Wrestling Show Comes to Dearborn Center Friday
Perhaps it is just us, but it seems a bit out of place to have professional wrestling in the Hubbard Ball Room located inside Dearborn’s Ford Community & Performing Arts Center.
Ring of Honor Wrestling comes to Dearborn’s Ford Community & Performing Arts Center on Friday.
But that is just what will be taking place on Friday when the Ring of Honor the third largest wrestling federation in the U.S. will take to the stage. We have nothing against this type of “entertainment” but from where we stand this seems more suited for an arena and not a center with a world-class theatre, fitness center and meeting rooms.
The Dearborn Press & Guide in Wednesday’s paper described the show that will take place Friday as a night of the “hungriest, hardest-hitting, highest flying group of guys that are working their butts off.”
The Ring of Honor has performed in metro Detroit in the past, including the Michigan State Fairgrounds and in Novi in that city’s arena. Those are appropriate venues for this type of entertainment. But bringing professional wrestling to building designed for concerts, musicals and plays seems like an odd way to fill the building and pay the bills.
March 18th, 2010 at 11:16 pm
Please say Roller Derby is next!!!!
March 19th, 2010 at 7:36 am
On the bright side, maybe we could feature matches between local politicians and property owners (business and homes). I’d buy tickets to certain pairings/showdowns.
March 19th, 2010 at 9:20 am
Looks like they are getting desperate for “talent”.
March 19th, 2010 at 9:31 am
The wrestling show is not going to be in the theatre but in the dome room, the old skating area.
March 19th, 2010 at 9:42 am
Thanks, Paul. Good to know. I will reflect that in the post. Still seems like a strange place to have a wrestling match.
March 19th, 2010 at 2:01 pm
I heard O’Reilley is going to jump in the ring as part of the show. I hope he wears his old Haystack Calhoun outfit, and perform his patented Big Splash.
March 19th, 2010 at 9:23 pm
I heard that a “Jersey Shore” reunion show is slated for the theater next . LOL
March 20th, 2010 at 10:03 am
As a very astute person pointed out to me, it pays the rent. Better paying ticket holders foot the bill than us taxpayers! I hear the rent for the dome room is very high, so more power to these folks that they agreed to bring this event here. Not my cup of tea, but hey, different strokes for different folks. At this point, beggers can’t be choosey, can they?
March 20th, 2010 at 10:05 am
Anyone who works at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center will tell you it has become one big drop off center. Children (without parent or guardian supervision) are dropped off in the morning and not picked up until closing. I believe this is a liability issue for the city.
March 20th, 2010 at 10:20 am
Mytwocents
Back in the 60’s & 70’s it was that way too. Parents would drop the kids off and they knew that they would be safe with lots of things to do, games, archery roller skating, TV, pool tables ping pong and more. It was well supervised and if you got in troble if you messed up. Only in these days there is less to do and supervision has no real authority to do anything to the unruly and rude kids.
March 20th, 2010 at 11:03 am
Since the city budget needs revenue so bad and the dome room isn’t used that much, I wonder why the city doesn’t convert it back to a roller blading, inline skating center like it used to be.
March 20th, 2010 at 1:54 pm
Skating is probably something that the city just doesn’t want there Michael, just doesn’t fit into their plan whatever that might be.
Milwood – how old are these children?
March 20th, 2010 at 2:54 pm
Why don’t they have gun shows there anymore?
March 20th, 2010 at 3:17 pm
I challenge Bob Messenger to meet me in the ring if he’s man enough! You’re condemned, old man! Time for demolition!!!
March 21st, 2010 at 12:03 am
That center could be used for a lot of other things,skating should go on in the dome room like it used to but Ive heard they don’t want to mess up the pretty floor,Ive heard the theater wont be used for other things than live entertainment because they don’t want the pretty seats to get worn. Instead the citizens of dearborn have to go give money to another city if they want to roller skate/blade inside,or go to another city that uses their theater differently. Why no gun show? Not prestigious enough for dearborn?
