The World's Fair in Detroit Michigan
Belle Isle Detroit
A visual history with stunning potential.
Imagine...
that Detroit was chosen to host the next World's Fair. Where would you put it? There are lots of possibilities but one cries out for recognition - Belle Isle.
QUICK FACTS:
The island covers 982 acres.
It sits in the middle of the Detroit River.
It's the third largest island in the river.
It's accessed by a single point - The McArthur Bridge.
Canada is a stones throw away.
It is currently operated by the State of Michigan as a State Park
The Detroit Indy Grand Prix runs there.
Maybe it's just me...nah, others are saying the same thing.
Alright - I did take the idea of having it at Belle Isle, but having the World's Fair at Detroit was a coincidence. People know the value of Detroit. They instinctively know that it has the potential to get back on its feet. They can feel it in the air. It will happen because the city has a soul. Even with the current problems, Detroit is looking toward the future and that is good for us. Who? America. We need a good story; a story about the underdog; about overcoming insurmountable odds and yet still prevailing. We need a happy ending. Sure there are many issues to sort out. There is a laundry list of things that have to happen to bring a World's Fair here. One is the World's Fair committee in France. They have to select a city and let's face it, America hasn't been on their highest list for the last twenty years. So I say even if they don't let us. Even if we aren't approved - so what? We'll form our own Fair. We can call it the WORLD EXPO and invite all countries to participate.
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<---- Remember this?
Belle Isle has the square footage to build the perfect World's Fair. The one bridge may have to be supplimented with another bridge but the grounds offer a huge variety of terrain for building beautiful yet functional pavilions for the fair. The natural lakes on the island would make great reflecting pools for modern structures. The fact that it's an island also offers a modicum of security. A World's Fair needs to control admission - Belle Isle has the equivalent of a moat around it.
The Riverside area would be completely remodeled and new businesses would pop up overnight to service the Fair goers. Tours of the fair could run up and down the river. There might be an interest to build an "international bridge" connecting the Fair to Canada similar to the Ambassador Bridge to Windsor. A truely international Fair!
After the Fair, Belle Isle would continue to impact the entire region as an entertainment destination, community resource and business center.