Canadian paper finds the spirit of Detroit, unfailing confidence in the future

The Star Pheonix from Saskatoon finds more in Detroit than negative headlines.Excerpt:No question, this city of nearly a million took an economic hit during the recession, but Detroit is busy reinventing itself and the hospitality industry is providing help. Bringing in $4 billion US last year, tourism has become a big money-earner.Surprised? First of all, you need to get rid of previously conceived ideas, suggests Jeanette Pierce, co-founder of Inside Detroit (www.insidedetroit.org), a not-for-profit company that specializes in touring people through downtown and the neighbourhoods. Forget Detroit’s reputation as gritty and ultimately forgettable.”This is a city that has been going through an incredible renaissance. We have wonderful history, great architecture and fabulous ethnic restaurants. We also have 37 per cent less crime than the national average,” says Pierce, standing in the shadow of the Westin Book Cadillac Hotel, a towering 1920s building that recently underwent a $200-million renovation.Read the entire article here.