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Millennium Park Development Updates


GRDadof3

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I would love a new amphitheater in a central part of GR but I don't see it happening. Way too many ordinance nuisances to have to deal with. Noise, traffic, late hours of operation, density, etc. Millenium Park continues to be the best option. There is lots of open, unused land. There is already an existing base of both vehicular and non-vehicular transportation networks. The relative lack of population in the area would make the aforementioned nuisances a non-issue. It would also bring a lot of vibrancy to that area of town and help bring some needed re-development attention for that end of town.

bring people AWAY from DT... I see where your going, hell why stop there lets put it on 28th street somewhere......... they have a huge amphitheatre in DT Chicago, doesnt seem to bother anyone. how about JBP??? I still think over by GVSU would be the best

The surrounding trees and the hilly landscape would be natural noise buffers anyway. Plus it would boost attendence to MP which it needs right now.

why do we need to boost the attendance of a park???

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I still think over by GVSU would be the best

why do we need to boost the attendance of a park???

Land would be cheaper out by GVSU, true, but having an "urban" amphitheater would make it so much more a draw - very short busride from anywhere in the core. Shoot, I could see a lot of bars/restaurants sponsoring free shuttles from downtown to the park on concert nights. Even though GVSU students would be nice to attract to the venue, I hardly think they would be a main marketing focus.

Adding attendence to the park, plus revenues from event-night parking could greatly subsidize both operations and improvements to the park. It would also help prevent the need to charge admission to the park for regular day-users.

Keep it at MP!!!!

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Land would be cheaper out by GVSU, true, but having an "urban" amphitheater would make it so much more a draw - very short busride from anywhere in the core. Shoot, I could see a lot of bars/restaurants sponsoring free shuttles from downtown to the park on concert nights. Even though GVSU students would be nice to attract to the venue, I hardly think they would be a main marketing focus.

Adding attendence to the park, plus revenues from event-night parking could greatly subsidize both operations and improvements to the park. It would also help prevent the need to charge admission to the park for regular day-users.

Keep it at MP!!!!

i meant DT GVSU

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i meant DT GVSU

Where is there a gradual slope or hill for seating in or near downtown that doesn't already have something on it? Or should we bring in fill to make another wall that we can discuss... :lol: I think MP has great terrian for something like this without having to spend money to create it downtown.

I would though have some sort of transit service from downtown to MP to give people the option of going back and fourth.

Don't get me wrong, I think having everything smack dab right in the center of town would be great, but sometimes everything cannot be in one place.

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Dude, gvsusean, settle down man. I'm just telling you like it is. Never did I say I agree with those opinions.

I'm all about the urban lifestyle but those things I mentioned are realities you just have to live with and work with. How do you plan on getting the permission to just mow down blocks of historic west side housing and streets to put in all the necessary things an amphitheatre entails? GR couldn't even get a condo development in one block on that side of town, let alone an amphitheatre. Its going to come down to cost and its going to cost a lot more to create the space in an urban environment rather than build on already unused land that is ripe for such a structure.

Personally I like the idea of an urban amphitheatre but I'm not gonna get my hopes up because I realize there are alot of obstacles and logistics issues in the way. Talk is great but at a certain point you have to stop talking and start looking at things from a realistic point of view.

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How many options are there for this to be near dt?

I, like many here, would love to have it within dt, however, where to put it? I'm not sold on MP, but it seems like it would be the most cost effective option with its decent location.

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Its not like we are saying put in Caledonia or Ada or anything.

you might as well be, its so far away from DT that I wouldnt care if it was there or virtually anywhere else in the burbs; it doesnt matter that GR will beat the other cities to the punch, it will be just like 5/3 ball park and 15 years from now people will say, "why didnt they build this DT??"

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OK gvsusean, we got it.

It's either going in MP or it's not going. Face it, that's the reality, and I think it's a great place for it. And it's not at all like 5/3 Park. Last time I went to a game, it was so quiet I forgot there was a game going on. :rofl:

First of all, to get that much land downtown will cost $4 - $5 Million (1/4 their budget), bye bye nice facility, hello crappy sound system and acoustics. Second of all, where???? The lots I think you're referring to South of GVSU are not large enough. Padnos is not moving. The West siders will block it (for good reason). How much fill would you have to truck in to build the grass section??? You can't put it on the mystery spot because how can you pay $65 Million to move the city and then spend $20 Million to build an amphitheater, and then countless other dollars to clean up the riverfront site? Who's going to pay $100+ Million for an amphitheater? Talk about fleecing the taxpayers.

Have you been to the area in question? The beginning of Millennium Park is not even a block from John Ball Park. You CAN walk there, or easily bike there, from GVSU. Sure it's a hike, but it's hardly to 28th Street.

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The type of amphitheater envisioned would not be appropriate for a downtown environment, unless you think Pine Knob or the Tweeter Center in Chicago belong downtown (they don't). The amphitheater in downtown Chicago is on a much smaller scale. The great thing about the Millennium Park location is that it's still near the core, and any light rail system could easily reach it making downtown parking for events a real option. Taking advantage of downtown parking means there's much less space wasted to parking on site.

