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88-517: The stadium was named after Edwin W. Atwood, who was elected as the Mayor of the City of Flint in 1920, and also donated a portion of the site for the stadium. It has hosted boxing matches, UAW strikes, high school football , minor-league baseball, election stump speeches, and concerts over the years. Originally Atwood Stadium had a natural grass field, but in 1968 began using artificial turf. Atwood's turf

176-522: A Birmingham, Alabama based company, became the first to build a production facility in Flint's former Buick City site, purchasing the property from the RACER Trust . Commercially, local organizations have attempted to pool their resources in the central business district and to expand and bolster higher education at four local institutions. Examples of their efforts include the following: Similar to

264-525: A $ 6 million public safety millage on the ballot and sold Genesee Towers to a development group for $ 1 to demolish the structure. The board certified the referendum petition on August 8, returning the previous Emergency Financial Manager Law into effect. With Brown previously temporary mayor for the last few years, he was ineligible to be the Emergency Financial Manager. Ed Kurtz was once again appointed Emergency Financial Manager by

352-525: A cautionary sign warning of falling debris was put on the sidewalk in front of it. An investment company purchased the building for $ 1, and it was demolished (by implosion ) on December 22, 2013. Typical of southeastern Michigan, Flint has a humid continental climate ( Köppen Dfb ), and is part of USDA Hardiness zone 6a. Winters are cold, with moderate snowfall and temperatures not rising above freezing on an average 52 days annually, while dropping to 0 °F (−18 °C) or below on an average 9.3 days

440-493: A coach, former NFL wide receiver Andre Rison . Beecher won the 2010 opener, 28-18, while Northwestern took the 2011 opener, 46-44, in double overtime. During odd-numbered years, it has also been the site of Powers Catholic 's football game against Nouvel Catholic Central High School ; when Powers is the home team, it was usually played at the beginning of the season. With community gifts from Diplomat Pharmacy , Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and Kettering University in 2015,

528-626: A family of sports surfacing companies, which itself is owned by the investment firm Equistone Partners Europe. The original AstroTurf brand product was invented by James M. Faria and Robert T. Wright at Monsanto . The original, experimental installation was inside the Waughhtel-Howe Field House at the Moses Brown School in Providence, Rhode Island in 1964. It was patented in 1965 and originally sold under

616-864: A lawsuit was filed by labor union AFSCME , and a restraining order was issued against Brown, his appointment was found to be in violation of the Michigan Open Meetings Act, and Mayor Walling and the City Council had their powers returned. The state immediately filed an emergency appeal, claiming the financial emergency still existed. On March 26, the appeal was granted, putting Brown back in power. Brown and several unions agreed to new contract terms in April. Brown unveiled his fiscal year 2013 budget on April 23. It included cuts in nearly every department including police and fire, as well as higher taxes. An Obsolete Property Rehabilitation District

704-487: A plan in Detroit, Flint is in the process of tearing down thousands of abandoned homes to create available real estate. As of June 2009, approximately 1,100 homes have been demolished in Flint, with one official estimating another 3,000 more will have to be torn down. On September 30, 2011, Governor Rick Snyder appointed an eight-member team to review Flint's financial state with a request to report back in 30 days (half

792-546: A population of 81,252, making it the twelfth-most populous city in Michigan. The Flint metropolitan area is located entirely within Genesee County. It is the fourth-largest metropolitan area in Michigan with a population of 406,892 in 2020. The city was incorporated in 1855. Flint was founded as a village by fur trader Jacob Smith in 1819 and became a major lumbering area on the historic Saginaw Trail during

880-472: A speech at the stadium in 1936. The minor league baseball Flint Arrows played at the stadium from 1948 to 1951. The Arrows were a Class A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers . Atwood Stadium was renovated in 1966 with new ticket booths, a larger press box, improved lighting and new sod. The renovation also made Atwood an exclusive football stadium. After the sod failed the following year, Astroturf

968-552: A subregion of Flint/Tri-Cities. It is located along the Flint River, which flows through Lapeer , Genesee, and Saginaw counties and is 78.3 mi (126.0 km) long. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 34.06 square miles (88.21 km ), of which, 33.42 square miles (86.56 km ) is land and 0.64 square miles (1.66 km ) is water. Flint lies just to

