‘Magic’ plan approved for Michigan State Fairground
Posted:
Updated:
By myFOXDetroit.com Staff
SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (MyFox Detroit) -
In its prime, the Michigan
State Fair and Exposition
Center was a destination
stop. Former NBA and MSU basketball
star, Magic Johnson, submitted a proposal that the Michigan Land Bank accepted,
putting into motion negotiations to transfer the land for the redevelopment.
Working with Johnson is his
long-time friend and developer, Joel Ferguson. He was more than pleased to
overcome a major hurdle with this vote by the board.
"It gives us the opportunity
to start negotiating the hard negotiations to make this happen. It's just the
first step, but it's a significant step," Ferguson
told Fox 2's Tim Skubick.
The so-called ‘magic'
proposal would cost around 100-million dollars, and if these negotiations pay
off shovels, could be in the ground early next year.
"We hope to have housing, assisted
living, apartments and townhouses. We hope to have strong open space, we hope
to have a theater, re-do the Coliseum, where it will have a strong community
use. Major stores, great restaurants, we hope to show people that they can be
part of Detroit
as adjacent to the suburbs. We feel this is a win-win for everyone," Ferguson adds.
What the plan does not have
is a transit center, which local residents are demanding. They have a competing
plan of their own, which resembles other suburban communities that are
thriving.
One community representative
believes the magic project should be dropped without the transportation piece.
He explains, "The ‘magic' plan is more of a shopping center, 1990's, lots of
parking, the lots are very spread out. Compare that to a downtown Royal Oak, downtown Ann Arbor,
or downtown Birmingham.
The community wants that at the state
fair."
Ferguson argues if the state says yes to a transit center on
this property, they'll hold the land to do it. Meanwhile the development of
this once jewel in Detroit
moves to the next phase of possibly being repolished.
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