-nb

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The type of amphitheater envisioned would not be appropriate for a downtown environment, unless you think Pine Knob or the Tweeter Center in Chicago belong downtown (they don't). The amphitheater in downtown Chicago is on a much smaller scale. The great thing about the Millennium Park location is that it's still near the core, and any light rail system could easily reach it making downtown parking for events a real option. Taking advantage of downtown parking means there's much less space wasted to parking on site.

-nb

Exactly - and it would be almost a mute point to coordinate with The Rapid to have dedicated bus service from downtown to MP on concert nights; why wouldn't they put a bus in service?? It'd easily pay for itself! AND, like many restaurants / bars in the Detroit area that have free shuttles to The Palace or The Joe on gamenights, I could easily see The B.O.B., McFadden's, etc. sponsoring something similar when big names come into town.

Bring in the shows, and people ALWAYS find a way to both have a good time before and after the concert AND find a way to make it to the concert. Stick the theater out in the boonies, and people will still go, but there'll be few to any making the trek from downtown to the concert and back.

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Exactly - and it would be almost a mute [MOOT] point to coordinate with The Rapid to have dedicated bus service from downtown to MP on concert nights; why wouldn't they put a bus in service?? It'd easily pay for itself! ...

During the A2 Art Fair, AATA runs shuttles from the major mall parking lots. They've done this for ages.

In Detroit, I believe there's still a shuttle from the Silverdome lot DT to Ford Field, and there might be one to The Palace. I know that SMART and D-DOT run shuttles to the Thanksgiving parade DT.

Bus companies ain't stoopid. Get 'em on the bus for an annual special event, and they're more likely to come back.

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OK gvsusean, we got it.

It's either going in MP or it's not going. Face it, that's the reality, and I think it's a great place for it. And it's not at all like 5/3 Park. Last time I went to a game, it was so quiet I forgot there was a game going on. :rofl:

First of all, to get that much land downtown will cost $4 - $5 Million (1/4 their budget), bye bye nice facility, hello crappy sound system and acoustics. Second of all, where???? The lots I think you're referring to South of GVSU are not large enough. Padnos is not moving. The West siders will block it (for good reason). How much fill would you have to truck in to build the grass section??? You can't put it on the mystery spot because how can you pay $65 Million to move the city and then spend $20 Million to build an amphitheater, and then countless other dollars to clean up the riverfront site? Who's going to pay $100+ Million for an amphitheater? Talk about fleecing the taxpayers.

Have you been to the area in question? The beginning of Millennium Park is not even a block from John Ball Park. You CAN walk there, or easily bike there, from GVSU. Sure it's a hike, but it's hardly to 28th Street.

I was just going to say what an incredibly easy bike ride it would be to MP from anywhere near downtown - you took the words right out of my mouth.

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my whole reasoning was from a commercial standpoint.... If people have to gt back in their cars then they will not stay DT, ergo the amphitheatre will have little effect on DT proper.

Not if they can board a fun trolley bus plastered with Seeger (or Segar) or whatever banners, and join a bunch of happy like-minded fans. Get that party started DT, and the trolley returns you to your car (just like at the airport). Put your lawn chair/blanket away, and continue on to a DT establishment.

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Not if they can board a fun trolley bus plastered with Seeger (or Segar) or whatever banners, and join a bunch of happy like-minded fans. Get that party started DT, and the trolley returns you to your car (just like at the airport). Put your lawn chair/blanket away, and continue on to a DT establishment.

Why just run trolley buses to MP? I'd say replace the fleet of DASH buses and a couple of the Rapid Busses serving the dense area's of the city with trolley buses. That would be neat. :)

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Only about 2 miles from S-Curve it appears, then. If anything does happen with the land near Grandville and Market, then its 1.5miles to DT activity. When I still worked in Wayland, I took my bike that distance every day to work. It's about a 15 minute bike ride.

15 minutes to go 2 miles? Why, that's 8 mph! You might want to put some air in the tires and get the brakes adjusted so as to not rub on the rim.

10 mph is a comfortable speed for a beginner on a rail trail. 12 is more of a commute. I can average 15 going home.

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Grand Rapids Press editorial on the Millennium Park location

There ya go gvsusean. They feel the same way you do.

Another thing to consider is do we want a facility right downtown that will only be active 4 months out of the year? I know people might say that on the off-season they could show movies or host smaller shows, but I would imagine it would be expensive to operate that way.

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Grand Rapids Press editorial on the Millennium Park location

There ya go gvsusean. They feel the same way you do.

Another thing to consider is do we want a facility right downtown that will only be active 4 months out of the year? I know people might say that on the off-season they could show movies or host smaller shows, but I would imagine it would be expensive to operate that way.

I gotta believe also there aren't too many people who would be crazy about watching Trans-Siberian Orchestra outside during a traditional Michigan December.

(Just an example)

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