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1056-476: A texturized nylon system. By imparting a crimped texture to the nylon after it was extruded, the product became highly uniform. In 1987, Monsanto consolidated its AstroTurf management, marketing, and technical activities in Dalton , Georgia , as AstroTurf Industries, Inc. In 1988, Balsam AG purchased all the capital stock of AstroTurf Industries, Inc. In 1994, Southwest Recreational Industries, Inc. (SRI) acquired

1144-521: A year; summers are warm to hot with temperatures exceeding 90 °F (32 °C) on 9.0 days. The monthly daily mean temperature ranges from 23.0 °F (−5.0 °C) in January to 70.9 °F (21.6 °C) in July. Official temperature extremes range from 108 °F (42 °C) on July 8 and 13, 1936 down to −25 °F (−32 °C) on January 18, 1976, and February 20, 2015; the record low maximum

1232-596: Is semi-pro football at Atwood Stadium with the Flint Fury. Atwood is an 11,000+ seat stadium in downtown Flint which has hosted many events, including baseball. When artificial turf was installed, it was no longer able to host baseball games. The Flint Fury have been in action since 2003, and are currently a part of the Great Lakes Football League . The team was founded by two of its players; Charles Lawler and Prince Goodson, who both played for

1320-497: Is River Village, an example of gentrification via mixed-income public housing. To the east of I-475 is Central Park and Fairfield Village. These are the only two neighborhoods between UM-Flint and Mott Community College and enjoy strong neighborhood associations. Central Park piloted a project to convert street lights to LED and is defined by seven cul-de-sacs. The North Side and 5th Ward are predominantly African American, with such historic districts as Buick City and Civic Park on

1408-405: Is an American subsidiary of SportGroup that produces artificial turf for playing surfaces in sports. The original AstroTurf product was a short-pile synthetic turf invented in 1965 by Monsanto . Since the early 2000s, AstroTurf has marketed taller pile systems that use infill materials to better replicate natural turf . In 2016, AstroTurf became a subsidiary of German -based SportGroup,

1496-793: Is moderate and somewhat evenly-distributed throughout the year, although the warmer months average more, averaging 31.97 inches (812 mm) annually, but historically ranging from 18.08 in (459 mm) in 1963 to 45.38 in (1,153 mm) in 1975. Snowfall, which typically falls in measurable amounts between November 12 through April 9 (occasionally in October and very rarely in May), averages 52.1 inches (132 cm) per year, although historically ranging from 16.0 in (41 cm) in 1944–45 to 85.3 in (217 cm) in 2017–18. A snow depth of 1 in (2.5 cm) or more occurs on an average 64 days, with 53 days from December to February. As of

1584-726: Is the site of the Applewood Mott Estate, and Mott Community College, the Cultural Center , and East Village , one of Flint's more prosperous areas. The surrounding neighborhood is called the College/Cultural Neighborhood, with a strong neighborhood association, lower crime rate and stable housing prices. Just north is Eastside Proper, also known as the State Streets, and has much of Flint's Hispanic community. The West Side includes

1672-524: Is to sing about the stadium as they march to every home match. Atwood Stadium opened on June 8, 1929, and was named after Edwin W. Atwood who donated a portion of the site for the stadium. From 1930 through 1976 the Annual Football game between Flint Central High School & Flint Northern High School was played on Thanksgiving Day and drew attendance in the tens of thousands of people. The 1967 game (Northern won 6-2) between these two schools

1760-451: Is −4 °F (−20 °C) on January 18, 1994 , while, conversely the record high minimum is 79 °F (26 °C) on July 18, 1942. Decades may pass between readings of 100 °F (38 °C) or higher, which last occurred July 17, 2012 . The average window for freezing temperatures is October 8 thru May 7, allowing a growing season of 153 days. On June 8, 1953, Flint was hit by an F5 tornado , which claimed 116 lives. Precipitation

1848-554: The Detroit Free Press stated that area community leaders stated that the Hispanic and Latino people made up close to 6% of the city population, while the city also had 142 Arab-American families. According to the most recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau, slightly over 1% of Flint's population was born outside the U.S., and over three-quarters of that foreign-born population have become naturalized citizens. There

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1936-566: The Crim Fitness Foundation . Instead the committee staged the races in 2011 as the Atwood Stadium Road Races, hoping the nearby Carriage Town Ministries' festival would help the race and vice versa. The 10K and 5K had only changes to it starting and ending at Atwood Stadium. In 2018 and 2019, Kettering University operated the road races with the route being changed taking the runners past Chevy Commons ,

2024-509: The Dort , Little , Flint , and Mason brands. Chevrolet's first (and for many years, main) manufacturing facility was also in Flint, although the Chevrolet headquarters were in Detroit. For a brief period, all Chevrolets and Buicks were built in Flint. The first Ladies' Library Association in Michigan was started in Flint in 1851 in the home of Maria Smith Stockton, daughter of the founder of

2112-609: The Flint River Trail, Mott Park, the Educare Center, Glenwood Cemetery and Kettering's new Mobility Research Center. Flint, Michigan Flint is the largest city and seat of Genesee County, Michigan , United States. Located along the Flint River , 66 miles (106 km) northwest of Detroit , it is a principal city within the region known as Mid Michigan . At the 2020 census , Flint had

2200-634: The November 4, 2014 , ballot with the charter review commission proposal passing along with reduction of mayoral staff appointments and budgetary amendments. Proposals which would eliminate certain executive departments, the Civil Service Commission and the ombudsman office were defeated. Flint elected a nine-member Charter Review Commission on May 5, 2015. With Earley appointed to be emergency manager for Detroit Public Schools on January 13, 2015 , city financial adviser Jerry Ambrose

2288-507: The census of 2010, there were 102,434 people, 40,472 households, and 23,949 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,065.1 inhabitants per square mile (1,183.4/km ). There were 51,321 housing units at an average density of 1,535.6 units per square mile (592.9 units/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 56.6% African American , 37.4% White, 0.5% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 1.1% from other races, and 3.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.9% of

2376-421: The 19th century. From the late 19th century to the mid 20th century, the city was a leading manufacturer of carriages and later automobiles , earning it the nickname "Vehicle City". General Motors (GM) was founded in Flint in 1908, and the city grew into an automobile manufacturing powerhouse for GM's Buick and Chevrolet divisions, especially after World War II up until the early 1980s recession . Flint

2464-507: The AstroTurf brand. In 1996, SRI was acquired by American Sports Products Group Inc. While AstroTurf was the industry leader throughout the late 20th century, other companies emerged in the early 2000s. FieldTurf , AstroTurf's chief competitor since the early 2000s, marketed a product of tall-pile polyethylene turf with infill, meant to mimic natural grass more than the older products. This third-generation turf, as it became known, changed

2552-645: The Emergency Financial Assistance Loan Board. Two lawsuits were filed in September 2012, one by the city council against Kurtz's appointment, while another was against the state in Ingham County Circuit Court claiming the old emergency financial manager law remains repealed. On November 30, State Treasurer Andy Dillon announced the financial emergency was still ongoing, and the emergency manager

2640-544: The Flint City Bucks reached and hosted the USL League Two final, and in front of 7198 fans, won the title with a 1-0 win over Reading United after extra time. In April 2020, Kettering University partnered with Hurley Medical Center to allow the hospital to set up a drive through COVID-19 testing clinic at the stadium, which is located one block south of the hospital. The Atwood Stadium Races, formerly

2728-564: The Flint River, and Chevy Commons park beyond. A Genesee County park trail runs along the south edge of the Atwood Stadium paved parking lot along the riverside. Kettering University leaves a portion of the paved parking area publicly accessible to allow residents to fish the river. The stadium received its nickname, "The Beautiful Stadium of Ours," from the River Rats , the original Bucks supporters' group . The group's tradition

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2816-490: The Michigan Invitational Tournament, a high school marching band competition hosted by Flushing High School, which at the time was one of the longest-running marching band competitions in Michigan. Atwood was home to the annual season opening game between Flint Northwestern and Flint Beecher. Beecher was coached by former NFL player Courtney Hawkins , while Northwestern also had a famous alum as

2904-428: The Michigan lumber industry. Revenue from lumber funded the establishment of a local carriage-making industry. As horse-drawn carriages gave way to the automobiles, Flint then naturally grew into a major player in the nascent auto industry. Buick Motor Company, after a rudimentary start in Detroit, soon moved to Flint. AC Spark Plug originated in Flint. These were followed by several now-defunct automobile marques such as

