1 big thing: Riverfront land targeted for WNBA facility
Pistons owner Tom Gores wants to transform a prime piece of riverfront land near Belle Isle into a WNBA practice facility and youth recreation center as part of his quest to return the expanding league to the city.
Why it matters: A new professional women's basketball team would add to the city's thriving sports-based economy and tourism.
State of play: Detroit is competing with Nashville, Philadelphia, Cleveland and other big cities to land a new WNBA team as the league's popularity explodes behind the arrival of superstars Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.
The intrigue: Billionaire Dan Gilbert, whose investments have helped restore downtown Detroit and beyond, is not involved in the city's WNBA bid, a spokesperson for Gilbert's Bedrock firm tells Axios Detroit.
His Rocket Entertainment Group submitted a bid for Cleveland, where Gilbert owns the NBA's Cavaliers.
Driving the news: On March 11, the city canceled long-stalled development plans at the former Uniroyal site in the heart of the city's riverfront, opening the door for Gores and his group of potential WNBA investors to plot a team practice facility there alongside a new recreation site for football, soccer and other sports.
What they're saying: Mayor Mike Duggan spoke excitedly about Gores' plans for the long-vacant Uniroyal site in his State of the City speech on Tuesday.
Gores' plan for Uniroyal would help fulfill Duggan's vision for a long-term overhaul of the city's riverfront.
"This is the one that's always bugged me," Duggan said of the Uniroyal site. Pistons vice chairman Arn Tellem and Gores "are leading a group to make this Detroit's finest recreation site."
A source familiar with the matter confirmed to Axios that Uniroyal is a potential site for a WNBA practice facility and sports complex.
Flashback: Gores submitted a bid in January to bring back the WNBA to Detroit on behalf of an ownership group that includes his wife Holly, Lions owner Sheila Ford Hamp, GM CEO Mary Barra and others.
The Detroit Shock, the city's prior WNBA team, moved to Tulsa for the 2010 season.
Zoom out: The group trying to bring a WNBA team to Nashville is making contingency plans if their bid for a new franchise fails, our colleagues at Axios Nashville reported.
What's next: Any Uniroyal redevelopment plan would require City Council approval, but a potential timeline and development costs are not yet known, the Free Press reported.
Annalise Frank
Albert Kahn's Fisher Building, the ode to American work and artistry. The RenCen, a debatably historic skyline staple poised for redevelopment. The small but gorgeous treasures you pass daily on your way to work.
We want to know: Which historic building in Detroit is your favorite?
"Favorite" could mean whatever you want it to mean: prettiest, most historic, most interesting or simply the one with the weirdest gargoyles.
Note: We are (unfortunately) only counting structures that remain standing.
🗳️ Let us know by answering here between now and the end of the day Sunday.
Vote for one of our options or type in your own.
📬 Plus, if there's a story behind your choice, respond to this email to let us know why you picked what you did. We may feature your answer in a future newsletter.
3. The Grapevine: The Tigers are back
⚾ The Tigers fell to the defending champion Dodgers, 5-4, in last night's season opener in Los Angeles.
Teoscar Hernández made the difference with a three-run home run off Tarik Skubal in the fifth. (Free Press)
🚗 President Trump's increased tariffs on imported vehicles will hit foreign automakers the hardest, though General Motors and Ford will also face a significant impact. (Axios)
🚨 Grammar police alert! A recently retired Ford executive, for more than a decade, meticulously logged mixed metaphors and malaprops said in company meetings. He documented 2,229 linguistic breaches — "too many cooks in the soup," for example — and the names of their corresponding perpetrators. (WSJ)
4. Top China is tops
Annalise Frank
👋 Annalise here, shouting from the rooftops that Top China One is an affordable gem just a couple of blocks from Little Caesars Arena.
State of play: That means crazy traffic if you're driving to the pickup-only spot during an event, but it does have a little alley-side parking lot.
The Midtown restaurant scene is always changing, but I hope Top China One sticks around for a long time.
Dig in: The New York-style Chinese restaurant has a long menu, including vegetarian options, and an $8.35 lunch menu that is making me second-guess my $9.35 Chipotle sofritas bowls.
What I ate: I'm slightly embarrassed to say that I've always been a complete sucker for sesame chicken ($11.45 combo plate), but their Mongolian beef is special, too — though only if you love onions.
The fried rice tastes like it's been freshly stir-fried, with seared slices of garlic throughout.
I'll dig deeper into their menu next time I go.
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