Is something big coming?

[thebeerqueer]

 

[joeDowntown]

Haha. Monorail. Classic!

[joeDowntown]

12 hours ago, Cookin_peacocks said:

Ya know, if ya wanna get a team in the city, think secondary sports, like when GR had that arena football team. 

 

NLL sells out NHL arenas and has a TV deal on ESPN+.... I just watched the Bandits lose in the finals selling out the Buffalo Sabres arena , KeyBank Center.

 

If GR could lure them in to play at the VAA, that would be extremely cool.

 

For our non sports people, the NLL is Box lacrosse. Played on a hockey rink with astroturf.

Yeah, I think we could do well with a second tier sport, and hope that it grows in popularity. Arena Football always seemed interesting to me, and I thought the Rampage had the coolest logo of most sports teams. Current Major League sports want the biggest markets and the flashiest stadiums. Heck, even MLS (soccer), which is a tier below the big three sports leagues would be impossible to get in this market as they want big cities with flashy stadiums.

I agree with others, I think it will be something on the Amway owned lot.

[GRDadof3]

14 minutes ago, joeDowntown said:

Yeah, I think we could do well with a second tier sport, and hope that it grows in popularity. Arena Football always seemed interesting to me, and I thought the Rampage had the coolest logo of most sports teams. Current Major League sports want the biggest markets and the flashiest stadiums. Heck, even MLS (soccer), which is a tier below the big three sports leagues would be impossible to get in this market as they want big cities with flashy stadiums.

I agree with others, I think it will be something on the Amway owned lot.

On top of everything else, Grand Action just coincidentally hires the previous Development Director for the City of Grand Rapids to run Grand Action. There will be a lot of moving parts with something this huge. Someone with both business connections and city connections would be needed... 

[cstonesparty]

12 hours ago, Cookin_peacocks said:

Ya know, if ya wanna get a team in the city, think secondary sports, like when GR had that arena football team. 

 

NLL sells out NHL arenas and has a TV deal on ESPN+.... I just watched the Bandits lose in the finals selling out the Buffalo Sabres arena , KeyBank Center.

 

If GR could lure them in to play at the VAA, that would be extremely cool.

 

For our non sports people, the NLL is Box lacrosse. Played on a hockey rink with astroturf.

I think those kind of rising sports are going to continue to grow rapidly and develop a real interesting business model that is dramatically different from the legacy sports leagues.  Intriguing...

[numstead]

I've seen a thing that is interesting that is not related to Grand Action, Fulton/Market, Post Office site, or Acrisure. I suspect I know who Cookin-peacocks' lurker source is and could speculate on how that person could've heard about this particular thing.

That said, I've seen lots of things burn bright within architectural offices over the last couple decades in this town, only to see them flicker out (I made some renderings in the early 2000s for an 8-story HQ for the GR Press on the 555 Monroe NW property), and since I'm not directly involved in this particular thing I have no idea if it's a matchstick or a duraflame log. 

I can't tell if I just threw gas or water on the fires of speculation. 

[RegalTDP]

9 minutes ago, numstead said:

I can't tell if I just threw gas or water on the fires of speculation. 

That was a napalm bomb.

[Cookin_peacocks]

2 hours ago, GRDadof3 said:

On top of everything else, Grand Action just coincidentally hires the previous Development Director for the City of Grand Rapids to run Grand Action. There will be a lot of moving parts with something this huge. Someone with both business connections and city connections would be needed... 

Yeah, I messaged her to see if she had any Intel. She hasn't responded. Yet....

2 hours ago, numstead said:

I've seen a thing that is interesting that is not related to Grand Action, Fulton/Market, Post Office site, or Acrisure. I suspect I know who Cookin-peacocks' lurker source is and could speculate on how that person could've heard about this particular thing.

That said, I've seen lots of things burn bright within architectural offices over the last couple decades in this town, only to see them flicker out (I made some renderings in the early 2000s for an 8-story HQ for the GR Press on the 555 Monroe NW property), and since I'm not directly involved in this particular thing I have no idea if it's a matchstick or a duraflame log. 

