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Owner of land where Novi Expo Center once stood plans for new development on property

Posted at 6:49 PM, Jul 02, 2018
and last updated 2018-07-02 18:52:33-04

If you drive along I-96 in Novi, you’ve probably noticed a white water tower surround by empty land.

Picture this instead: hotels, restaurants and a gym. That’s the plan for the Adell Center project.

The owner of the land is trying to garner public support for it at an upcoming planning commission meeting.

“Oh it’s a train wreck. It’s a disaster,” said Kevin Adell, owner. 

He described the 23 acres of what used to be an expo center and auto-parts plant before that. Adell said it’s not his fault this piece of land has been an eyesore, it’s a zoning issue.

This is an expo zone, and he wants to change it to a town center zone.

“I had different ideas," Adell said. "I went to the city before but this is a real purchase agreement. These are big Fortune 500 companies that want to plant their roots in here, in the city.”

He’s talking about businesses that have already signed agreements to be part of the Adell Center.

The blueprints call for two hotels, two restaurants, indoor sky diving and a gym, all of which he says are internet-proof businesses.

“You can’t eat online, you can’t workout online,” he said.

Adell has handed out more than 20,000 postcards about the planning commission meeting on the July 11. He even created a commercial for it.

Adell will give away free swag to entice support and wants people to share their thoughts even if they are against it so he can better mold the plans.

He asked, “Maybe there is something I’m missing.”

The city wouldn’t comment, only acknowledging an application was filed last month and will go before the planning commission next week.

The plans got mixed reactions on Facebook.

“Novi doesn’t need anything more like that,” said Facebook user Bonny Buckner.

John Olterzewski wrote: “Better than a vacant lot.”

“It will employ people and it will bring tax revenue,” Adell added.

Adell says if his plans get approved, he hopes to start development by the end of this summer and open the center by next spring.

To learn more about the center, visit www.adellcenter.com.