2992-546: The Mid-West and the Mid-Atlantic. Since the late 1960s through the end of the 20th century, Flint has suffered from disinvestment , deindustrialization , depopulation and urban decay , as well as high rates of crime, unemployment and poverty. Initially, this took the form of " white flight " that afflicted many urban industrialized American towns and cities. Given Flint's role in the automotive industry, this decline

3080-601: The Tuuri, is set of road races, kid's dash, 5K and 10K, that begin and end at the stadium and hosted by the Crim Fitness Foundation in partnership with Kettering University . The races are typically held on the fourth Saturday in July. It is an official Crim Training Program voucher race and is known as a training race for the Crim. Racers can choose to run the "duo", both races. The Tuuri 10K road race, named after Flint pediatrician Arthur L. Tuuri, began in 1979. The first four years,

3168-486: The Vehicle City Gridiron Classic to mark the start of the Michigan high school football season. Six to eight teams participate. Although Powers Catholic had previously played games over several seasons at Atwood Stadium as the home team, the school formally adopted Atwood Stadium as its home field for football, boys and girls soccer, boys and girls lacrosse, and marching band in 2019, using it as

3256-599: The automotive industry. A freighter named after the city, the SS City of Flint , was the first US ship to be captured during the Second World War, in October 1939. The vessel was later sunk in 1943. On June 8, 1953, the Flint-Beecher tornado , a large F5 tornado , struck the city, killing 116 people. The city's population peaked in 1960 at almost 200,000, at which time it was the second largest city in

3344-496: The bankruptcy proceedings, Textile Management Associates, Inc. (TMA) of Dalton, Georgia, acquired the AstroTurf brand and other assets. TMA began marketing the AstroTurf brand under the company AstroTurf, LLC. In 2006, General Sports Venue (GSV) became TMA's marketing partner for the AstroTurf brand for the American market. AstroTurf, LLC handled the marketing of AstroTurf in the rest of the world. In 2009, TMA acquired GSV to enter

3432-566: The board on February 17, 2004, the City Retirement Board agreed to four proposals reducing the amount of the city's contribution into the system. On March 24, Kurtz indicated that he would raise the City Council's and the mayor's pay, and in May, Kurtz laid off 10 workers as part of 35 job cuts for the 2004–05 budget. In June 2004, Kurtz reported that the financial emergency was over. In November 2013, American Cast Iron Pipe Company ,

3520-679: The center of manufacturing for and profits from the nation's carriage industry until the 1920s and are the site of many well-preserved Victorian homes and the setting of Atwood Stadium. The University Avenue corridor of Carriage Town is home to the largest concentration of Greek housing in the area, with fraternity houses from both Kettering University, and the University of Michigan-Flint. Chapter houses include Phi Delta Theta , Sigma Alpha Epsilon , Delta Chi , Theta Chi , Lambda Chi Alpha , Theta Xi , Alpha Phi Alpha , Phi Gamma Delta , and Delta Tau Delta Fraternities. Just north of downtown

3608-499: The city has secured a new source of clean water, installed modern copper pipes to nearly every home, and distributed filters to all residents who want them. However, a legacy of distrust in public authorities remains. The region was home to several Ojibwe tribes at the start of the 19th century, with a particularly significant community established near present-day Montrose . The Flint River had several convenient fords which became points of contention among rival tribes, as attested by

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3696-454: The city's southwestern corner); Powertrain North, Flint Tool and Die and Delphi East. The largest plant, Buick City, and adjacent facilities have been demolished. Half of Flint's fourteen tallest buildings were built during the 1920s. The 19-story Genesee Towers, formerly the city's tallest building, was completed in 1968. The building became unused in later years and fell into severe disrepair:

3784-406: The city's voters recalled Mayor Woodrow Stanley . On May 22, Governor John Engler declared a financial emergency in Flint, and on July 8 the state appointed an emergency financial manager , Ed Kurtz. The emergency financial manager displaced the temporary mayor, Darnell Earley , in the city administrator position. In August 2002, city voters elected former Mayor James Rutherford to finish

3872-472: The community. This library, initially private, is considered the precursor of the current Flint Public Library. In 1904, local entrepreneur William C. Durant was brought in to manage Buick, which became the largest manufacturer of automobiles by 1908. In 1908, Durant founded General Motors (GM), filing incorporation papers in New Jersey, with headquarters in Flint. GM moved its headquarters to Detroit in