I can't tell if I just threw gas or water on the fires of speculation. 

Without giving many details, can you at least hint as to the type of development you saw? High rise? Rollercoaster on top of River House? Eenhoorn finally developing the river lot (yeah right)

[joeDowntown]

3 hours ago, numstead said:

That said, I've seen lots of things burn bright within architectural offices over the last couple decades in this town, only to see them flicker out (I made some renderings in the early 2000s for an 8-story HQ for the GR Press on the 555 Monroe NW property), and since I'm not directly involved in this particular thing I have no idea if it's a matchstick or a duraflame log. 

Ah, I think I remember the 8-story HQ. Is that when they were going to put the printing press downtown (before deciding to build out in Walker)? Do you have any renderings in your graveyard files? Can't remember exactly what they proposed. Fortunately, with the demise of the printed newspaper, I'm glad they decided to put the press out in Walker, but I remember at the time I was disappointed.

[Guest]

Hopefully it's a big headquarters downtown.  I can't really see Amway moving downtown, they seem pretty set in Ada and I feel like they lay off hundreds every year.  Can't really see Farmer's or Meijer moving either.

[cutlervillegr]

7 hours ago, joeDowntown said:

Yeah, I think we could do well with a second tier sport, and hope that it grows in popularity. Arena Football always seemed interesting to me, and I thought the Rampage had the coolest logo of most sports teams. Current Major League sports want the biggest markets and the flashiest stadiums. Heck, even MLS (soccer), which is a tier below the big three sports leagues would be impossible to get in this market as they want big cities with flashy stadiums.

I agree with others, I think it will be something on the Amway owned lot.

I think this is a great idea, and much more realistic than attracting a team from one of the Big 4 leagues (will not happen in GR).

If you look at the other cities that have NLL teams, they are comparable to Grand Rapids.  (Rochester, Hamilton, Albany, etc).  The league does not have any teams in the MidWest, so GR would be a good location.  And it's reasonably close to the teams around Lake Ontario, for some close-ish rivals.  VAA would be decently sized for a lacrosse league.

One thing that matters is youth lacrosse.  I think it's much bigger on the East Coast than here.  That helps for attendance...

[Cookin_peacocks]

49 minutes ago, cutlervillegr said:

I think this is a great idea, and much more realistic than attracting a team from one of the Big 4 leagues (will not happen in GR).

If you look at the other cities that have NLL teams, they are comparable to Grand Rapids.  (Rochester, Hamilton, Albany, etc).  The league does not have any teams in the MidWest, so GR would be a good location.  And it's reasonably close to the teams around Lake Ontario, for some close-ish rivals.  VAA would be decently sized for a lacrosse league.

One thing that matters is youth lacrosse.  I think it's much bigger on the East Coast than here.  That helps for attendance...

I believe Chicago has an expansion team playing next year. 

 

If the NLL came, I'd get seasons 

[Cookin_peacocks]

On 6/24/2022 at 10:43 AM, GRDadof3 said:

On top of everything else, Grand Action just coincidentally hires the previous Development Director for the City of Grand Rapids to run Grand Action. There will be a lot of moving parts with something this huge. Someone with both business connections and city connections would be needed... 

Just got a response. She has heard nothing. So grand action isn't involved 

[GRDadof3]

20 hours ago, Cookin_peacocks said:

Just got a response. She has heard nothing. So grand action isn't involved 

It might just be AHC, not necessarily in conjunction with the amphitheater. 

Or it might be someone exaggerating.

[Cookin_peacocks]

3 hours ago, GRDadof3 said:

It might just be AHC, not necessarily in conjunction with the amphitheater. 

Or it might be someone exaggerating.

Might be. But one has to believe SOMETHING is in the works for that person to drop that info.

