Ilitches Pull Out Of Masonic Temple

November 9, 2010 6:40 PM

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Saying they tried but they couldn’t make it profitable, the Ilitch family announced Tuesday they will not renew a deal to run the entertainment at Detroit’s Masonic Temple.

“This was an extremely difficult decision and it is our hope that this Detroit treasure will find the right solution to continue to serve our region,” read a statement by officials at the Ilitch family’s Olympia Entertainment.

The statement added that they invested millions into the Temple, and paid off old debt, but could not make it work in the current economic climate.

“We stepped into a very difficult situation and did our best, but unfortunately the business climate did not support continuation of the agreement,” the statement read.

The Masons are vowing to continue to run shows out of the Temple themselves after Olympia pulls out next April.

VINCE D.

THE ILLITCHES WANT TO CONTROL ONLY VERY PROFITABLE VENTURES, OR THOSE SUBSIDIZED BY DETROIT’S CITIZENS AS WITH COMERICA PARK, AND A FUTURE HOCKEY ARENA WHERE THEY PERSONALLY WILL REAP MILLIONS ON THE SALE OF ALL THE PROPERTY THEY HAVE ACQUIRED AROUND AND BEHIND FOX THEATER
Unkown

What happens to people who have weddings booked for 2011 that were booked after the Illitch ended the least at the end of March. People were not told at the time of bookings about this.
http://stonesdetroit.com/nas-confirms-tonights-free-show-at-masonic-temple-four-days-before-venues-utilities-could-shut-off/ Nas confirms tonight’s free show at Masonic Temple, four days before venue’s utilities could shut off | StonesDetroit.com

[...] DETROIT, MI – Nas currently has the No. 3 hip hop/rap album on the Billboard charts and is expected to bring his talents to Detroit tonight for a surprise show at the Masonic Temple. But the show, sponsored by Vitamin Water, comes at a time when the temple might be experiencing a bit of trouble paying its bills to electricity and gas provider DTE Energy. News of Nas’ show broke on his Twitter page, the same day this reporter noticed a DTE Energy electric/gas service shut off notice posted on a door at the venue’s west entrance “You are hereby notified that the electric/gas service to this building will be disconnected on or after 8/26/2012,” the posted sign read, “unless past due electric/gas bills are paid.” It was unclear, as of Wednesday night, if the notice refers to utilities services to the entire Masonic Temple or just a portion of the building. Eric LacyThe Masonic Temple’s west entrance was lit up Wednesday night, but a DTE Energy notice on a door said utilities could get shut off on Sunday. And it was also unclear at that time if the venue’s owners have already paid any overdue bills or are in the process of doing so before Sunday’s shut off date set by DTE Energy. Mlive Detroit will make every effort possible to reach out to the temple’s current owners and DTE Energy to determine the building’s utilities status. Lights were on inside the lobby of the venue’s west entrance when this reporter drove by at about 11 p.m. Wednesday. The Nas show, expected to include at least one other act, will be held from 8-11 p.m. inside an area of the Masonic Temple called “The Asylum,” according to a notice on The Fader magazine’s website. The Fader also includes a link for fans to RSVP for the show. Fans must be at least 21 to attend, and the website mentions that admission will be based strictly on the venue’s capacity. The Detroit radio station Hot 107.5 posted on its Twitter page that Nas will perform with the indie pop duo Matt and Kim. If you’re curious about the Masonic Temple, there’s plenty of photos online that showcase its rich history. Mike Ilitch’s Olympia Entertainment company was in charge of the venue’s entetainment operations for a while until 2010, when it decided not to renew its contract. [...]