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Summarized from the Detroit News:
This entry is to document a planned Motown themed casino and hotel under the Trump organization. It was a partnership with Mel Farr and it was intended to license Motown Records memorabilia from the Motown Museum as part of the decor. This all occurred in 1997. There were 3 casino licenses up for grabs at the time and Donald Trump was one of 11 potential developers looking to get involved in Detroit. The estimated cost was about 542 million dollars.
The casino complex was to have a "Motor City Walk" and include retail, convention and sports facilities. The 800-room hotel would be topped with a giant rotating sphere symbolizing a hood ornament. Possible locations were Grand Circus Park or the riverfront. He vowed to bring his Miss Universe pageant to Detroit every three years if his proposal won and pledged a community benefits package with $14 million for demolishing blighted houses and structures across the city -- an effort years ahead of its time.
For some Detroit officials, the city's decision to reject Trump's casino bid for financial shortcomings was the right one considering the debt troubles that later plagued his entertainment corporation, then called Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts, which filed for bankruptcy in 2004, 2009 and again in 2014. Even though local residents voted the Trump proposal to be the most popular, the MGM Grand got the casino license Trump had sought. It was stated by officials that Trump's financing was a bit shaky and visits to his existing hotels did not impress as the rooms were a bit run down at the time.