Michigan

The practice of building large stadiums and sports arenas in urban areas has long been a hotly debated strategy. Critics cite the civic disruption that comes with unavoidable breakdowns in infrastructure and transportation and the significant parking and logistical requirements. There’s also the difficulty of reconciling the financial bottom line, or the aesthetic and functional disconnect of a grand facility that operates intermittently and towers over its surroundings. Stanford economist Roger Noll, an expert on the economics of sports, has argued persuasively that “NFL stadiums do not generate significant local economic growth, and the incremental tax revenue is not sufficient to cover major financial contributions by the city.” Noll has also suggested in the past that smaller, multi-use facilities, and facilities that are “embedded in larger commercial and residential projects,” make more sense. In recent years, innovators in the world of sports and performance arena design, as well as urban planning and design experts, have embraced such an approach, creating inspired new compact arena concepts that are a better fit for urban environments. They are also figuring out new ways to make smaller, multiuse venues a community asset rather than a liability.   As cities like Detroit make difficult decisions …