I will believe the Book Cadillac is really back only when they finally open the doors and admit paying customers and lessees. But it was good to see actual guys in actual hard hats -inside- the building for a change in those newspaper stories last fall.
I stayed in the old BC when it was run by the city in the summer of 1983, a strange experience to be sure especially since it was my first time in Detroit (we were there for a conference). What did we know, although I well remember going over to Greektown we didn't even go to Lafayette Coney Island. How wrong was that! Detroit was a pretty different place then. I remember it being very hot (August) and depressing but (true to form for the Music City) there was one great band we saw which really impressed me but I can't remember the name, I want to say "Radiators" but they're from New Orleans. Anyway, they played a kind of funk-jazz version of Motown style stuff that was quite unique. I have felt for a long time that when the BC reopens it means Detroit really is on the way back. I'm a big fan of that building. fh ----------------- >Well, in regards to tourism, Detroit is changing. Having worked in economic >development (more on the creative marketing end), progress is always slow. However, Detroit is making progress. There are signs all over the place from grass roots organizations like Detroit Synergy to the techno artists we love to the big corporations like General Motors and Compuware locating to Detroit to the redevelopment of the Book Cadillac building. Change is there and I think it's the younger generations that will continue to inspire the bigger pocketbooks to invest in the community. > >Detroit is also rebranding itself, focusing on that younger spirit. See: >http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi- bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/01-31-2007/0004517248&EDATE> >I also like the fact thatthe Shrinking Cities exhibit has finally made its way >here. These are important events that stir change, much like the first DEMF. > >Let's continue on that positive vibe!!! > > > -------------- Original message ---------------------- >From: Joel Gajewski <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> Yeah, I don't think those numbers were ever accurate. I remember parking at >> the >> Ren Cen, which is next door to Hart Plaza, all three days the first two >> years. >> If there were an extra 1 million people in Detroit, a city of about >> 1million, I >> think that parking would have been a bit tighter. >> >> Thinking about Detroit's tourism, or lack thereof, it's never been a strong >> point. Almost everyone that meet that has never lived there, refers to it as >> "the armpit" of the universe. :( As a former local, it has a lot of >> character, >> but I can see how visits might be scared off. If I remember correctly, >> wasn't >> Derrick scrambling at the end to confirm those artists? I don't remember >> any of >> the fests being particularly well-sorted in advance of the weekend. *shrugs >> >> Joel >> >> ----- Original Message ---- >> From: robin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> To: Aidan O'Doherty <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> Cc: 313@hyperreal.org >> Sent: Friday, February 2, 2007 5:08:49 AM >> Subject: Re: (313) what's up with the festival?!?!?! >> >> >> Aidan O'Doherty wrote: >> > DEMF 2000: 1.1 to 1.5 million (over-estimated) >> > DEMF 2001: 1.7 million >> > DEMF 2002: 1.7 million >> > Movement 2003: 630,000 >> > Movement 2004: 150,000 >> > Fuse-In 2005: 44,920 >> > >> >> Hmmm I'm not sure how accurate any of those figures is, apart from maybe >> the last one where they had control over who came in and out of the site. >> >> robin... > >
