Can Pro Sports Save Detroit??

[fitzwell]

ok, WTF is with all the boats??

[Juiced4v]

Detroit is like Houston (after hurricane katrina)

[Denny]

Detroit is like Houston (after hurricane katrina)

Houston is like Detroit (before Obama)

[Juiced4v]

Houston is like Detroit (before Obama)

You nailed it....

[clevelandkid]

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.

I'm from CLE too, and now that it FELT like the city was doing better when the sports teams were winning, especially during lefrauds run, but the truth is, the city's population just hit a 100 year low, and in 09, Cleveland was listed as the second poorest city in the country behind detroit, with 35% of the population at or below the poverty line.

The sports teams just don't create very many good paying jobs, and the draw of some visiting fans eating a few extra dinners or filling a few vacant hotel rooms is pretty much inconsequential in the grand scheme of things.

The rust belt is DEAD and nothing is going to bring it back.

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2010...nd_is_the.html

[LS1Goat]

The muslim infestation in Detroit has not helped matters.

Guy in the desk across from me was a paramedic in Detroit and his family still lives there. He will tell you "most areas are off limits to whites and for the most part it is a turd circling the drain".

Damn, I felt that way when having to stage in some of the urbanist slum areas just here in D/FW. I can't imagine being in EMS serving Detroit's general populace. And I certainly can't imagine there would be any solvent private ambulance companies in those districts. Our accounts receivable here in Dallas Co. for general/emergency transport modalities was barely 70%.

[JasonRR]

You guys have me convinced.