3960-713: The defunct Flint Falcons semi-pro team. The team is now solely owned by Lawler. The 2009 Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram II , born and raised in Grand Blanc, attended his final year of high school at Flint Southwestern Academy. He won the Heisman with 1304 total votes. Ingram attended the University of Alabama and is their first Heisman winner. He was a member of the National Champion 2009 Alabama Crimson Tide football team . Astroturf AstroTurf

4048-520: The fact that anticorrosive measures were not implemented. After two independent studies, lead poisoning caused by the water was found in the area's population. This has led to several lawsuits, the resignation of several officials, fifteen criminal indictments, and a federal public health state of emergency for all of Genesee County. Flint lies in the Flint/Tri-Cities region of Michigan . Flint and Genesee County can be categorized as

4136-444: The field goal uprights are not hinged and therefore cannot be tipped back during soccer matches, the uprights are in bounds above the soccer goal. Since 2019, the Flint City Bucks soccer team and Powers Catholic High School's football, boys and girls soccer, boys and girls lacrosse, and marching band programs share Atwood Stadium as their home field. Kettering University's intramural and recreational sports programs also extensively use

4224-406: The field, however the university has no varsity intercollegiate athletic programs. Perhaps uniquely, Atwood Stadium is a university-owned public stadium which has permanent regulation markings for high school football but no such markings for college football. The stadium seating surrounds the field on three sides and is open on the south side, allowing spectators to overlook the paved parking area,

4312-439: The governor's home. The next day, Brown filed a financial and operating plan with the state as mandated by law. The next month, each ward in the city had a community engagement meeting hosted by Brown. Governor Snyder on March 7 made a statewide public safety message from Flint City Hall that included help for Flint with plans for reopening the Flint lockup and increasing state police patrols in Flint. On March 20, 2012, days after

4400-491: The landscape of the marketplace. Although SRI successfully marketed AstroPlay, a third-generation turf product, increased competition gave way to lawsuits. In 2000, SRI was awarded $ 1.5 million in a lawsuit after FieldTurf was deemed to have lied to the public by making false statements regarding its own product and making false claims about AstroTurf and AstroPlay products. Despite their legal victory, increased competition took its toll. In 2004, SRI declared bankruptcy. Out of

4488-498: The legal time for a review). On November 8, Mayor Dayne Walling defeated challenger Darryl Buchanan 8,819 votes (56%) to 6,868 votes (44%). That same day, the Michigan State review panel declared Flint to be in a state of a "local government financial emergency" recommending the state again appoint an emergency manager. On November 14, the City Council voted 7 to 2 to not appeal the state review with Mayor Walling concurring

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4576-753: The main site of the 1936–37 sit-down strike, the Mott Park neighborhood, Kettering University, and the historic Woodcroft Estates, owned in the past by legendary automotive executives and current home to prominent and historic Flint families such as the Motts, the Manleys, and the Smiths. Facilities associated with General Motors in the past and present are scattered throughout the city, including GM Truck and Bus, Flint Metal Center and Powertrain South (clustered together on

4664-747: The marketplace as a direct seller. AstroTurf, LLC focused its efforts on research and development, which has promoted rapid growth. AstroTurf introduced new product features and installation methods, including AstroFlect (a heat-reduction technology) and field prefabrication (indoor, climate-controlled inlaying). AstroTurf also introduced a product called "RootZone" consisting of crimped fibers designed to encapsulate infill. In 2016, SportGroup Holding announced that it would purchase AstroTurf, along with its associated manufacturing facilities. The AstroTurf brand has operated since then in North America as AstroTurf Corporation. In August 2021, AstroTurf became

4752-477: The mayor. The Receivership Transit Authority Board was formally dissolved by State Treasurer Nick Khouri on April 10, 2018, returning the city to local control. In April 2014, during a financial crisis, state-appointed emergency manager Darnell Earley changed Flint's water source from the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (sourced from Lake Huron ) to the Flint River. The problem was compounded with

4840-413: The mid-1920s. Durant lost control of GM twice during his lifetime. On the first occasion, he befriended Louis Chevrolet and founded Chevrolet, which was a runaway success. He used the capital from this success to buy back share control. He later lost decisive control again, permanently. Durant experienced financial ruin in the stock market crash of 1929 and subsequently ran a bowling alley in Flint until