[Cookin_peacocks]

On 6/23/2022 at 6:20 PM, MJLO said:

Very unlikely  pro sports anytime soon. Too many underserved markets.  I’m pretty sure the dream of the Devos’s moving the magic died decades ago.  At this point it just wouldn’t make business sense.   Orlando-Tampa-Daytona/Central Florida is just way too big and growing of a market to abandon for the number 42 media market

Funny you mention the DeVos Magic ownership. Shaq just called them out to sell the team to him and his group so they can focus on putting a winner on the court. Orlando fans really want the team to longer be under DeVos control, which appears to be an afterthought to them.

[numstead]

On 6/24/2022 at 1:35 PM, Cookin_peacocks said:

Without giving many details, can you at least hint as to the type of development you saw? High rise? Rollercoaster on top of River House? Eenhoorn finally developing the river lot (yeah right)

mixed-use high rise

On 6/24/2022 at 2:30 PM, joeDowntown said:

Ah, I think I remember the 8-story HQ. Is that when they were going to put the printing press downtown (before deciding to build out in Walker)? Do you have any renderings in your graveyard files? Can't remember exactly what they proposed. Fortunately, with the demise of the printed newspaper, I'm glad they decided to put the press out in Walker, but I remember at the time I was disappointed.

No, they weren't planning on moving the printing operation there as far as I can remember. I don't believe the images we were cooking up ever made it out publicly. I found a color test print in a folder I have stashed away, but can't find a digital file anywhere. 

It might be an interesting project for someone in the local AIA chapter to try to convince some of the other architects and developers in town to release images from old projects that are long dead just to show off some of the design talent that exists in this town. I'm sure there are some pretty unique ones out there. Maybe it could trigger some new ideas or foster some new connections.

[WMrapids]

1 hour ago, numstead said:

mixed-use high rise

10 floors of hydrogen plant and two floors for a brewery. Got it! 

[numstead]

10 hours ago, WMrapids said:

10 floors of hydrogen plant and two floors for a brewery. Got it! 

I really wanted to drop the word "arcology" in here and watch everyone freak out, but that would have been a bit of an exaggeration. 

[Cookin_peacocks]

15 hours ago, numstead said:

mixed-use high rise

No, they weren't planning on moving the printing operation there as far as I can remember. I don't believe the images we were cooking up ever made it out publicly. I found a color test print in a folder I have stashed away, but can't find a digital file anywhere. 

It might be an interesting project for someone in the local AIA chapter to try to convince some of the other architects and developers in town to release images from old projects that are long dead just to show off some of the design talent that exists in this town. I'm sure there are some pretty unique ones out there. Maybe it could trigger some new ideas or foster some new connections.

Can we get rough estimate HOW high? Like will we see another mediocre project? Or something actually worth being excited about?

[GR8scott]

21 minutes ago, Cookin_peacocks said:

Can we get rough estimate HOW high? Like will we see another mediocre project? Or something actually worth being excited about?

game changer new tallest 40+ stories....then scaled back to 24 to "blend in better" then ultimately an unnoticeable 12 story meh building with a brand new Holiday in express and some market rate and subsidized apartments! 

[Cookin_peacocks]

10 minutes ago, GR8scott said:

game changer new tallest 40+ stories....then scaled back to 24 to "blend in better" then ultimately an unnoticeable 12 story meh building with a brand new Holiday in express and some market rate and subsidized apartments! 

You stop that!

[wingbert]

I believe the Devos family’s Matthew 19:24 research project is still looking for a home

[cstonesparty]

16 minutes ago, wingbert said:

I believe the Devos family’s Matthew 19:24 research project is still looking for a home

subtle.

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Cookin_peacocks said:

Can we get rough estimate HOW high? Like will we see another mediocre project? Or something actually worth being excited about?

Yes, this.  If it were the biggest thing in the last 10 years I'd imagine it taller than anything we have now.

Also, roughly when will we hear an announcement?  I know real estate and development moves slow, but give us a bone!  lol