Detroit Shines Under Super Bowl Spotlight

Feb. 3, 2006 — -- Floating in the sky like an empty jelly donut, the People Mover has long been a symbol for what people think is wrong with the city of Detroit. It rumbles along, empty and going nowhere. It has long been considered a failure due to high costs, low ridership, and a frequent need for repairs -- similar to criticism the city itself has received.

But alas, Detroit, often unfavorably compared to Baghdad, Iraq, may really, finally, be having a renaissance. Despite recently announced layoffs by the Big 3 automakers, Super Bowl XL and the preparations leading up to it have made the city a cleaner, safer place, and it's getting rave reviews from the more than 100,000 visitors.

About $3 billion has been invested in major downtown projects over the last five years, according to Tammy Carnrike, executive vice president of the Detroit Chamber of Commerce. And next to Ford Field, the home of the Super Bowl, instead of the boarded-up buildings and broken streetlights of days past, things have been cleaned up for the visitors.

Still, within minutes of the stadium, there are scores of empty buildings visible to everyone making the short trip between Ford Field and downtown hotels. On Tuesday, passers-by saw police with a group of men spread-eagled against one of those abandoned buildings as media buses rolled by.

Every 10 years or so, Detroit leaders tout a revival, and this one came in time for the Super Bowl. To fuel the revival image, the host committee is spending $10 million on parties, concerts, sports clinics and festivals.

In all, the Super Bowl could contribute up to $300 million to the local economy. Detroit badly needs the infusion. Its economy has been pummeled by the billion-dollar losses at General Motors and Ford.

What has been a surprise to many visitors who expected a gritty industrial city is the glints of sun off the Detroit River and even a Starbucks. It's right at the corner of Congress and Griswold. And there's a Ben & Jerry's and even a Border's bookstore.

"The Kilpatrick administration has done a lot of work to improve downtown with getting new businesses to move in," said Larry Alexander, president and chief executive officer of Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau Chair.

In fact, Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick was so intent on showing Super Bowl visitors a new face for Detroit, he was willing to sacrifice its Motown roots.

Wrecking crews began taking down the long-abandoned office building that was home to Motown Records from 1968 to 1972 in January.

Kilpatrick says more than 35 new restaurants, including sushi bars and coffeehouses, have opened in the city in the last three years. As a result, many Detroiters are raving about how good the city looks.

The Super Bowl "is doing more to change the physical appearance of this community than corporate relocations, three casinos, two stadiums, and the last three mayors have," said Daniel Howes, a columnist for The Detroit News.

Even suburbanites who don't usually venture downtown have made the trek as Detroit's Super Bowl fever has peaked.

"I never used to even consider heading downtown," said Chelsea Ketchner of Grosse Pointe, a tony suburb that borders the city. "But now the city looks cleaner, and there are places to go. You don't just automatically hit the lock button on Jefferson anymore."

The key for the city is to try to extend the good mood and good vibes after the 100,000 visitors leave.

"Our objective is a permanent transformation of the city," said George Jackson, president of the nonprofit Detroit Economic Growth Corporation. "We've got a long way to go, but I think we've turned an important corner."