So I’m watching The Simpsons the other day.

It was episode number HABF09 called “Million Dollar Abie.”

For those of you unfamiliar with episode number HABF09, it’s the one where in an effort beat out Los Angeles for the rights to a professional football franchise, the town of Springfield builds a $100M stadium. After being awarded the team, the town then goes and starts re-naming streets to “Touchdown Avenue,” “Two-Point Conversion Avenue,” and “Off-Season Knee Surgery Boulevard.” As a result, when the football commissioner comes to town, he gets lost. To make a long story short, he ends up being mistaken for a burglar by Abe Simpson who then knocks the commissioner out cold. As a result, Springfield loses the franchise.

Stuck with a $100M stadium and nothing to put in it, Mayor Quimby calls a town hall meeting to discuss potential options for the site.

On a totally unrelated note, the City of Ypsilanti will be sponsoring a Water Street Development Forum on Tuesday, February 13th at the Senior Center in Ypsilanti.

The City of Ypsilanti Planning and Development Department invites residents and other interested citizens of the City of Ypsilanti to join in a community conversation about the Water Street redevelopment project. A public forum will take place Tuesday, February 13, 2007, at 7:30 pm at the Senior Citizens Center, located at 1015 North Congress Street.

The purpose of the meeting is for city representatives to provide information about the status of this significant redevelopment project and to outline efforts being taken to move it forward. The city also seeks validation of the development concept, suggestions for refining it, and – equally as important – feedback about what is not desired on the site.

Beginning in 1999, the city assembled nearly 40 acres of land, fronting on East Michigan Avenue and the Huron River , to create a vibrant new neighborhood. With substantial public input, a dense, walkable, urban area with a variety of uses and building types was envisioned to link the traditional Downtown and Depot Town areas. Two developers have thought it is a good idea, but the economy has not cooperated. It is still a good idea, but a new approach is needed to make it a reality. Please join the conversation February 13th.

For more information, contact: Karen Hart, Planning and Development Department Director, at 734.483.9646, or by eMail.

Details can be found HERE.

In case you were wondering, the town finally settles on a bullfighting arena.