4928-574: The mid-2000s, Flint became known for its comparatively high crime rates and has repeatedly been ranked among the most dangerous cities in the United States according to crime statistics. The city was under a state of financial emergency from 2002 to 2004 and again from 2011 to 2015. From 2014 to 2019, Flint faced a public health emergency due to lead contamination in parts of the local water supply as well as an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease . The acute lead crisis has been addressed as

5016-512: The name "ChemGrass." It was rebranded as AstroTurf by company employee John A. Wortmann after its first well-publicized use at the Houston Astrodome stadium in  1966 . Donald L. Elbert patented two methods to improve the product in 1971. Early iterations of the short-pile turf swept many major stadiums, but the product did need improvement. Concerns over directionality and traction led Monsanto's R&D department to implement

5104-436: The next day. Governor Snyder appointed Michael Brown as the city's emergency manager. On December 2, Brown dismissed a number of top administrators. Pay and benefits from Flint's elected officials were automatically removed. On December 8, the office of ombudsman and the Civil Service Commission were eliminated by Brown. On January 16, 2012, protestors against the emergency manager law including Flint residents marched near

5192-487: The north, and Sugar Hill, Floral Park, and Kent and Elm Parks on the south. Many of these neighborhoods were the original centers of early Michigan blues . The South Side in particular was also a center for multi-racial migration from Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, and the Deep South since World War II. These neighborhoods are most often lower income but have maintained some level of economic stratification. The East Side

5280-599: The northeast of the Flint hills. The terrain is low and rolling along the south and east sides, and flatter to the northwest. Flint has several neighborhoods grouped around the center of the city on the four cardinal sides. The downtown business district is centered on Saginaw Street south of the Flint River. Just west, on opposite sides of the river, are Carriage Town (north) and the Grand Traverse Street District (south). Both neighborhoods boast strong neighborhood associations. These neighborhoods were

5368-539: The ombudsman's office. In September, a 4% pay cut was agreed to by the city's largest union. In October, Kurtz moved in favor of infrastructure improvements, authorizing $ 1 million in sewer and road projects. Don Williamson was elected a full-term mayor and sworn in on November 10. In December, city audits reported nearly $ 14 million in reductions in the city deficit. For the 2003–2004 budget year, estimates decreased that amount to between $ 6 million and $ 8 million. With pressure from Kurtz for large layoffs and replacement of

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5456-439: The overall series 41-39-1. Only four of the 81 meetings were not held at Atwood. The inaugural meeting in 1928 was held at Dort Field behind Flint Central. The 1929 meeting was held at Viking Field behind the original Flint Northern. Due to the stadium's temporary closure in 1992, the 1993 and 1994 Central-Northern games were held at Guy V. Houston Stadium, located near Flint Northwestern. President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered

5544-407: The police chief. McKeighan survived his recall only to face conspiracy charges in 1928. McKeighan was under investigation for a multitude of crimes which angered city leaders enough to push for changes in the city charter. In 1928, the city adopted a new city charter with a council-manager form of government. Subsequently, McKeighan ran the "Green Slate" of candidates who won in 1931 and 1932 and he

5632-473: The population. Non-Hispanic Whites were 35.7% of the population in 2010, compared to 70.1% in 1970. There were 40,472 households, of which 34.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 23.1% were married couples living together, 29.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 7.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.8% were non-families. 33.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.8% had someone living alone who

5720-532: The presence of nearby arrowheads and burial mounds. Some of the city currently resides atop ancient Ojibwe burial grounds. In 1819, Jacob Smith , a fur trader on cordial terms with both the local Ojibwe and the territorial government, founded a trading post at the Grand Traverse of the Flint River. On several occasions, Smith negotiated land exchanges with the Ojibwe on behalf of the U.S. government, and he

5808-526: The remainder of Stanley's term of office. On September 24, Kurtz commissioned a salary and wage study for top city officials from an outside accounting and consulting firm. The financial manager then installed a new code enforcement program for annual rental inspections and emergency demolitions. On October 8, Kurtz ordered cuts in pay for the mayor (from $ 107,000 to $ 24,000) and the City Council members (from $ 23,000 to $ 18,000). He also eliminated insurance benefits for most officials. After spending $ 245,000 fighting

