Can Pro Sports Save Detroit??

[JasonRR]

A couple of years ago I remember having this conversation with some friends. I wondered if the city had 2-3 Championship major league sports teams (Baseball, Football, Basketball and Hockey) in a year or so, if that could turn the city around. If that would bring enough people back to Detroit and start a revitalization.

With the Tigers having done so well and the Lions off to an undefeated start (as of this very moment), I wonder if the city will see any significant, long-term benefit?

I'm not a huge sports fan, and have mainly grew up on motorsports, so I probably don't have the best perspective. But I did live in Cleveland, OH both pre and post Labron, and just having him on the team really brought a lot more people (commerce) to that city. Not sure it had any real long-term benefit, or if it's still too soon to try and determine that.

Just interested in what others might think.

[Moose242]

I take it that you have not been to Detroit.

[John -- '02 HAWK]

No sporting events do not employ enough people to alter an economy. Especially when items like food services and security are generally won by the lowest contractor, not the highest.

[01vnms4v]

No it cant

[Scott Mc]

I take it that you have not been to Detroit.

This man speaks the truth.

[Geor!]

I take it you came up with this idea when you were in NSFW for pot Vancouver.

[Gear_Jammer]

It would take nuclear bomb to clean up and/or better Detroit in any way. I go to the Woodward Dream Cruise every year - it's the only reason to ever go to that city.

[JasonRR]

I've flown into it and stayed near the airport, but haven't seen much else of the city. Based on what I've heard and seen online, it seems like a Third World country though.

John's comment makes sense...not enough impact to influence an entire economy.

[mstng86]

Didnt the tigers win a world seriea while the city was rioting in the 60's? I say no.

[347Mike]

Not gonna lie. I had no idea it was this bad... I thought certain parts of Miami and south Florida were complete shit. This place takes the cake and all the supplies to make anymore..

[Wicked98Snake]

I went to visit family in Northern Michigan last month and we flew into Detroit, my GF was suprised that people lived in most of the houses there because they looked condemed like in that video. It really is a shit hole but having said that they are at least talking about something other than the horrible economy in the state. They have a good baseball team and for once when you mention the Lions to someone they don't look at you like they want to kill you, LOL. I'm not sure what it will take to fix the economy up there but this can't hurt, hopefully they can get a little bit of their twn back because 10-15 years ago it was kind of a cool city and has some interesting history.

[347Mike]

I went to visit family in Northern Michigan last month and we flew into Detroit, my GF was suprised that people lived in most of the houses there because they looked condemed like in that video. It really is a shit hole but having said that they are at least talking about something other than the horrible economy in the state. They have a good baseball team and for once when you mention the Lions to someone they don't look at you like they want to kill you, LOL. I'm not sure what it will take to fix the economy up there but this can't hurt, hopefully they can get a little bit of their twn back because 10-15 years ago it was kind of a cool city and has some interesting history.

I would bulldoze that entire fucking area.

[Wicked98Snake]

I would bulldoze that entire fucking area.

Of course you would, you don't know anything about the area or people and it makes you seem cool on an internet message board.

[347Mike]

Of course you would, you don't know anything about the area or people and it makes you seem cool on an internet message board.

What are you talking about or did you accidently lift your leg while typing?

The last thing I try and achieve on this website is a "cool" status...

The video had cars torn apart all over the place, a fucking boat on the street without a trailor, houses on a slant with no windows and missing half its roof. Please tell me what purpose any of that is? By bulldoze you are assuming I am talking about the people too.

[stevo]

The issue is, even if you level the whole place and construct beautiful modern buildings, you still have the denizens of the city who will bring it back to the previous condition. Shithole areas create shitbag citizens, which in turn create more shithole areas. Vicious cycle.

Stevo