of the opportunities back there." Ilitch Holdings agreed the area has plenty of potential. "If there are opportunities to purchase properties that are adjacent to ours, we take a look at those properties," Cullen said. "That area is a tremendous sports and entertainment district and we are committed to seeing that develop and grow." Also near the Fox Theatre, the former C&C Bar at the corner of Cass Avenue and Columbia was partially demolished within the past month and is now being rebuilt. Ilitch Holdings does not own the property. The Joe Louis Arena opened on the Detroit riverfront in 1979 after former Detroit Mayor Coleman Young built it to keep the Red Wings from moving to Oakland County. The team was under different ownership at the time. Joe Louis is the fifth-oldest arena in the National Hockey League. A new facility would bring the Wings at least $10 million in additional revenue each year from naming rights and luxury box sales alone. http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070509/BIZ/705090380

You may want to review these posts... --The Verifiable Truth: State Subsidizing Plans for Detroit Hockey Arena Blogger questions Detroit Arena assumptions Field of Schemes: Tiger Stadium back in limbo Family that built fortune on Detroit Sports and Little Caesars Pizza directed $900k to these political committees while expanding gambling ventures As most of Michigan continues to struggle financially, 11 make Forbes List of World's Richest Billionaires Taxpayers give Ilitch $95,000 to tear down his building City Sells Historic Building to Ilitch for $220,500

Taxpayers give Ilitch $95,000 to tear down his building

4.04.07

Detroit DDA OKs $95,000 to tear down Ilitch-owned building

By Robert Ankeny

The Detroit Downtown Development Authority Wednesday authorized a $95,000 grant for an Ilitch Holdings L.L.C. company to demolish of the former Vermont Hotel at 138 Columbia, just west of Park Avenue.

The five-story building which formerly housed Haven Community Mission, was bought by Olympia Development of Michigan L.L.C. in 2001.

It is northwest of Grand Circus Park, behind the Fox Theatre, with much of the surrounding property owned by the Ilitches, who own the Detroit Red Wings.

Ilitch Holdings President Chris Ilitch said last year that company is studying whether to make major improvements at Joe Louis Arena or to plan construction of a new home for the Wings. There has been considerable speculation that a new arena could built in the area northwest of Grand Circus Park where the Vermont is to be demolished.

Karen Cullen, Ilitch Holdings vice president for communications, issued the follow statement in response to questions about planning for a hockey arena:

"Our organization is continuing to evaluate all options -- from a remodel of Joe Louis Arena to the building of a new arena at a new location. We have not made a final decision at this time. This is obviously a large and important project and proper evaluation is required. When we have a final decision and something to announce we will do so. All options and locations are still being studied.

Relative to the demolition of 138 W. Columbia, our organization continues to move forward in making improvements to the Foxtown Neighborhood. With the Fox Theatre, Comerica Park, our headquarters operations, soon-to-be renovated Detroit Life Building, Hockeytown Cafe and the numerous other businesses in and around us, we are continually looking for opportunities to make it a pleasant, clean and safe environment for visitors, colleagues and local residents.

The building at 138 W. Columbia is in disrepair and cannot be renovated. To meet the above stated goals for our neighborhood, demolition is the best answer."

Scott Veldhuis, project manager for the Detroit Economic Growth Corp., which staffs the DDA, said the $95,000 demolition grant will come from the DDA’s building demolition program fund of $8 million that came from the state of Michigan.

Detroit-based Adamo Demolition Co. was low bidder at $77,800, with additional costs for environmental remediation and consulting fees.

The fund has already been used to demolish two other downtown buildings. One was at 150 Michigan Ave., where a parking garage is to be built for the renovated Westin Book Cadillac Detroit. The other, at 281 Gratiot, was a vacant night club between Broadway and Randolph at the entrance to Harmonie Park.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070404/REG/70404005&template=printart

You may also want to review these posts...

--The Verifiable Truth:

• State Subsidizing Plans for Detroit Hockey Arena

• Blogger questions Detroit Arena assumptions

• Field of Schemes: Tiger Stadium back in limbo

• Family that built fortune on Detroit Sports and Little Caesars Pizza directed $900k to these political committees while expanding gambling ventures

• As most of Michigan continues to struggle financially, 11 make Forbes List of World's Richest Billionaires

• Taxpayers give Ilitch $95,000 to tear down his building
• City Sells Historic Building to Ilitch for $220,500

Related posts at other blogs...

• Faded Detroit: Parking! Parking!

State Subsidizing Plans for Detroit Hockey Arena

Photo illustration by David Guralnick and Tim Summ

Olympia Development received a $104,500 grant Wednesday to demolish a vacant building several blocks west of Fox Theatre.

New home for Red Wings?

Louis Aguilar / The Detroit News

DETROIT -- The Ilitch family, which controls a billion-dollar empire of pizza, sports teams and entertainment in downtown Detroit, is fast approaching a deadline on whether to build a hockey arena or renovate the Joe Louis Arena, the city-owned venue whose lease with the Ilitches expires in 2009.

