When baseball player Johnny Damon signed a contract to play for the Detroit Tigers, his wife voiced concerns about the city not being cosmopolitan enough. This open letter to Mrs. Damon argues that the city has more going for it than many assume.
The letter was written by Sean Mann, founder of the Let's Save Michigan campaign and an ardent supporter of Detroit's recovery. In it, he concede that the city does have some problems, but also highlights some of the city's more cosmopolitan attractions.
"Rumor has it you would have preferred your husband playing in Chicago. That's a story we are too familiar with here in Michigan. In fact, several of our universities have their largest alumni chapters in the Windy City. A lot of people attribute this to a lack of jobs in the area but in fact, of the 46 percent of college graduates that are leaving the state within a year of graduation, roughly two-thirds of them are choosing where they want to live before they decide to look for a job. They choose to live in cities that offer a certain metropolitan lifestyle that they don't feel they can get in Michigan.
It's what has been referred to as the "talented dividend" and it doesn't just apply to the skill of a starting line-up, it also deals with the talented team that any company competing in a global marketplace needs in order to survive.
So as you can see, we need to develop a greater appreciation of the importance of quality of place here in Michigan."
FULL STORY: An open letter to Tiger Johnny Damon's wife: Detroit's got class

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie