A free-market utopia in the Detroit River?

UPI ^ | Jan. 12, 2013 | unattributed

[1rudeboy]

DETROIT, Jan. 12 (UPI) -- A Detroit-area developer says he wants to turn Belle Isle, a 982-acre park in the Detroit River, into a free market commonwealth with its own laws and currency.

Rodney Lockwood visualizes the Commonwealth of Belle Isle as an semi-autonomous city-state of 35,000 people, The Detroit News reported. There would be no income tax, with revenue coming from a property tax based on land value, and its political status would be similar to that of Puerto Rico.

[1rudeboy]

ping

[Noamie]

If they were serious they would build it some place else.

[1rudeboy]

Never mind my tagline. I forgot to clear it.

[1rudeboy]

Well, let’s see . . . “cheap” land, some semblence of infrastructure, close to a larger metropolitan area . . . .

[C. Edmund Wright]

1000 acre islands are not available just any place,.....

[cripplecreek]

Michigan is under new management and things are changing in Detroit because they have to.



Weekly/biweekly Michigan legislative action thread

[cripplecreek]

Well, let’s see . . . “cheap” land, some semblence of infrastructure, close to a larger metropolitan area . . . .

On a border with another first world nation, at the second busiest freight crossing on the continent.

What I've said about Detroit all along. Don't worry about the city, just do what's right for America and for Michigan, and the city will follow because they'll have to.

[cripplecreek]

Actually one of the few intelligent things the Obama administration has approved of is opening a new patent office near the island on the waterfront.

[1rudeboy]

If I had $1 billion, I’d buy Belle Isle in a heartbeat.

[Behind the Blue Wall]

Too bad the politicos in Detroit aren’t smart or honest enough to take this guy up on the deal. It’s a good idea.

[Noamie]

Er... for the people they are asking to invest, money is not the important issue...

LOCATION.

“Frozen winters” sounds good to a group of people looking to build a nation of their own surrounded by water? Bad plan.

There are 1000 acre+ islands in many, many locations with mild climates. There are lots of large-scale commercial real estate agents that know of them off-hand.

Someone said it’s close to infrastructure.... I can’t help, but wonder if they read that it’s near Detroit?

So Detroit’s going to just give that stuff away on the cheap so a bunch of right-wing, low tax settlers can move next door? Oh, man....

Putting it near Detroit just means that it’s near an invading army of looters and criminals that can walk across the ice in the winter. Bad plan.

[cripplecreek]

Its got a high dollar racing series that clearly wants to continue racing there if the concerns about street conditions can be overcome. There is power and sailboat racing on the river and air racing above it. The Detroit Tigers and Lions are right there downtown.

Despite popular misconceptions, Detroit is not all ghetto and the downtown area is quite nice and safe. (Detroit is an open carry city) There are vacant buildings downtown but they've been maintained to remain salvageable.



I think the most important thing is the fact that Detroit has hit bottom and is now under increasing republican control from the state level. Unlike the democrats who kept handing the crack addict of the city a blank check, the republicans are dictating how and where money will be spent there.

[Mikey_1962]

Every April 1st for several years David Newman's talk show would do a segment on Belle Isle being sold by Detroit to the Sultan of Brunei.

Always was a hoot.

[Minutemen]

And what would be the new currency? OBAMA BUCKS?

[Hot Tabasco]

It'll never happen......Back in the early '90s when my dad was chief ranger for Stoney Creek Metro park, the Huron Clinton Metropolitan Authority (HCMP) made an offer to the city to take over the island and run it as one of their extremely efficient parks.

The city rejected the offer saying that the park should remain free to the public and of course the "public" was the residents of the city. Nobody from the suburbs steps foot on Belle Isle unless they're members of a reunion going on there......

People should see the ancient photos of Belle Isle during the 1940's and 50's, what a magnificient place it was.

As a side note, my grandfather was a sergeant with the DPOA and stationed on Belle Isle till he retired in 1962......

I have lots of fond memories of spending summer days on the island with my grandmother and grandfather..........

[shove_it]

Not to mention parking with a view of the Seven Sisters with your new girlfriend to watch the submarine races....

[goat granny]

Watched the submarine races on Belle Isle a lot, got my first ticket for driving without a license there. My husband to be got a ticket for allowing me to drive his car without a license...Had to go to 8 hours of traffic school downtown, cause my dad had just retired from the police force and went in and talked to the judge before I was sent into his chambers.....dad knew just about everyone there, he kept saying “Hi” and we walked through the court house...He never mentioned it to me again....great father....GG

[Hot Tabasco]

All those structures in that picture are now gone....

[shove_it]

In 1969-72, my house was less than a mile south of Stoney Creek Park. I sailed on the lake often. My subdivision had a Rochester address at the time; it is now in Shelby Twp., IIRC.