[dtap]

As I see in the comments here, and in general public sentiment, there is an extreme bifurcation. People who believe and people who don't.

I grew up in the suburbs and will be moving downtown in a month. A lot of people, my parents, my girlfriend and some of my friends think I am crazy. When you see pictures like this, it is hard not to blame them. But once you get past the empty buildings and wasteland, there is something magical about the city.

Not a single person who lives in Detroit does so lightly. Everyone loves this city and firmly believes in its future. It provides opportunities unlike anywhere else. For example, there are 6 bars within 500 feet of my front door. I can see Comerica Park from my bedroom. The prospect of a Tigers playoff run makes me extremely excited. No where else can I get this experience for the amount of rent I am paying.

It certainly has its problems, largely created by 30 years of inept city government and the collapse of the auto industry. But we have smart people running the city and the state and a large, well-funded, group of people who have a contagious belief in its future.

If anyone from HN is ever in town and wants to grab a beer downtown, I'd be glad to show them around.

[pavel_lishin]

> It provides opportunities unlike anywhere else. For example, there are 6 bars within 500 feet of my front door.

So... it provides an opportunity to drink? New York has that, too, and it's not blighted by urban decay. (Well, not anymore.)