tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2120574305705163258.post6745611454213524297..comments2023-09-19T09:09:14.161-07:00Comments on Red Carpet Closet: An Open Letter to the City of DetroitKristyn Burtthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14035984713982994861noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2120574305705163258.post-66048822613386710892010-01-28T07:09:03.213-08:002010-01-28T07:09:03.213-08:00Sorry, I am just getting to your comment. Yeah, D...Sorry, I am just getting to your comment. Yeah, Detroit has a long way to go. I see what you are saying and I hope that one day the city will see a true renaissance.....not one called the Ren Center where nothing is ever open. ;)Kristyn Burtthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14035984713982994861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2120574305705163258.post-60346244391170908902010-01-26T11:14:59.098-08:002010-01-26T11:14:59.098-08:00Kristyn, I think you missed my point, I agree with...Kristyn, I think you missed my point, I agree with you, Detroit NEEDS to develop secondary industries; however, the reality has been that it has not happened. <br /><br />Every few years, Detroit gets a new 'white knight,' someone who decides that they are going to revitalize Detroit. The first such project, in fact, was the Renaissance Center, thus the name. This was followed by the New Center area, the Fox theater district, the Compuware center, and a few others in between. However, these become pockets of disjointed development unconnected and quite frankly isolated by ghetto. <br /><br />For people who live in Michigan it isn't a big deal, they go to their event then head back to their town and their favorite restaurant, bar, shopping center, etc. For visitors to the city, well they don't come all that often. Detroit really isn't set up for tourists, which is a shame. <br /><br />People have been trying to fix Detroit ever since it got broke in the 60's and there are little pockets of progress scattered about, but by-in-large the big problem still remains.Mathieashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08106937744918642611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2120574305705163258.post-24892540532695936272010-01-26T06:33:47.990-08:002010-01-26T06:33:47.990-08:00I might have to disagree with you on this one, Mat...I might have to disagree with you on this one, Mathieas. Here's why: LA has the same type of situation as Detroit with the downtown area, but LA took a closer look and decided to change that. Instead of watching a downtown whither away to nothing, they used their convention center and built things around it.....a stadium, an entertainment venue, restaurants, shops, a museum. Now, when I go to work at the convention center, I have a place to eat. In fact, I have choices and they stay open to accommodate the crowds. "If you build it, he will come"<br /><br />When we are all on the road, we are often working 12 hours or more. This is often true of the talent, press, production crew, industry, and sales people. Unfortunately, we don't have the time or the opportunity to see all the rest that Detroit or Michigan has to offer. That is why someone....a mayor, a developer, an entrepeneur....really, anyone needs to have a vision for this area of Detroit and create a renaissance. Take a look at LA Live and see what it has done for the downtown LA area. Or if they did open temporary restaurants, do you know how much more money would be funneled back into the city? If Detroit doesn't learn to cater to visitors and business travelers, they will never recover. And that, to me, is very sad.Kristyn Burtthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14035984713982994861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2120574305705163258.post-63583704128253064672010-01-25T22:27:51.611-08:002010-01-25T22:27:51.611-08:00What you have witnessed and described is what make...What you have witnessed and described is what makes Detroit different than other major cities. The BIG things are located within the city proper... theaters, museums, stadiums, etc but the everyday life things are located in the surrounding areas 'the edge cities'. <br /><br />It is a good thing you didn't want to go to a grocery store, because there isn't one, in the entire city. Eight hundred thousand people, 75 square miles and not one grocery store. <br /><br />For most people who live in SouthEast Michigan when they go to Detroit, they go to their event location, Cobo, the Joe, Comerica, etc, then they leave and go home. Oh they might stop for dinner in Royal Oak, or Sterling Heights, or Novi, but they aren't likely to wander around near their venue looking for a place to eat. Don't get me wrong there are many nice restaurants in the D, but by and large they either cater to an early dinner or lunch crowd or they are in and of themselves a destination. <br /><br />One of the reasons the city was so interested in bringing the casinos to the city, aside from the revenue stream, was the possibility of having people stay in the city and supporting secondary businesses, and to an extent that has worked in that limited area. <br /><br />Prior to the 2006 Superbowl, it was much much worse. The Host committee spent years prepping the city for the Superbowl, full restaurants were opened just for that week.<br /><br />So that's SouthEast Michigan, next time you come hopefully you will be able to get out of the city, once you are passed 8 mile its a whole new ballgame.Mathieashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08106937744918642611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2120574305705163258.post-51175722242434988002010-01-25T21:24:34.166-08:002010-01-25T21:24:34.166-08:00My favorite was the GPJ guy that was robbed at gun...My favorite was the GPJ guy that was robbed at gunpoint on his way back to the hotel from Slo's.Do You Come with the Car?https://www.blogger.com/profile/13678001737124941327noreply@blogger.com