Detroit Casino Megathread

[toog05]

Thats sweet, much better than I thought.

[toog05]

Not sure if anyone remembers, but just before the latest design was released for MGM, there was a design that had the MGM with an interesting 'crown' of sorts. It consisted of what looked like a bunch of metal sticking out horizontally from the edges of the roof.

But, yeah, the current design for MGM makes you wish they'd at least done an interesting parapet wall along the roof, or something.

As for MotorCity, the large and then thin bands that go horizontally up the facade really throw me off, and the brick clashes with the glass and metal. It really, really, looks pieced together and hodge-podge.

[Michi]

Are they? Is that part of the architectural design? Neon lighting would be interesting, IMO.

[toog05]

Are they? Is that part of the architectural design? Neon lighting would be interesting, IMO.

[Zissou]

I think I just threw up in my mouth a little.

[RustTown]

Griff,

Where'd you find these?

MotorCity continues to not show the tower in detail. What's up with that? I'm glad to see the design fleshed out a bit more from the formerly poor rendering, but these renderings aren't much better.

[toog05]

I waiting for more renderings from MGM to give us a better perspective as far as what it will look like.

[wolverine]

The whole elevator tower is throwing me off. I don't see any provision made on what has been built for the false windows. They won't just be placed over the brick will they??

I still wish a bit more of the Wonderbread building would have been left exposed. I see what they are going for with the reto-automotive feel. It kind of has to be big and oversized to be noticeable when you are down on the Lodge freeway driving past at high speeds. Hopefully the lighting schemes will be as succesful as the rendering conveys. I don't know. I still feel Greektown is far better looking. Then again, in the architecture world, Greektown Casino is a superb example of a succesful integration into the urban fabric with the retail frontage and all.

[RustTown]

Wolverine, in Vegas, they place fake windows over solid elevator cores/towers all of the time to try and keep the design uniform. Often times, you can even tell. A good example I like to use (did I already post this in this thread?) is the Bellagio Spa Tower, which looks completely uniform, yet two significant elevator towers run up the facade inside the building, and you'd never know it.

MotorCity is one casino I feel will look much better in person than in the renderings. That's not saying alot, though, as I think the the actual thing, thus far, looks pretty horrible.

[Zissou]

Im disappointed that more of Wonderbread isnt coming through as well. I think the actual gaming space is ok, although I really would have liked this structure to spur further development and foot traffic in the area and a blank car like facade with no apparent retail spaces will not do this. I think the tower is the most disappointing thing about the entire project though. It looks like some of the crap I was doodling as a freshman in high school until I realized what good architecture was.

[RustTown]

I imagine like, most casinos, the retail will be inward facing. These are blackhole developments, most of the time. Greektown is actually very unique for a casino.

[dgriff04]

Here's the article the renderings came from: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2007/2/prweb505231.htm

[Michi]

Michi, did you catch the new rendering on the previous page?

[GRGridGirl]

Does anyone know if any of the casino's in Detroit have the game Sigma Derby? I played it this week in Lake Tahoe & I'm hooked....

[RustTown]

Oh, no I did not, sorry bout that. I believe I checked before I posted too. Thanks for bringing that to my attention.

I remember from the first renderings that seemed more "blue" that it appeared the building had blue neon lighting across the facade. I thought that would look sharp on the cityscape. Red is ok, but blue seems more "fresh". All said though, I'LL TAKE IT! Good for MC Casino. Hopefully, at the end of the day, MGM will up the ante and out perform Motor City. I guess the phrase, "miracles can happen" would apply in that case. lol

[detwaa84]

MGM already out performs its two competitors. In fact, I think it always had. MGM has an advantage, though, simply because of its name recognition. MGM/Mirage, I believe, is the biggest casino gaming company in the world.

If you're talking about the design of the casinos, I think MotorCity looks like a mess, personally. The only thing I commend them on is their use of actual stainless steel for parts of the facade, but other than that it looks completely tacky and out-of-place. That may work in Vegas, but the worse thing they could have ever done, architecturally, was covered up the old Wonderbread Building. I realize they designed this to be seen from the freeway, but you lose a lot of character, and gain a lot of tackiness points, with me.

[statedude3]

It might look tacky to the Detroiter who knows the architecture of the wonder bread building underneath, but to the out of towner that gimmicky look is going to get their attention and their money.

[Jasoncw]

Does anyone know why they built the casino so far away from everything? I know it's meant to be driven to and driven out, but I'd think they'd still benefit from casual downtowners walking around, like I think Greektown does/will.

[detwaa84]

Does anyone know why they built the casino so far away from everything? I know it's meant to be driven to and driven out, but I'd think they'd still benefit from casual downtowners walking around, like I think Greektown does/will.

[Michi]

Yah, I was talking about the design, LMich. I would bet MGM would be the most ellaborate on the interior, but the exterior is heavily lacking (so far).

I don't mind the tackiness of the MC so much, but agree w/ you about covering up the Wonder Bread facade.

There's potential in the vacinity of the MC Casino. It's right off of Grand River (potential mass transit) and has a direct connection to the Cass Park/Masonic Temple area, which in the future will grow nicely. I can't say much about the area west, but I'd imagine Corktown growth from the south will also fill in the MC area decently.

[toog05]

I still think that we still have a little ways to go until we can truthfully judge MGM. I don't mind the MC design either, I like it.

[illmatic774]

I have a little input on MGM/Mirages interiors.

They are not exactly dazzling. Mandalay Bay has a decent one, but MGM Grand (which is about 15 years old, by the way) looks pretty bad. Hopefully the gaming space in Detroit won't have any one of these fake clouds painted on the ceilings as well, they are absolutely horrible. I don't recall MGM having any, though.

Hopefully the interior resembles something like the Venetian.

Here are the painted clouds that I was talking about; talk about tacky.

[RustTown]

I'd seriously doubt it. The MGM Grand Detroit is to have an art deco motiff. Hopefully, it will be done well.

And, again, casinos are black-hole developments. Casino designers don't want to promote anything else but keeping patrons inside the casino which means it doesn't matter if they are downtown or in a cornfield. All casinos care about is a catchy gimmick to get people in, and a nice interior to keep them in. They are rarely part of a community, they create their own, which is why I'm not sure why anyone expects them to be much else than what we've gotten. Greektown Casino is a very rare exception and an anamoly, not the rule.

[Zissou]

Thats true but I think the equation changes a bit when put into an urban setting. Or at least it should. Vegas, AC, Mt Pleasant, those are all completely different situations then Detroit. I think the people at Greektown realized this, or were forced into this type of thing due to location, but regardless they have built the kind of complex that works in an urban setting while MC and MGM are not.

[Michi]

^Indeed. Good grief! It looks as if you'd be tripping all over that illusioned floor.