Anybody Headed To Detroit?

[KALIND]

If You Need Anything Let Me Know.

[Da Fanatic]

How bout bullet proof vests?? I was in Detroit last April. Stayed at the OMNI, which was the nicest part of the trip. Went over to the casino in greektown, what a scumbag joint that was. That city is in pretty bad shape.

[rio132]

Originally Posted by Da Fanatic

How bout bullet proof vests?? I was in Detroit last April. Stayed at the OMNI, which was the nicest part of the trip. Went over to the casino in greektown, what a scumbag joint that was. That city is in pretty bad shape.

you got that right...i spent the better part of my first half of my life there...not a very fun place at all

[rio132]

Originally Posted by Da Fanatic

How bout bullet proof vests?? I was in Detroit last April. Stayed at the OMNI, which was the nicest part of the trip. Went over to the casino in greektown, what a scumbag joint that was. That city is in pretty bad shape.

Super Bowl Host Is U.S.'s Poorest Big City By SARAH KARUSH, Associated Press Writer
Mon Jan 30, 4:10 PM ET



DETROIT - Before the Super Bowl kickoff this weekend, private planes will land here, limousines will clog the streets, and lavish parties will be thrown for those with famous names or lots of money. The kitchens of Ford Field will be stocked with two tons of lobster.

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Much of the rest of Detroit, though, is a landscape dotted with burned-out buildings, where liquor stores abound but supermarkets are hard to come by, and where drugs, violence and unemployment are everyday realities.

Officials in the nation's poorest big city see hosting the game as a huge boost. They say it will be a catalyst for further development and provide a chance to improve Detroit's gritty reputation. They hope visitors will take note of new restaurants, clubs and lofts downtown. To make sure the city makes a good impression, dilapidated buildings have been torn down, roads repaved and landmarks renovated.

Yet with the exception of a few square miles in the center of town, many residents say they have not seen any improvement. And they don't expect the Super Bowl to have an effect on their lives.

"They spend all that money on the Super Bowl ... but they ain't doing nothing for here," said Arthur Lauderdale, 59, who lives about four miles from the heart of downtown on Detroit's east side.

The scenery along Van Dyke Street near Lauderdale's home would be familiar to anyone who has seen "8 Mile," Eminem's movie about life in Detroit. The street's once-bustling commercial section is dominated by boarded-up stores, charred buildings and vacant lots. The only signs of activity are at storefront churches and the occasional liquor store and hot-dog joint.

That is not to say there are no thriving areas outside of downtown. Detroit has several historic neighborhoods of stately mansions, and new housing developments for the middle class have sprung up here and there. But those are exceptions in a city that people have been fleeing for half a century.

Lauderdale's neighbor, 56-year-old Lenerle Workman, said she recently moved back to Van Dyke Street, where she grew up, only because of special tax breaks for homeowners in the neighborhood. She recalled a time when the street was lined with trees and a florist occupied what is now an empty lot across from her home.

"There's blocks where there's only one house (left) on the block," she said. "Where did all those people go?"

Nearly 2 million people lived in Detroit in the 1950s; today it has fewer than 900,000. According to the Census Bureau, more than a third of those people lived at or below the federal poverty line in 2004, the largest percentage of any U.S. city with a population of 250,000 or more.

Detroit's 2005 unemployment rate was 14.1 percent, more than 2 1/2 times the national level.

The city has announced deep cuts in services over the past year to cope with an enormous deficit. Hundreds of municipal employees have been laid off, bus service has been scaled back, nine recreation centers have been shuttered, and bulk trash pickup has been canceled.

"We're forgotten people," Workman said.

Walking home from a bus stop, 54-year-old Raymond Parker said recent development in the city would not help him.

"They're building up for the middle class," said Parker, who works at a soup kitchen and does not have a car or a telephone. "I don't knock it, but until I get to that pay scale, it wouldn't affect me."

Detroit, which logged 374 homicides last year, consistently ranks at or near the top of an annual list of the most dangerous cities compiled by Morgan Quitno Press.

City officials say Super Bowl visitors should not be intimidated by the statistics, saying downtown is relatively safe.

But that is small comfort in outlying neighborhoods.

Workman points to a bus stop at the corner where a young man was recently shot to death. She is disturbed by the comings and goings at a reputed drug house next door and by the hostile-looking youths who hang around outside the liquor store across the street.

