DETROIT --
The fate of Detroit's Cobo Center remains in limbo as city council politics debate what to do with the crumbling structure.
But classic car owners and visitors to Autorama this weekend voiced their lack in patience as rain overwhelmed the tarps already hanging from Cobo's ceiling to collect water from melting snow -- creating dripping.
Leaky Cobo Dampens Autorama
On Saturday, pricey classic cars were on display at Cobo for the show. Hot rod owners who obsess over the slightest detail of their cars were irate.
"I'm cleaning, this beautiful '59 Galaxy 500, that took us 20 years to build, because Cobo is leaky nasty stuff from the ceiling. I mean this is salt water, it's rust, it's disgusting," said Roy Oberg.
"You know, I have a $50,000 car here. And this is what I come to get," added Tony Delmora.
WWJ RADIO (AM950) Beth Fisher
David7750 comments:
Detroit City Council should be required and must hold all of their future Coucil meetings at Cobo Hall, under tarps collecting rain water and corrosive liquids leaking thru the ceiling.
The Council must walk thru the crumbling loading docks, down to the deporable disgusting basement, walk up (because the escalators aren't always working) to Cobo Halls. The must sit and ponder - What should we do? What should we do?
Autorama, a premier Cobo event, visitors - and exhibitors saw the tarps, dodged the rain drops and wiped rain and corrosive liquids off their beloved customized, collectible and expensive vehicles - probably wondering - why are we here? They may not return.
WWJ radio (am950) reported on the tarps, rain drops and the escalators. What kind of image does that give Detroit?
Roger Weber of WDIV (Chl 4) has done a story on the crumbling loading docks, the downstairs area and the leaking ceilings, in a very visible horrorfying story of neglect and decay.
The City Council may win their battle with the Mayor, in court, but their is no real assurances that the regional plan for Cobo will be renogiatied - so what will the Council - win - a deplorable 'a jewel of the city', a convention facility that they can't afford to repair or afford to subsidize. A facility that more and more conventions will ignore, and reject.
If the City Council wins - the Detroit Metropolitan Area LOSES.
The Rock Financial Center (Novi) should expand, and then use buses to transport exhibitors and visitors to its modern facility, as buses were used to transport people to Detroit from the surrounding areas.
Pontiac, the Big 4 and the Governor, should consider using the Silverdome as a convention anchor for a convention, retail and hotel hub. Oakland County is the economic center of region. A more centered area, safer area with less baggage than Detroit. Even in this hard economic times it would make sense to build a new convention center in this area - leaving Cobo to attract smaller boutique conventions - after it is rehabed and refurbished - $288 million isn't enough to expand.
Novi or Pontiac - maybe regional cooperation can decide what's the best location for a new convention area. Now is the time to decide.
ps. mayber Windsor, Canada should be exploring expanding the convention facilities it has...its just a short bus ride across the border. Maybe conventioneers will have a better time South of the Border - Canadian style.
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