Positive Plaza Alternatives

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	Positive Plaza Alternatives There are a few other economic considerations worth examining: Casino Some contend that the answer to Port Huron's economic woes is a casino built right under the Bridge at the site of the Thomas Edison Inn. Some support this project and some oppose it, but there are at least two realities that must be faced: A casino will face the same obstacle that every other local business faces: a Plaza structure which is designed to move people out of the community rather than net them into it. Though some would make the casino a destination, the current Plaza design would greatly hinder "drop-in" traffic, especially from the population most likely to want to drop in: traffic coming from Canada who could see the casino from the Bridge. Anyone promoting a casino should also be promoting a Plaza reconstruction that would net traffic off the border. A casino alone hardly stands a chance of reinvigorating the economy of an entire area. It may draw some people, but will have very limited effect without a more broad-based strategy to promote the area as a tourist destination. Casinos alone have not reinvigorated Detroit, nor Sarnia. Furthermore, they are a diminishing returns proposition – the more casinos in an area, the less each of them will make. So by all means, build a casino. Just don't expect it to be the economic salvation of the county or even the City – and certainly don't expect the current border crossing structure to help it succeed. Major Public Works project One aspect of the Plaza and Corridor expansion that has gone nearly unmentioned has been the magnitude of construction. MDOT estimates that the two projects will cost nearly $500 million dollars. Now, if the state or federal government proposed building any other public works project costing $500 million dollars, most communities would be scrambling to have that project built near them. They'd know the ancillary contracts and supporting structure would bring much of that money to their businesses, and provide jobs. And here with the Plaza, we don't even have to compete for that! It's being handed right to us because we're the border crossing! Even if only 20% of the $500 million gets spent in the area, wouldn't that be a boost to a job-starved local economy? Substantial Government office center Once the construction is finished, the Plaza complex will be a major government worksite. For example, Alternative Four proposes to house several office buildings with over 200,000 square feet of space. Hundreds of government workers will be stationed there – workers who will live in our communities, shop in our stores, pay our taxes, and contribute to our government and schools. If the federal or state government proposed building a 200,000 square foot office building in downtown Port Huron and hiring hundreds of people to work there, most area residents would be ecstatic, even if it required tearing down a few blocks of older neighborhood. So why all the fuss about the Plaza?

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Positive Plaza Alternatives
There are a few other economic considerations worth examining:

Casino

Some contend that the answer to Port Huron's economic woes is a casino built right under the Bridge at the site of the Thomas Edison Inn. Some support this project and some oppose it, but there are at least two realities that must be faced:

A casino will face the same obstacle that every other local business faces: a Plaza structure which is designed to move people out of the community rather than net them into it. Though some would make the casino a destination, the current Plaza design would greatly hinder "drop-in" traffic, especially from the population most likely to want to drop in: traffic coming from Canada who could see the casino from the Bridge. Anyone promoting a casino should also be promoting a Plaza reconstruction that would net traffic off the border.

A casino alone hardly stands a chance of reinvigorating the economy of an entire area. It may draw some people, but will have very limited effect without a more broad-based strategy to promote the area as a tourist destination. Casinos alone have not reinvigorated Detroit, nor Sarnia. Furthermore, they are a diminishing returns proposition – the more casinos in an area, the less each of them will make.

So by all means, build a casino. Just don't expect it to be the economic salvation of the county or even the City – and certainly don't expect the current border crossing structure to help it succeed.

Major Public Works project

One aspect of the Plaza and Corridor expansion that has gone nearly unmentioned has been the magnitude of construction. MDOT estimates that the two projects will cost nearly $500 million dollars.

Now, if the state or federal government proposed building any other public works project costing $500 million dollars, most communities would be scrambling to have that project built near them. They'd know the ancillary contracts and supporting structure would bring much of that money to their businesses, and provide jobs.

And here with the Plaza, we don't even have to compete for that! It's being handed right to us because we're the border crossing! Even if only 20% of the $500 million gets spent in the area, wouldn't that be a boost to a job-starved local economy?

Substantial Government office center

Once the construction is finished, the Plaza complex will be a major government worksite. For example, Alternative Four proposes to house several office buildings with over 200,000 square feet of space. Hundreds of government workers will be stationed there – workers who will live in our communities, shop in our stores, pay our taxes, and contribute to our government and schools.

If the federal or state government proposed building a 200,000 square foot office building in downtown Port Huron and hiring hundreds of people to work there, most area residents would be ecstatic, even if it required tearing down a few blocks of older neighborhood.

So why all the fuss about the Plaza?

Positive Plaza Alternatives
Which would be worse? Port Huron getting stuck with an expanded Bridge Plaza? Or Port Huron getting stuck with an expanded Bridge Plaza while reaping no benefit from it?

"Luck favors the prepared." Edna Mode