Desperate for jobs and tax revenue, the City of Detroit has permitted its three original casino operators to build new larger complexes.
"Battered by the near collapse of America's motoring industry, Detroit is betting on gaming as a way to revive its fortunes. MGM's 400-room hotel is the biggest of three huge gaming developments in the city. It incorporates a spa, designer restaurants and an upmarket nightclub with room rates of up to $4,000 a night for a VIP suite. MGM's marketing material declares that "the world has seven wonders - now Detroit has one".
However, the new casinos have not come without criticism.
"Matt Allen, press secretary to the city's mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick, says: "Detroit is the largest African American city in our country. There was a lot of consternation from preachers that people would lose their homes, that morally this was wrong."
But the sheer volume of money raised from the casinos has quietened some of the more strident criticism. Allen says the three sites yield taxes of between $440,000 and $500,000 a day - or $170m annually. "That buys a lot of fire trucks, a lot of police officers, a lot of parks and recreation and it keeps the lights on in a lot of public buildings."
FULL STORY: Detroit gambles on casinos
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
What Trump’s Executive Orders Mean for US Housing Programs
Orders related to DEI and accessibility, among others, may threaten housing programs for those who need them most.
University of Hawai‘i Appoints New Architecture School Dean
The University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa has named Mo Zell as the new dean of its School of Architecture, bringing over two decades of experience in academia, innovative educational programs, and industry partnerships to advance design education.
Part of San Francisco Waterfront Highway to Become Pedestrian-Only in April
Two miles of the ‘Great Highway’ will be permanently closed to cars, in part due to erosion that makes the road unsafe for vehicles.
El Paso Wastewater Purification Facility Breaks Ground
As water supplies become strained and technology advances, cities look to wastewater as a viable source of drinking water.
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.
North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA)
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research