Last night, the Pontiac Planning Commission which I chair, unanimously approved a plan for Amazon to construct an 850,000 square foot regional distribution facility upon the 130 acre site of the former Pontiac Silverdome: total investment of $250 Million.

Given its close proximity to GM Modern Housing, this is encouraging news for our overall plan to revitalize the area.

It’s been nearly two decades since the Detroit Lions departed Pontiac, and since that time the Silverdome has sat mostly vacant and derelict. But now, after nearly two decades, Amazon has put forth a plan to redevelop the site as a high tech, state of the art distribution facility. In brief, Pontiac has landed one of the Big 4, hi tech giants!

Amazon’s plan will include hiring more than 1500 full time employees as well as seasonal employees with impressive compensation and benefits. Of course the presence of Amazon will generate much needed tax revenue for the City of Pontiac as well.

The first phase of the project will open in 2020 and the second phase will open in 2021. As ancillary components of the plan, Amazon will improve the surrounding roads, many of which have fallen into decay since the Silverdome was shuttered, and layout complimentary landscaping to enhance the aesthetics of the derelict site.

Amazon’s has a proud history of being good neighbors where they conduct business, and Amazon is intent upon becoming an enthusiastic and proactive corporate citizen within the City of Pontiac and to the surrounding neighborhoods as well. This is good news for all.

There are still a few minor details to sort out and the site plan must be finalized, but the project cleared its biggest hurdle last night and in that regard, I would like to compliment the citizens of Pontiac who came to support the project and who conducted themselves in a proud and dignified manner. I trust Amazon was impressed by citizen support as well, I know I was. I would also like to thank Amazon for believing in Pontiac!

It should also be noted that redevelopment of this massive site will be an incubator for surrounding support services as well, and at the bottom line, this project will launch Pontiac into the hi tech economies of the future, and leave the old economies behind.

Let’s remember, Pontiac struggled mightily after the exodus of Automotive Manufacturing given the fact it not only lost a major business sector, but it was left with the largest footprint of derelict industrial sites of any city in the world. Yet we have been resilient and slowly redeveloped most of the derelict industrial sites, and now we will redevelop a site that has become a mocking scar to our civic pride.

As Chair of Pontiac Planning Commission and Chair of GM Modern Housing, this news makes me proud.

Best to all,

Dayne