Speculation about the family's plans was stoked Wednesday when the Ilitches' Olympia Development secured state funding to raze a vacant, dilapidated building smack dab in the area long rumored to be the preferred site of the arena -- a cluster of blocks west of the Fox Theatre complex, the Woodward Avenue headquarters for Ilitch Holdings Inc.

See full image

The Ilitch connection An avid sports fan, Mike Ilitch buys the Detroit Red Wings in 1982. Ilitch fulfills a lifelong dream with the purchase of the Detroit Tigers in 1992. Marian Ilitch purchases the MotorCity Casino in 2005.

Daniel Mears / The Detroit News

The 30-year lease on Joe Louis Arena, which is the fifth-oldest arena in the National Hockey League, expires in 2009. See full image

The empty building at 138 W. Columbia is surrounded by blocks of Ilitch-owned parking lots and several structures. It's a half-block away from the Detroit Life Building, which the Ilitches intend to restore into high-end residential units. A few blocks away is the Grand Army of the Republic building, which the family plans to restore. Across Woodward from the Fox Theatre is Comerica Park, home of the Ilitch-owned Detroit Tigers.

An arena near the Fox would add a major dimension to a burgeoning sports and entertainment district largely created by the Ilitches.

While Ilitch Holdings said a final decision hasn't been made about a new arena, it said it continues to study the idea.

"Our organization is continuing to evaluate all options -- from a remodel of Joe Louis Arena to the building of a new arena at a new location," the Ilitches said in a written statement Wednesday.

"Relative to the demolition of 138 W. Columbia, our organization continues to move forward in making improvements to the Foxtown Neighborhood. With the Fox Theatre, Comerica Park, our headquarters operations, soon-to-be renovated Detroit Life Building, Hockeytown Cafe and the numerous other businesses in and around us, we are continually looking for opportunities to make it a pleasant, clean and safe environment for visitors, colleagues and local residents."

The only immediate plans that Olympia has for the property at 138 W. Columbia is additional parking, Ilitch Holdings said.

The Ilitches have said for more than a decade that they intend to build a modern arena for the Wings or renovate Joe Louis, for which the Ilitches had a 30-year lease.

Mike Ilitch, co-founder of the Little Caesars Pizza chain that started it all, has said repeatedly he prefers a site near the Fox Theatre.

On a February trip to Paducah, Ky., both Mike Ilitch and his son Chris Ilitch, president of Ilitch Holdings, gave some hints that a decision may be near.

"We don't see anything standing in the way of being able to go forward other than carving out the deal," Mike Ilitch said at the time. "We're looking forward to making sure that what we do now makes sense, that we can build it right, so that we can project our business."

But Chris Ilitch said they are still considering all options.

In January 2006, the Ilitches announced they had begun feasibility studies on the project.

Atanas Ilitch also has said that the area would be ideal for retail development. He heads Olympia Development LLC, the real estate arm of Ilitch Holdings. Atanas Ilitch said the company, sparked by the Tigers' success, was in talks to bring national retailers and an upscale grocer to Ilitch-owned properties near Comerica Park.

Detroit officials said they weren't aware of any decision.

"I haven't heard anything," said George Jackson, president of the Detroit Economic Growth Corp., the quasi-public agency that promotes development in the city.

A spokesman for Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick also said he wasn't aware of a decision.

Privately, several officials said the Ilitches own enough property behind the Fox to build an arena, though there are several parcels they don't own that could hinder the project.

The Joe Louis Arena opened on downtown's riverfront in 1979 after former Detroit Mayor Coleman Young built it to keep the Wings from moving to Oakland County. The team was under different ownership at the time. Joe Louis is the fifth-oldest arena in the National Hockey League. The Wings could expect to bring in at least $10 million in additional revenue each year with a new facility from naming rights and luxury boxes alone.

The Ilitches have not said how they would finance the project.

Every move the Ilitches make downtown becomes instant fodder for a rumor mill.

"It's like a parlor game around here," said Harry Kefalonitis, owner of Harry's Bar & Grill, on Clifford Street across I-75 from the Fox Theatre. "I hear they're looking at about 10 different locations back there."

Two years ago, when Mike Ilitch ate at his bar, Kefalonitis asked him if the new hockey arena would be built nearby.

"He just smiled and looked at me," Kefalonitis said. "But he didn't say no. And everyone around here always thinks if he doesn't say no, it means yes."

You can reach Louis Aguilar at (313) 222-2760 or laguilar@detnews.com.

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artikkel?Dato=20070405&Kategori=METRO&Lopenr=704050388&Ref=AR&Show=0&template=printart

You may want to review these posts:

--The Verifiable Truth:

• State Subsidizing Plans for Detroit Hockey Arena
• Blogger questions Detroit Arena assumptions
• Family that built fortune on Detroit Sports and Little Caesars Pizza directed $900k to these political committees while expanding gambling ventures
• As most of Michigan continues to struggle financially, 11 make Forbes List of World's Richest Billionaires