Excerpts from the article:
For people in Michigan and out of state, Ann Arbor has long been an
oasis in the rust. The people who live here, rightly, try to make it
clear that Ann Arbor is special, that it isn't a suburb of Detroit.
But the fact is, Ann Arbor has been held back by Detroit's fall. And
it's in this area's best interest that Detroit has a renaissance.
But cities do not heal themselves, and both Ann Arbor and the state
of Michigan will continue to be hurt if Detroit stumbles again.
David Brandon, CEO of Domino's Pizza, knows how important it is.
He's the lone Washtenaw County representative on Detroit Renaissance, a
group of business leaders working to improve Detroit.
Recruits want to know about Detroit as a place to live and play, even if Ann Arbor is 45 miles away.
"The image of Detroit casts a shadow on this whole region of the
state,'' Brandon said. "Anybody who thinks differently is mistaken. And
the economic spillover from Detroit will affect this area.''
Two weeks ago, Gov. Jennifer Granholm said Michigan needs its
marquee city to be great. It's important for the state, because when
outsiders think of Michigan, they think of Detroit first.
That affects economic development. It affects attitudes. It's not
just companies we are trying to attract, it's young professionals we
are trying to keep. We need a city that can compete with Chicago and
New York.
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