Masonic Temple pays its utility bills

The lights will stay on at the Detroit Masonic Temple.

As of last month, the landmark, which had owed hundreds of thousands of dollars to DTE Energy, is current on its gas and electric bills.

"We want the resilient people of Detroit to know that the Temple is here to stay," Bradley Dizik, special adviser to the Detroit Masonic Temple board of directors, said in an e-mail. "We accomplished this monumental feat by channeling Detroit's scrappy spirit to defend one of its most cherished institutions."

Scott Simons, a spokesman for DTE Energy, confirmed that the Masonic gas and electric bills are up to date.

The change marks a remarkable turnaround for the venerable venue on Temple Street near Cass Avenue that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is touted as the largest Masonic temple in the world. It also has a rich musical history, having hosted acts that included the Rolling Stones, the Who and MC5.

DTE Energy had threatened to shut off the Masonic's gas and electric service in August 2012, and the Masonic owed as much as $427,579 in gas and electric bills in May 2013.

Electric and gas bills weren't the only issues facing the Masonic in recent years. It also survived a tax foreclosure threat thanks to assistance from rocker Jack White, who paid $142,000 in 2013 to cover what was owed, according to previous Free Press reports. In thanks, officials renamed one of its theaters in his honor.

And last year, the Masonic beat a legal challenge from the venue's former management company, which was trying to force its sale.

Paying down the overdue utility bills proved to be quite a challenge, in part, because expenses kept accruing. The venue's bills exceeded $50,000 per month during parts of last year's brutal winter when the term "polar vortex" appears to have entered the lexicon. Payments were handled incrementally and sometimes matched with events that generated substantial profits, Dizik said, noting that the electric bill was paid down $7,500 a month for almost two years.

Dizik said the Masonic also worked to host more events and productions, including shooting for Eminem's "Detroit Vs. Everybody" video.

With its utility issues behind it, the venue can look to the future since it is located within the city's arena and entertainment district, where the Detroit Red Wings are expected to play in 2017.

"We look forward to working with Olympia Entertainment and the Detroit Red Wings to see a complete revitalization of the Cass Corridor. We thank the Ilitch Family, Tom Wilson and the rest of their team for their commitment to a vibrant, future Detroit," Dizik said.

Contact Eric D. Lawrence: elawrence@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter: @_ericdlawrence.