20140929-NEWS--0001-NAT-CCI-CD_-- 9/26/2014 5:53 PM Page 1 ® WWW.CRAINSDETROIT.COM VOL. 30, NO. 39 SEPTEMBER 29 – OCTOBER 5, 2014 $2 A COPY; $59 A YEAR ©Entire contents copyright 2014 by Crain Communications Inc. All rights reserved Page 3 Bid to privatize city parking Governor’s race putting likely to expire without Orr City steps up to receive Tiger Stadium site pitches spots before voters’ eyes BLOOMBERG NEWS Inside Stephen Ross says the University of Michigan’s David Brandon is “probably TALES FROM CAMPAIGN 2014 the most qualified athletic director in Networking works to create Analysts say TV ads the country.” University boards: Contests are less about the candidates new VC fund, Page 4 and more about who’s atop the ticket, Page 3 help Schauer, so far Biz has nothing to ad: Some companies are pulling back on ad buying so as not to get lost in political ads or be BY CHRIS GAUTZ associated with them, Page 28 Major donor CAPITOL CORRESPONDENT Economic numbers point to ... Pollsters may see a statistical dead heat in the gubernatorial race, but If television viewers feel as if they are being bom- economist David Sowerby sees a clear winner, Page 28 barded with political ads lately, it’s not just percep- Ross backs tion, it’s reality. adding to the broadcaster bonanza of ad buying. A recent analysis by the Center for Public Integrity Through Sept. 21, television spots in that race to- found that Michigan viewers were seeing one politi- taled 25,151, with 7,562 airing in the Detroit market, ac- cal ad every two minutes. And that was just count- cording to the Michigan Campaign Finance Network, embattled ing the ads in the U.S. Senate race. And that was just which cited Kantar Media/Campaign Media Analysis for the second week of September, when 4,419 ads Group. Talks between McLaren, were shown. So far, a total of more than $10 million has been “You can’t watch TV right now without being in- spent on TV ads by the campaigns of Gov. Rick Sny- DMC over Karmanos are undated with ads,” said Kelly Rossman-McKinney, Brandon der and his Democratic challenger, former U.S. Rep. heating up, Page 6 CEO and principal of Truscott Rossman, a bipartisan Mark Schauer, along with their allies. More than strategic communications firm in Lansing. BY BILL SHEA The hotly contested gubernatorial race is only See Ads, Page 28 CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS The University of Michigan’s This Just In largest donor is giving an unequiv- Redico adds to out-of-state ocal vote of confidence to Athletic Director David Brandon, who has portfolio with Mo. purchase been under criticism for a strug- gling Wolverines football team Redico LLC has added along with increased event prices 900,000 square feet of office and marketing gimmicks. and retail space to its portfo- “He’s probably the most quali- lio with the purchase of the fied athletic director in the coun- CityPlace office complex in try. I think he’s terrific,” said bil- Creve Coeur, Mo., a suburb lionaire real of St. Louis. estate developer The purchase price on the Stephen Ross, a deal that closed Friday was UM alumnus not disclosed. who has given It marks the second Mid- the university west office purchase outside $310 million in of Michigan for the South- recent years. field-based company, which Ross, who bought the six-building com- owns the Nation- plex from the Missouri-based al Football Koman Group. How an Oakland University medical student Brandon League’s Miami “It’s part of our decision to Dolphins and is estimated by Forbes build our presence in the used Google Glass to give doctors a second to be worth $6 billion, said his do- Midwest. Previously we had nations to the athletic department been investing on the coasts,” set of eyes. See Page 11 happened because he trusts Bran- said Dale Watchowski, presi- don. dent, COO and CEO of Redico. “I wouldn’t have given my gift to In December, Redico bought the athletic department if I didn’t the 80,000-square-foot 10 North believe in Dave,” said Ross, who Dearborn building in Chica- spoke with Crain’s from London, go’s Loop area for $11.5 million where the Dolphins were sched- and opened a small office Surgeon uled to play the Oakland Raiders on there, according to Washing- Sunday at Wembley Stadium. ton, D.C.