City-suburb finger-pointing, threats and protectionism. Months of negotiations that end in stalemate followed by court decisions that reinforce gridlock… The sad and failed efforts to expand and renovate Cobo Hall are the latest in a long line of textbook leadership failures in Metro Detroit.
But, as the Michigan Court of Appeals, basically declared the death of the Cobo deal, other kinds of fresh and vibrant economy are growing outside Metro Detroit’s many silos like flowers growing in the charred remains of forest fire.
Venture capitalists, private-equity folks and other big-time money managers — 350 of them altogether — crowded the Wayne State University campus a couple miles up the road from tired old Cobo to talk about “bullish” prospects for Michigan entrepreneurs.
Leading journalist Matt Roush hosted a packed room of entrepreneurs at a “Sectors of Promise” gathering to discuss life sciences, university-driven research and other promising sectors that may rebuild a more diversified Michigan economy.
And at “TechNow09” tonight in Royal Oak, the kind of young, hip, highly educated workers policymakers lust for will “celebrate Michigan’s transition to a knowledge economy.” Tech firms. Software firms. Mobile marketing firms. Online services firms. Small firms. Growing firms.
Old Detroit. New Detroit.
