HURON TWP: Parcel of racetrack property sold to Indian tribe
Published: Tuesday, August 03, 2010
Ben Baird
HURON TWP. — A parcel of the Pinnacle Race Course property along Vining Road has been sold to the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians.
There is no word yet on what it will be used for.
Township Supervisor Elke Doom said two other parcels of the Pinnacle property along Sibley Road also are for sale, but they haven’t been purchased yet.
John Enos, township planning and zoning consultant, said the parcel is between five and 10 acres.
The tribe paid Post-It Stables, Pinnacle’s parent company, about $179,000 for the vacant land, according to township records.
Enos said he’s not aware of any plans the tribe has for the parcel. He said a casino would be an easy assumption for people to make, but he’s heard no indication of that.
The tribe once was the majority owner of Greektown Casino in Detroit. According to its Web site, the tribe owns several other casinos in Michigan, including Kewadin Casinos in five communities, among them Sault Ste. Marie.
“I’m glad there is some interest in that property,” Enos said.
The tribe has a variety of options for development of the land, he said. He said the tribe might decide to hold off on a decision and wait to see how the area develops.
“Hopefully, it will be complementary to both the township and the race course,” Enos said.
The goal of the state-designated SmartZone area Pinnacle is in is for the usage to be both a benefit and a gateway to the community, he said. He said he hopes it is something that will be welcomed by residents.
Enos said there are specific design standards for anything that will happen there. He said Pinnacle previously had plans for future development of its own on this land.
Township Trustee R.P. Lilly said he’d hate to see the SmartZone become a place where property is sold to the highest bidder to cover debts.
The original agreement was that Pinnacle purchased its property for $1 in exchange for creating 1,200 jobs, he said. Now parcels of it are being sold at market price, he said.
He said he’s never really understood how Pinnacle met the job threshold when the majority are offsite jobs.
Wayne County Commissioner Edward Boike Jr. (D-Taylor) is conducting his own investigation into Pinnacle meeting its fulfillment to the area, Lilly said.
“He’s not well pleased,” Lilly said.
Boike, the commission chairman, represents the 15th District, which includes Huron Township.
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Edward Boike Jr. is way off base here, has he been in a coma for the last two years?
Comerica welshed on Pinnacle after went Wall street went bust in the summer of 2008. Governor Granholm out of the blue dissolved the Office of Racing Commissioner and took us from our governing body of where Horse Racing has been under from the start of time, Agriculture and put us under the Michigan Gaming Control Board in essence GAMING which had no other interest than what it has governed from day one: CASINO’S. Robert Ficano sold the land in which Pinnacle Race Course sits for a $1.00 with the stipulation that a certain number of jobs get created. Then Wall Street went bust, and a domino affect took place like a wrecking ball destroyed every business in its path. Pinnacle Race Course was one of a million businesses that were affected by this. Comerica who was Pinnacle’s financial backing BACKED OUT. Leaving Pinnacle to be left standing with just phase 1 of its building process. So Edward Boike jr. is delusional knowing all of this yet brings this up that Pinnacle was not able to produce those jobs promised. When in fact Pinnacle Race Course with all of this chain train wreck of events and who obviously could not of foreseen what Governor Jennifer Granholm was about to do as well?
With only phase 1 of the track built it was an impossibility of doing this to no fault of Pinnacle’s. And Edward Boike Jr. knows all this as well. So he can audit and investigate this all he wants. Robert Ficano certainly is not squawking about this. Bob Ficano understands explicitly why and what a stand still Pinnacle has become because of those events that took place on Wall Street and Governor’s no brainer of dissolving our ORC. But God knows she and the rest of this State love our 3.5% Simulcast money generated by Horse Racing in Michigan.