5896-544: The return of overpayments to the pension fund. However, in December, the state attorney general stated that emergency financial managers do not have authority over the retirement system. With contract talks stalled, Kurtz stated that there either need to be cuts or layoffs to union employees. That same month, the city's recreation centers were temporarily closed. Emergency measures continued in 2003. In May, Kurtz increased water and sewer bills by 11% and shut down operations of

5984-669: The site of competition and practice, although every other year they still open the season with a "home away from home" game at Aagason Field at Holy Redeemer, home of the Bendle High School Tigers in Burton, Michigan , due to the aforementioned Vehicle City Gridiron Classic. Powers Catholic shares the "home of" title with the Flint City Bucks USL League Two soccer team, who also moved to Atwood Stadium in 2019. In their first season in Flint,

6072-500: The stadium to continue operation. In 2015 the stadium underwent over $ 2 million in renovations to the restrooms, press box, concourse, exterior and playing field, and hosted Powers Catholic, Flint Southwestern and Flint Northwestern high school football in the fall of 2015. The new FieldTurf surface has permanent lines for regulation high school football, soccer, and lacrosse. The field goal posts are permanently mounted whereas soccer and lacrosse goals are moved into position as needed. As

6160-548: The state. The decades of the 1950s and 1960s are seen as the height of Flint's prosperity and influence. They culminated with the establishment of many local institutions, most notably the Flint Cultural Center . This landmark remains one of the city's chief commercial and artistic draws to this day. The city's Bishop International Airport was the busiest in Michigan for United Airlines apart from Detroit Metropolitan Airport , with flights to many destinations in

6248-549: The strike by Governor Frank Murphy , culminating in a one-page agreement recognizing the Union and rehiring workers fired due to strike participation began an era of successful organizing by the UAW. The city was a major contributor of tanks and other war machines during World War II due to its extensive manufacturing facilities. For decades, Flint remained politically significant as a major population center as well as for its importance to

6336-410: The takeover, the City Council ended the lawsuits on October 14. Immediately thereafter on October 16, a new interim financial plan was put in place by the manager. This plan initiated controls on hiring, overnight travel and spending by city employees. On November 12, Kurtz directed the city's retirement board to stop unusual pension benefits, which had decreased some retiree pensions by 3.5%. Kurtz sought

6424-502: The time of his death in 1947. The city's mayors were targeted for recall twice, Mayor David R. Cuthbertson in 1924 and Mayor William H. McKeighan in 1927. Recall supporters in both cases were jailed by the police. Cuthbertson had angered the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) by the appointment of a Catholic police chief. The KKK led the recall effort and supported Judson Transue , Cuthbertson's elected successor. Transue however did not remove

6512-416: The university oversaw over $ 2 million in renovations and improvements to help reopen the stadium in time for the 2015 high school football season. Since then, the Flint high schools have consolidated and no longer use Atwood Stadium as a home stadium. This alleviated scheduling conflicts which occasionally displaced Flint Southwestern home openers to Guy Houston Stadium. Since 2017, Atwood Stadium has hosted

6600-547: The winners won with sub-30-minute times. In 1981, Greg Meyer , a Michigan native, set the record of 29:28. In 1991, the race had its peak number of finisher with 1,176. In 2010, the Hurley Foundation ran its last Tuuri road race despite it being one of top Flint area races with 856 runners in 2010. A committee of runners led by Brian and Dorie Barkey attempt to have the Turri race be continued by Hurley or picked up by

6688-419: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.13. The median age in the city was 33.6 years. 27.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 11.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.5% were from 25 to 44; 25.1% were from 45 to 64; and 10.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.0% male and 52.0% female. In 2016, Niraj Warikoo of

6776-404: Was October 31. He was succeeded by Saginaw city manager (and former Flint temporary mayor) Darnell Earley. Earley formed a blue ribbon committee on governance with 23 members on January 16, 2014, to review city operations and consider possible charter amendments. The blue ribbon committee recommend that the city move to a council-manager government. Six charter amendment proposals were placed on

6864-493: Was also the home of a sit-down strike in 1936–37 that played a vital role in the formation of the United Auto Workers . Since the late 1960s, Flint has faced several crises. The city experienced an economic downturn after GM significantly downsized its workforce in the area from a high of 80,000 in 1978 to under 8,000 by 2010. From 1960 to 2010, the population of the city nearly halved, from 196,940 to 102,434. In