When it comes to creative ideas this city is stuck in conservative cement shoes,that is unless you want to build a 60 million dollar facility and then limit its uses lol
March 21st, 2010 at 7:42 pm
Doesn’t this all boil down to what was the “Center” intended to be? A recreation center for the citizens of Dearborn, funded by taxes and user fees or a regional facility to attract citizens of other communities to use? I don’t buy the “mess up the pretty seats” or “pretty floor” argument. The cost of “wear and tear” is built into building maintenance fees. I’m thinking liability is the reason for no roller sports in the dome. However, to rent that room the charge REAL steep for what you get. That’s could be the prime reason why it’s empty and only city-backed functions can be held there, like the dances, gymnastics, etc.
Hell, even to rent the little rooms are pricey.
My point is, if it’s the Dearborn Political Power Trip Head Game Syndrome used to pick and choose who gets to use what facility for when, isn’t that par for the course?
Or is the Rec center on the short list to be “privately run”, here in the next couple of years?
I would have thought that dome room would have been better suited for the match since you could seat on all four sides of the ring, right up close, and in the theater, you only get a head-on perspective.
Anyhow, I’m for any and all acts you can bring into that building. Why not bring in Nugent for the headbanging new years eve?
March 22nd, 2010 at 5:16 pm
Anthony,do not write off my pretty seat and floor theory so fast,ask yourself why Nugent or any other similar acts are not brought in there. Its the same floor in the dome room that i used to skate on for free,except now it is really shiny and clean because its not used for skating anymore!Although maintenance costs may have been built in,it doesn’t mean the powers that be will willingly let things get worn out or damaged,besides cost, its another reason why very low key/mellow conservative acts are the only ones brought in there.The problem is,when something cost too much to build in the first place then you have to charge a lot for room rental and memberships to make up the cost. I bet if a private company takes it over you will see bigger or louder acts and different uses out of the building that this archaic administration will deem radical,but it might start making money and maybe the citizens will get more or different usage out of it.
March 23rd, 2010 at 8:12 am
Respectfully Turk.
You and I are on the same page.
Indeed, there could be a LOT more done there at the Center. It was a good, solid start. The facility was well-constructed and well laid-out. I personally think it had all the good intentions of being a place for any and all kinds of recreation; physical fitness and entertainment.
In terms of the cost, if memory serves, wasn’t there some sort of bond issue we voted on back in the ’90s to fund the construction? Also, if I recall, that facility was structurally sound, but HIGHLY outdated and inefficiently laid out for what activities were going on there.
Here’s the thing. A facility can be used, be repaired because of normal wear-and-tear, and life goes on. Or it can NOT be used to its fullest potential and get to a point where it becomes obsolete, no one wants to use it and it still needs to get renovated. It’s all the same end, the difference is how you get there.
It would be great to see Dave Matthews or Daughtry at the Guido Theater.
Or maybe a kick-off show to the jazz fest in Detroit. How about a Gospel choir showcase?
On a totally different yet related topic, in-line and roller skating anywhere, requires high liability insurance because user equipment. I think that’s one major reason you don’t find it there.
March 23rd, 2010 at 4:01 pm
I think we are on the same page Anthony,i think we agree the center could get more usage and in different ways. My frustration is with the administration,it always seems like they are scared of their own shadow,just mention the word liability and the city attorneys automatically advise against any idea. That mind set keeps allowing other cities or privately owned places to get the jump or draw in business away from dearborn.The plans for skating should have been built into the idea of the center fromt he start,but they were scared of liability!
The bottom line is that i used to skate on that same floor for years and for free and now that awful word “liability” changes all of that?
March 26th, 2010 at 12:05 am
Pathetic! Glad I’m no longer paying Wayne County/Dearborn taxes. Pathetic.
March 27th, 2010 at 10:45 am
On behalf of those who choose to stay in our great city, we are glad you are no longer here.