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I.C.A.R.E
Fights Auto Race Track -- Again!
In
1996, John Hertel, the manager of the Michigan
State Fairgrounds, announced a proposal to make the
Fairgrounds a paying proposition. A developer would build an
auto racetrack. Hertel didn't consult his neighbors, who were
appalled by the idea. They formed I.C.A.R.E.(Inter-county
Citizens Achieving Regional Excellence), an organization
of concerned citizens from Detroit, Ferndale, and Hazel Park.
They opposed the track idea in the media, before governmental
bodies, and threatened legal action. They were concerned about
noise, traffic, and parking overflow. The developer backed out
in the face of this opposition.
Everyone
around the Fairgrounds could breath easy. Right?
Wrong!
April 12, 2000 Hertel announced a new idea for developing the
Fairgrounds. It included hotels, an outdoor concert
amphitheater larger than Pine Knob, and an
auto race track!
I.C.A.R.E.
sprung awake from the deep sleep it had been in to fight this
new dragon (which looked like the old dragon in a better
costume).
This
Website was started as a resource for those involved in the
fight. The I.C.A.R.E was formed as an ad hoc group but is
becoming a permanent organization under the name ICARE II. The
II part signifies that this the second time people in Detroit,
Ferndale, Hazel Park and other communities have had to ban
together to fight an inappropriate development proposal at the
Michigan State Fairgrounds.
Winning the Fight:
While there is
always a chance that someone might came along with another
proposal for the Fairgrounds that will destroy the peace and
quiet of the area for the developer's profit, it looks like we
won this round. The deal between the State of Michigan and
Nederlander collapsed, we have a new Governor, and a lawsuit
brought by ICARE II and others has blocked activity at the
Fairgrounds that is not supported by Detroit zoning. To see a
summery of events leading up to the present, see our
timeline page.ICARE
II continues to monitor developments at the Fairgrounds. See
our news
page
for capsule views of events as they occur. Check our research
page
for links to media coverage and other resourses. |
I.C.A.R.E
Protesters out side the Fairgrounds during the "sound
test."
Layout of
the Fairgrounds proposal.
Proposed
development at the Michigan State Fairgrounds. |