Edward Boike Jr. is wrong on all accounts. And he knows it. Yes Robert Ficano and Wayne County sold the land to Pinnacle for a $1.00, and further knowing why Pinnacle has just sat completely unfinished for phases 2 and 3. That’s why no one else is making any noise especially Bob Ficano. He understands Pinnacle’s situation with our entire Thoroughbred Industry in this State. So it is Pinnacle’s land now to do what ever they can to survive. The Horsemen have thrown not only their 7 day a week sweat from work into the pot, they have thrown in their own damn money from Purses to FUND THE THOROUGHBRED MEET THEMSELVES.
We should have been able to use some of the money we generate for this State but no doing here. Yet this Governor of ours has done everything within her powers to kill us off, thus it would also kill that 3.5% Simulcast money to date standing at
Simulcast revenue produced from 3.5 tax for current fiscal year ending September 30, 2010. Current bal. Oct. 1, 2009 to July 25, 2010.
John Enos, township planning and zoning consultant said in a statement.
“I’m glad there is some interest in that property,” Enos said.
The tribe has a variety of options for development of the land, he said. He said the tribe might decide to hold off on a decision and wait to see how the area develops.
“Hopefully, it will be complementary to both the township and the race course,” Enos said.
The goal of the state-designated SmartZone area Pinnacle is in is for the usage to be both a benefit and a gateway to the community, he said. He said he hopes it is something that will be welcomed by residents.
Enos said there are specific design standards for anything that will happen there. He said Pinnacle previously had plans for future development of its own on this land.
So Edward Boike Jr. can do what ever investigation he pleases, but Pinnacle has done nothing wrong. So I highly suggest that he wakes from his coma and goes back two years and re-examined why everybody went bust and what it caused and who exactly it affected. Pinnacle was in the process of being built, not even close to being finished than it’s bank who was our main Investor and loaner PULLED OUT. So how in the world does Edward Boike Jr. expect Pinnacle to meet its obligation of a certain number of jobs, when in reality not only the bank welshed on us. But our own Governor further cut our throats by dissolving the ORC? Hey I’m open for further Suggestions and Idea’s Mr. Boike, got any?
When all has been said and done whatever ends up on this land and property I guarantee Huron Township and New Boston will soar in the Revenue that’s created from it. Bottom line here. You’ll have more than what was stated in new jobs and then some. And the Benefit from it will put your investigation to shame.
I know one thing the money will be worth its weight in gold. A hell of a lot more than $179,000. We are talking Millions created from this sale. And Huron Township/New Boston will Benefit the most along with Michigan for that fact. Hope our new Governor whom ever it is UN-dissolves the ORC and realizes the Thoroughbred and the entire Horse Racing Industry’s Worth in the State of Michigan. And puts us back where we belong under AGRICULTURE. The MGCB could care less if Horse Racing dies completely in this state. Their only and main focus is Casino’s, and that will never change.
People can start right now enlightening Democrat Nominee Virg Bernaro and Republican nominee Rick Snyder and tell them how vital we are to this States economy and the over 12,000 jobs that are connected to this Industry. And how much in fact Horse Racing has generated for Michigan over the 77 years. $400,000,000.00 +.
And when Pinnacle does complete all 3 phases of the race track. You will see what once was our ENTIRE Michigan Thoroughbred family that occupied DRC come back in FULL FORCE . And you will see that Pinnacle alone will employ the stated amounts of jobs fulfilled. With only 600 stalls there at present when there was meant to be 1,200-1,500 stalls is a little unfair to say by anyone they never knew how Pinnacle could employ its stated amount. When completely finished with ALL barns up, Track Kitchen, Grand Stand, Club House, etc……. Pinnacle Race Course alone will have the amount of employees stated. And they will not be off site jobs as suggested by Edward Boike Jr..
This man should have did his homework before he opened his mouth.
https://longshotsblues.wordpress.com/2010/06/11/michigan-millions-of-dollars-throw-away/
And a Big Thanks to Mary Mazur for e-mailing me the link to this story.
Posted at 11:42pm Aug. 4, 2010.
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