6952-823: Was created by Manager Brown in June 2012 for 11 downtown Flint properties. On July 19, the city pension system was transferred to the Municipal Employees Retirement System by the city's retirement board which led to a legal challenge. On August 3, 2012, the Michigan Supreme Court ordered the state Board of Canvassers to certify a referendum on Public Act 4, the Emergency Manager Law, for the November ballot. Brown made several actions on August 7 including placing

7040-443: Was dubbed the "Mud Bowl" because of the field being extensively and extremely torn up due to a rigorous high school football season. The 1950 game with Tony Branoff , Leroy Bolden , and Ellis Duckett drew a record crowd of 20,600, thanks to standing room and temporary seating. Due to the development of state playoffs after 1976, the game was no longer held on Thanksgiving Day. Prior to the closure of Flint Central in 2009, Central won

7128-635: Was exacerbated by the 1973 oil crisis with spiking oil prices and the U.S. auto industry's subsequent loss of market share to imports, as Japanese manufacturers were producing cars with better fuel economy . In the 1980s, the rate of deindustrialization accelerated again with local GM employment falling from a 1978 high of 80,000 to under 8,000 by 2010. Only 10% of the manufacturing work force from its height remains in Flint. Many factors have been blamed, including outsourcing , offshoring , increased automation , and moving jobs to non-union facilities in right to work states and foreign countries. This decline

7216-665: Was highlighted in the film Roger & Me by Michael Moore (the title refers to Roger B. Smith , the CEO of General Motors during the 1980s). Also highlighted in Moore's documentary was the failure of city officials to reverse the trends with entertainment options (e.g. the now-demolished AutoWorld ) during the 1980s. Moore, a native of Davison (a Flint suburb), revisited Flint in his later movies, including Bowling for Columbine , Fahrenheit 9/11 , and Fahrenheit 11/9 . By 2002, Flint had accrued $ 30 million in debt. On March 5, 2002,

7304-406: Was highly regarded on both sides. Smith apportioned many of his holdings to his children. As the ideal stopover on the overland route between Detroit and Saginaw , Flint grew into a small but prosperous village and incorporated in 1855. The 1860 U.S. census indicated that Genesee County had a population of 22,498 of Michigan's 750,000. In the latter half of the 19th century, Flint became a center of

7392-421: Was installed in 1968. The homecoming concert of American Idol Contestant LaKisha Jones was held here on June 9, 2007. More recently, it hosted a homecoming tribute to 2009 Heisman Trophy winner and Flint Southwestern Academy graduate Mark Ingram, Jr. City of Flint Emergency Manager Mike Brown signed over ownership of Atwood Stadium in 2013 to Kettering University . In the past Atwood Stadium hosted

7480-433: Was ruled unsafe, leading to the stadium's closure in 1992. The stadium reopened in 1995 after $ 3.5 million in improvements, including a new artificial turf field, and resumed hosting football games for Flint Community Schools . Kettering University received ownership after Flint Emergency Manager Mike Brown ordered the city to transfer ownership in 2013, with the university undertaking the cost of emergency repairs to permit

7568-507: Was select as mayor in 1931. In 1935, the city residents approved a charter amendment establishing the Civil Service Commission. For the last century, Flint's history has been dominated by both the auto industry and car culture. The Sit-Down Strike of 1936–1937 saw the fledgling United Automobile Workers triumph over General Motors and establish itself as a major union, leading to widespread unionization in US industry. The successful mediation of

7656-547: Was selected to finish out the financial emergency with an expected exit in April. On April 30, 2015 , the state moved the city from under an emergency manager receivership to a Receivership Transition Advisory Board. On November 3, 2015, Flint residents elected Karen Weaver as their first female mayor. On January 22, 2016, the Receivership Transition Advisory Board unanimously voted to return some powers, including appointment authority, to

7744-403: Was still needed. Michael Brown was re-appointed Emergency Manager on June 26, 2013, and returned to work on July 8. Flint had an $ 11.3 million projected deficit when Brown started as emergency manager in 2011. The city faced a $ 19.1 million combined deficit from 2012, with plans to borrow $ 12 million to cover part of it. Brown resigned from his position in early September 2013, and his last day

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