-based real estate in- “You don’t go around giving formation service CoStar Group $100 million if you don’t feel there Inc. The CityPlace complex is is going to be bang for the buck.” 94-percent leased. — Kirk Pinho optimization See Ross, Page 27 GLENN TRIEST Rocking the Intellectual Property World WNJ.com ATTORNEYS AT LAW (see our ad on page 2) NEWSPAPER 20140929-NEWS--0002-NAT-CCI-CD_-- 9/26/2014 3:35 PM Page 1 Page 2 CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS September 29, 2014 MICHIGAN BRIEFS Schuette sues one propane firm tion and is the only U.S. mine where nickel is the primary mineral. over price gouging, settles with 2nd New at CMU: A belchelor’s degree in beer-making Ⅲ Kalamazoo-based Zeigler Auto Attorney General Bill Schuette Group Inc. has acquired the Rosen filed suit in Berrien County Circuit On rare occasions in our state, a story comes Similar programs operate at the University of Califor- Nissan store in Gurnee, Ill., MiBiz Court in Southwest Michigan along where one can almost imagine half of Michi- nia’s Davis and San Diego campuses and at Oregon reported. The acquisition should against Pennsylvania-based Ameri- gan’s population lining up to deliver their one-lin- State and Central Washington universities, in case push the Zeigler to sales of 30,000 Gas Propane Inc., alleging violations ers. Such is the case here. And, yes, again, it in- your kid’s ACT score doesn’t cut it with CMU. Cen- new vehicles this year and rev- of the Michigan Consumer Protec- volves beer. tral’s program will include classroom and lab work enue of around $850 million. tion Act for price-gouging last win- Last week, The Associated Press reported, Central in biochemistry, chemistry and microbiology as well Ⅲ Officials of the Benton Harbor ter. Michigan University in Mt. Pleasant announced plans as a 200-hour internship in a “production-scale facili- Area Schools voted to enter into a Schuette also reached an agree- to launch a degree program in “fermentation sci- ty.” To say nothing of all that independent study. consent agreement with the state to ment with Kansas-based Ferrellgas ence” in the fall of 2015. The objective: Support the In related brews … er, news: address a $15.5 million deficit, The Partners LP under which more than state’s fast-growing craft brewing industry, now a $1 Ⅲ The HopCat bar in Grand Rapids — soon to open a Associated Press reported. 600 propane customers will receive billion-plus annual business. Detroit watering hole — was crowned one of the five Ⅲ The Battle Creek-based W.K. Kel- a share of more than $100,000. The And just a wild guess here: Neither Gov. Rick Sny- “Great American Beer Bars” in the U.S. in the Brewer’s logg Foundation said Linh Nguyen, agreement resolves an earlier an- der — nor, for that matter, any other Michigan gover- Association’s 2014 “Great American Beer Bar” survey. the organization’s former vice presi- nounced investigation. nor from now until the United Nations takes control Ⅲ The city of Grand Rapids has a significant lead dent of learning and impact, had of the United States — is likely to deliver a speech in the USA Today “Best Beer Town” competition. been promoted to COO. He will lead about the lack of talent in fermentation science. Last call for polling is Oct. 13. operations and oversee the founda- Grand Rapids ArtPrize tion’s vice presidents. competition bans artist nology for A&E Television. Corp. began work at an underground Find business news from MICH-CELLANEOUS Ⅲ The Michigan Court of Appeals nickel and copper mine in Mar- around the state at crainsdetroit Downtown Grand Rapids is Ⅲ Mercy Memorial Hospital System ruled that Lansing-based Jackson quette County in the Upper Penin- .com/crainsmichiganbusiness. again an objet of art lovers’ affec- in Monroe signed a letter of intent to National Life Insurance Co. should sula after a 12-year struggle over the Sign up for the Crain’s Michi- tions as its annual ArtPrize interna- join ProMedica, a not-for-profit, mul- not have fired a white employee, $800 million project. The Eagle Mine gan Morning e-newsletter at tional competition continues its tihospital system based in Toledo, Angela Shaft, who offended a black employs more than 300 for produc- crainsdetroit.com/emailsignup. run through Oct. 12. The event has Mercy Memorial said in a release. co-worker, overturning an Ingham a prize pool of $560,000 and encom- The systems will begin a period to County judge. The Associated passes more than 1,500 entries from determine details of the deal and ex- Press reported that in 2012 Shaft ORRECTION 51 countries. Give or take one. pect that to take several months. sent an email to Candace Jones C That one would be a stunt artist Ⅲ Oscar-winning documentary about finding a ticket to a basket- Ⅲ A story on Page 3 of the Sept. 22 issue should have said that Athens named Gurmej Singh, known as filmmaker Michael Moore no longer ball game between the Ku Klux Acquisition LLC, not Rock Ventures LLC, owns Greektown Casino-Hotel.