Stars Aligned for Megalopolis Detroit

The heavens opened up for Megalopolis Detroit* these past couple of weeks gushing forth with several major, game changing events. So many, in fact, that it seemed the gods were finally letting us have a bit of our allotted good fortune which has been bottled up for over 50 years.

First, the massive 45-block renewal project, the Detroit Sports and Entertainment District, was officially launched and is now underway in downtown Detroit.

Ipad? Can't see the YouTube video? Please go here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKrxEEtOmHk#t=386

Importantly the new project brings together new and existing entertainment venues with new restaurant, residential and retail business space designed as five new neighborhoods. The total project connects downtown Detroit, the major sports facilities with the newly already emerging Midtown Detroit area and the under construction Woodward Ave M1 Light Rail Line, which connects downtown with the Metro Region northern ‘burbs. Go here for excellent coverage of the whole story.

Dlectricity

Ipad? Can't see the YouTube video? Please go here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXn815mysss

For the second year, an outstanding and fun attraction was held in Midtown Detroit - Dlectricity - took place 26-27 Sept. You should consider going next year! Some 150,000 experienced the nighttime festival this year. The Midtown Detroit press release explained: “DLECTRICITY is modeled after other Nuit Blanche festivals known for bringing the best of contemporary light and technology-based arts to the streets of major cities like Paris, Rome, Toronto, Minneapolis and New York. The event featured more than 35 internationally-acclaimed, local and emerging artists from around the world, including Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy, Sweden, New York, Boston, Los Angeles and Detroit.” Go here for the full release.
And, go here for the official Dlectricity site. 

Detroit Mayor Duggan announced that Detroit transit system is getting $32M for 50 new buses.

Mayor Duggan and Detroit City Council - working together – took back control of the city from Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr, who has also done an excellent job on behalf of the people of Detroit. Council voted to keep him as emergency manager until Detroit's bankruptcy exit plan is approved.

With the Mayor and Council’s leadership, the City of Detroit is now doing its job for the people of Detroit - meaning neighborhood renewal is underway; vacant homes are being reoccupied or demolished; new streetlights are being installed and illuminated; the police are policing; and the schools are beginning a comeback. Why is that so important?

Well, consider what Dan Gilbert, a D Hero and major investor, recently said about the D out on the west coast.

 Detroit's Dan Gilbert Comes to Silicon Valley

Dan Gilbert's combined organizations now own 60 buildings in Detroit and have invested approximately $1.5 billion. Why? Kid Rock explains it all in, What does Opportunity Look Like:

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Hope Field

Cody High and Hope Field

NPR recently ran a story about Detroit Cody High School. In one way it's a storybook story you've head before about a team coming together to win an important game. But, in the most important way, it's an unusual story because its about a family that gave a keystone donation of $300,000 to complete the major project for a Detroit neighborhood revitalization. The family did not ask that the field be named for them. Rather they asked that the field be called, Hope Field.

It's Time Tell it Like it is. WE ARE MEGALOPOLIS DETROIT!

Can't you feel it? Detroit is moving forward. Bet on Detroit now. Don't miss out on the opportunity of a lifetime. Put up the signs that say: “Welcome, You Are Now Entering Megalopolis Detroit”.

*That's The Megalopolis Detroit - which includes the counties of: Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, St. Clair, Monroe, Washtenaw, Livingston, Lapeer, Genesee, Lenawee and Lucas (Ohio). It's time to think the way it really is. Our town is massive and stretches from and includes Toledo in the south and Windsor in the east to Flint in the north and Ann Arbor in the west. And, the D is THE CITY magnet.

Go here for the logic behind thinking realistically in today's world: The Boomer Way... Redefine the Problem.