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The musings of a Detroit-area sportswriter in the digital age.

Thursday, May 02, 2013

Reasons for Tom Gores to move the Pistons to downtown Detroit

I wrote a story last week about business mogul Dan Gilbert's comments that fellow NBA owner Tom Gores should move the Pistons to downtown Detroit. The only good reason I can think to keep the Pistons in Auburn Hills is my "selfish" desire to avoid another Pontiac Silverdome degradation scenario. Below are comments for and against relocation from Oakland Press readers:
  • Andrew_60: "I'll admit there is quite an ambiance at Ford Field with the 'downtown city street' look." 
  • John: "Driving to a giant parking lot is a drag." 
  • Andrew_60: "There are least a dozen great restaurants within a few miles for pre-game libations as well. It is a winter sport so 'walking' around town isn't really an issue."
  • Springfieldres: "Dan-I have an idea how about you send your kids to school in Detroit and we keep the Pistons in our 'Farm Field.' "  
  • Aamazed: "Like Detroit needs another sports team where patrons are greeted after the games with beggars soliciting for money have to walk a mile to your vehicles, and have to deal with traffic jams through the city to get to the major freeways. ... If it's not broke, don't fix it.
  • Christopher Wicks: "The Palace parking lot sucks and so does the surrounding area. ... Move downtown, at least we can have a nice meal and easy egress after the game."
  • MobiusStrip_1: "Since Gore owns the Pistons and the Palace, he can use the Palace at no additional cost. It would cost him (and very likely, taxpayers) a lot of money to build an arena in Detroit just to say that the Pistons are in Detroit. Why not share an arena with the Red Wings?"
  • Melissa D: "Well, they are the DETROIT Pistons."
  • Daniel Marchione: "Yes it may be suburban, yes it may also be located next to a dump, but the Palace has found its niche in everything it offers, It books top entertainers for its venues and it provides convenience right off the freeway. ... Palace Sports and Entertainment is hugely profitable and the people booking events have continued to sell out."
  • Melvin Marshmallow: "If Dan Gilbert wants to lend Tom Gores the money to build a stadium in Detroit, fine by me. But I don't think one red penny of our tax dollars should go towards building another sports stadium in a city that is allready congesteted with sports stadiums funded by tax payers."
  • Al Waters: "Gores just bought the team, bought the arena and other assets. The still state of the art arena has been renovated. Why would he want to move his team to Detroit, where he would have to pay to play in new arena?"
  • Sunshine: "As good as an idea as it is, I'm pretty sure Dan Gilbert just wants to have them go to Detroit so he could buy their stadium."