Metro business, political officials look past scandal
January 25, 2008
By JOHN GALLAGHER and KATHLEEN GRAY
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITERS
The scandal involving Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick shouldn't blunt the city's revitalization efforts or ability to make deals happen, a cross-section of business, political and academic leaders said Thursday.
Dan Gilbert, founder and chairman of Quicken Loans, said the mayor's trouble did not in any way deter Quicken from proceeding "full steam ahead" with its plans to build a headquarters in downtown Detroit and relocate thousands of employees there.
"Our commitment is long term, and transcends any short-term event or challenge," Gilbert said in a statement. "This is a new era in Detroit history. We believe the leadership in business, government and the community will continue to spend their valuable time and energy on the mission at hand."
Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano wouldn't comment specifically on the mayor's troubles, but his office issued a statement saying ongoing projects, such as the expansion of Cobo Center, would be unaffected.
"We don't anticipate our working relationship to be hindered at all by this," said Ficano spokeswoman Vanessa Denha-Garmo. "We still have to run the county and the city still has to operate."
Robin Boyle, a professor of urban planning at Wayne State University, said many other cities have seen mayors in trouble even as redevelopment efforts continued.
"The biggest limiter is the state of the economy," he said.
William Crouchman, chairman of the Macomb County Board of Commissioners, said: "Our relationship with the City of Detroit is based on mutual things we have in common. It's not personal. No matter who the personalities are, if they were gone tomorrow, the issues remain the same."
But Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson, who arrived home Thursday from a trade mission in India, said the last thing potential investors need to see on the front pages is a scandal.
"I don't believe it will have a direct impact on economic development," he said. "But Michigan certainly doesn't need another black eye. We're still in a long-term recession here."
Doug Rothwell, president of the corporate leadership group Detroit Renaissance, said economic development in Detroit has gained momentum in recent years under Kilpatrick's leadership despite economic headwinds.
"The charges leveled against the mayor are serious and the legal system will ultimately decide how they are to be resolved. But they should not be allowed to slow the economic progress we are making and I don't believe they will," Rothwell said in a statement.
In the past few years, downtown Detroit has enjoyed a resurgence that included the creation of permanent casinos, Comerica Park and Ford Field, Campus Martius, the Detroit RiverWalk, the new Compuware headquarters and many other projects in various stages of planning or construction.
One reason to think the scandal won't blunt Detroit's momentum is the depth of the team working on revitalization efforts.
The effort encompasses Detroit Renaissance, the civic group Downtown Detroit Partnership, the nonprofit Detroit Riverfront Conservancy and the quasi-public development arm of the city, the Detroit Economic Growth Corp.
January 25, 2008
By JOHN GALLAGHER and KATHLEEN GRAY
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITERS
The scandal involving Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick shouldn't blunt the city's revitalization efforts or ability to make deals happen, a cross-section of business, political and academic leaders said Thursday.
Dan Gilbert, founder and chairman of Quicken Loans, said the mayor's trouble did not in any way deter Quicken from proceeding "full steam ahead" with its plans to build a headquarters in downtown Detroit and relocate thousands of employees there.
"Our commitment is long term, and transcends any short-term event or challenge," Gilbert said in a statement. "This is a new era in Detroit history. We believe the leadership in business, government and the community will continue to spend their valuable time and energy on the mission at hand."
Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano wouldn't comment specifically on the mayor's troubles, but his office issued a statement saying ongoing projects, such as the expansion of Cobo Center, would be unaffected.
"We don't anticipate our working relationship to be hindered at all by this," said Ficano spokeswoman Vanessa Denha-Garmo. "We still have to run the county and the city still has to operate."
Robin Boyle, a professor of urban planning at Wayne State University, said many other cities have seen mayors in trouble even as redevelopment efforts continued.
"The biggest limiter is the state of the economy," he said.
William Crouchman, chairman of the Macomb County Board of Commissioners, said: "Our relationship with the City of Detroit is based on mutual things we have in common. It's not personal. No matter who the personalities are, if they were gone tomorrow, the issues remain the same."
But Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson, who arrived home Thursday from a trade mission in India, said the last thing potential investors need to see on the front pages is a scandal.
"I don't believe it will have a direct impact on economic development," he said. "But Michigan certainly doesn't need another black eye. We're still in a long-term recession here."
Doug Rothwell, president of the corporate leadership group Detroit Renaissance, said economic development in Detroit has gained momentum in recent years under Kilpatrick's leadership despite economic headwinds.
"The charges leveled against the mayor are serious and the legal system will ultimately decide how they are to be resolved. But they should not be allowed to slow the economic progress we are making and I don't believe they will," Rothwell said in a statement.
In the past few years, downtown Detroit has enjoyed a resurgence that included the creation of permanent casinos, Comerica Park and Ford Field, Campus Martius, the Detroit RiverWalk, the new Compuware headquarters and many other projects in various stages of planning or construction.
One reason to think the scandal won't blunt Detroit's momentum is the depth of the team working on revitalization efforts.
The effort encompasses Detroit Renaissance, the civic group Downtown Detroit Partnership, the nonprofit Detroit Riverfront Conservancy and the quasi-public development arm of the city, the Detroit Economic Growth Corp.
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