Detroit, the new Amsterdam?

[z31maniac]

http://www.freep.com/article/20110415/COL24/110415011/1081/col/Carol-Cain-Prostitution-pot-legalization-could-make-Detroit-attractive-Fieger-says

“I’d shovel the snow and I’d clean the streets and parks. Then, I’d tell the police department to leave marijuana alone and don’t spend one dime trying to enforce marijuana laws. I also would not enforce prostitution laws and I’d make us the new Amsterdam.”


“We would attract young people,” Fieger said. “You make Detroit a fun city. A place they want to live and they would flock here.”


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Aside from the fact that both of those should be legal anyway, I think it's an interesting idea.

[e30-RTN]

We're gonna pull at any strings we can at this point.

[mrsleeve]

WOW young people will not flock to detroit. Take it from someone who has fled from that area (I grew up and hour and 45min for detroit and live most of my life about and hour from detroit) NO ONE wants to live in or near that shit hole. Most everything that was good in detroit industry wise has left as well, if they stayed in MI they went to Grand Rapids, or even Kalamazoo, that and Fieger is an idiot.

[scabzzzz]

It couldnt get any worse thats for sure. Might as well make it a drug and prostitute haven. OH WAIT..

But seriously, if you legalized that shit, crime would go down significantly. It would probably do some good. Free up a lot of tax payer dollars to put it back into the city AT LEAST.

[z31maniac]

WOW young people will not flock to detroit. Take it from someone who has fled from that area (I grew up and hour and 45min for detroit and live most of my life about and hour from detroit) NO ONE wants to live in or near that shit hole. Most everything that was good in detroit industry wise has left as well, if they stayed in MI they went to Grand Rapids, or even Kalamazoo, that and Fieger is an idiot.

The whole point of the proposal is to help turn around the things you just moaned about. Geeez.

[Ryan Stewart]

People might go there like they do Vegas but I dont see it turning the tide of the population decline. People just dont want to live in Detroit. There is a lot of other crime going on besides those and with no real industry (whores and weed will create some jobs but nothing like viable industry) and nothing to do beyond pay for sex and get high they wont stay.

[z31maniac]

I'm just saying, you guys sound like all the people that poo-poo'd putting money back into fading downtown/entertainment districts.

People in Tulsa moaned for years about the money being used to build the BOK Center. And guess what? Since it's opened it's been in the Top 5 total ticket sales for venues across the nation.

Now there are 8 different real estate developments totalling $65million, a new downtown AA baseball stadium, and a ton of new restaurants, shops............even opening up an old school bowling alley.

Same thing has happened in Denver, OKC, etc.

A legalizing those two would sure as hell create an "entertainment district."

[Ryan Stewart]

I dont argue that those would have some success, it just wouldn't save the dying city. The development in Tulsa did well because there was a market for it. Now making weed legal means the weed industry will do well because we all know there is a market for it but its not going to impact Detroit as a whole. That would be akin to your entertainment district directly leading to a population boom in Tulsa, which I doubt it has.

[scabzzzz]

Ya know, Detroit may not have an industry, but if the rest of the coutnry would follow suite, there's your new industry. Hydroponic THC products for the rest of the country.
Not just HEADY BUDS BRO, but food, ointments, sprays, candy, etc etc..

Not themention the rest of the plant that doesnt product the THC can be used to make ink, paper, textiles, ointments, food, plastics, fuel, AND THE LIST GOES ON AND ON AND ON. In fact, I'd bet after a few years, they'd invent some new shit. Thusly, securing their niche in the WORLD market yet again.

But hey, I'm sure they got it under control.

[scabzzzz]

http://www.northernwinorml.org/IndustrialHemp.html

[z31maniac]

That would be akin to your entertainment district directly leading to a population boom in Tulsa, which I doubt it has.

It hasn't, Tulsa itself is withering as the 'burbs continue to boom. Evidence of the new plan to shut down half the schools in the district.

I think if Detroit could develop a legit "entertainment destination" that could very well serve as the core to reinvigorate the area.

I know in Tulsa, downtown was basically a wasteland until one guy opened an Irish Pub downtown. He now has 5 other restaurants downtown, along with all the other developments over the last 8-9 years.


Keep in mind, I have no interest in Detroit or saving it. I just think it COULD be done.

[Dozyproductions]

Never been to Detroit but as being an American I would hope that every city could be beautiful. But even though there might not be any short term improvement, such situations are capable of breeding resurrections.

[joshh]

Why was Detroit a hub in the first place? Jobs...where there are jobs there is everything else. It's a natural progression. People go where their are jobs and where they can do well. Businesses open up around those areas.

[Ryan Stewart]

Why was Detroit a hub in the first place? Jobs...where there are jobs there is everything else. It's a natural progression. People go where their are jobs and where they can do well. Businesses open up around those areas.

The issue is none of these proposals would create meaningful gains in the labor market. Shit, most of its already being served, just illegally. It would create some jobs as the barriers to entry would be reduced but it wouldn't make Detroit a place to live unless your lived revolved around drugs and whores. And, lets be honest, only Charlie Sheen can sustain a life like that.

[joshh]

The issue is none of these proposals would create meaningful gains in the labor market. Shit, most of its already being served, just illegally. It would create some jobs as the barriers to entry would be reduced but it wouldn't make Detroit a place to live unless your lived revolved around drugs and whores. And, lets be honest, only Charlie Sheen can sustain a life like that.

I was being much more general than that. I don't believe opening up the MJ trade will bring the people. Or strip clubs and the like. Just create normal jobs where people can do well and the city will come back.