Jointly owned casino arena proposed

Monday, July 12, 1999 | 10:52 a.m.

The three companies developing permanent Detroit casinos at a common location are thinking of building a jointly owned arena.

"We could build one very exciting large showroom that would be a true arena/ theater," MGM Grand Inc. Chairman and Chief Executive Terry Lanni told the Detroit News. "It would afford opportunities for a number of activities -- basketball events to hockey events to concerts and what have you.

"And it would be desirable to have that jointly owned by the three entities and somewhere on the central location of the site," Lanni told the News.

A joint arena makes sense in part because of space considerations. The three Detroit casinos will be built on just 19 acres apiece, compared to MGM Grand's 115-acre site in Las Vegas.

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