She and her neighbors say they cannot count on police to help in this part of the city.

"You learn how to adapt and keep you a gun," Lauderdale said.

Organizers of the Super Bowl festivities have sought to ensure the larger community is not ignored amid all the VIP parties. Besides a free, four-day winter festival being held downtown ahead of the game, dozens of fundraisers will collect money for mostly local charities. The NFL and the city's Super Bowl host committee are each contributing $1 million toward construction of a $6 million youth center.

Host committee chairman Roger Penske said he is optimistic that the development that has started downtown will gradually spread to the rest of the city.

Parker, the soup kitchen employee, said he does not begrudge Super Bowl revelers their fun, but he won't be joining in.

"We, as people who don't have that kind of money, shouldn't even be downtown," he said.

[Yanks23]

Originally Posted by Da Fanatic

How bout bullet proof vests?? I was in Detroit last April. Stayed at the OMNI, which was the nicest part of the trip. Went over to the casino in greektown, what a scumbag joint that was. That city is in pretty bad shape.

I used to stay at the Omni (River Place) all the time b/c my company had an office next door. It was a decent hotel but don't walk more than 2 blocks away in that neighborhood. I got a call one morning from the valet to tell me that the rear driver side door on my rental car had been stolen. That's right...they stole just the door and luckily left my golf clubs in the trunk. What a city!

[hgldls]

Originally Posted by Yanks23

I used to stay at the Omni (River Place) all the time b/c my company had an office next door. It was a decent hotel but don't walk more than 2 blocks away in that neighborhood. I got a call one morning from the valet to tell me that the rear driver side door on my rental car had been stolen. That's right...they stole just the door and luckily left my golf clubs in the trunk. What a city!

stole the door?
lol

[iggs111]

yea Ive been to detroit...gotta be on your toes in that town

[wdjb]

I Got a story too!! was in sarnia when i was a merchant marine.me and 2 other sailors
went to detroit ,while on a afternoon off. went to this bar and all we had were canadian $50 dollar bills. a little old lady owned the place . after several beers later it was getting dark she told us to leave. there were guys at the bar that were really bad dudes, and were looking at us she said. so shit scared we were we left, as we got out the bar there was a hooker out front. one of the guys we were with had a new pair of snake skin cowboy boots about $1000 worth of boots.she started following us and telling my friend to give her the boots, we were shitting ourselves from this hooker?
then we started running like 3 little girls, man i'm glad nobody i knew saw me, it was too funny!!! we are all over 225 lbs......the hooker 130 lbs wet.......man was she scary

[joe dynamite]

Originally Posted by wdjb

I Got a story too!! was in sarnia when i was a merchant marine.me and 2 other sailors
went to detroit ,while on a afternoon off. went to this bar and all we had were canadian $50 dollar bills. a little old lady owned the place . after several beers later it was getting dark she told us to leave. there were guys at the bar that were really bad dudes, and were looking at us she said. so shit scared we were we left, as we got out the bar there was a hooker out front. one of the guys we were with had a new pair of snake skin cowboy boots about $1000 worth of boots.she started following us and telling my friend to give her the boots, we were shitting ourselves from this hooker?
then we started running like 3 little girls, man i'm glad nobody i knew saw me, it was too funny!!! we are all over 225 lbs......the hooker 130 lbs wet.......man was she scary

lol that's funny. never been to Detoit but I'm stayin away from the hos!

[wdjb]

Originally Posted by dp dynamite

lol that's funny. never been to Detoit but I'm stayin away from the hos!

just wear cheep shoes!!..lol

[KALIND]

i have been to alot of places and every city has it good and bad. you guys must think shit dont stink everywhere.lol

oh well i understand, just wanted to help out where i could.lol



theres a ghetto in EVERY city, not just detroit.

[rio132]

Originally Posted by KALIND

theres a ghetto in EVERY city, not just detroit.

that is true, but detroit is one big ghetto

[Big Pimpin]

Originally Posted by rio132

that is true, but detroit is one big ghetto

of course your silly ass chimes....how about u shut the fuk up with your city bashing all the time. Damn son...leave already,nobody likes you

[domafia]

Originally Posted by big pimpin

of course your silly ass chimes....how about u shut the fuk up with your city bashing all the time. Damn son...leave already,nobody likes you

Chill bp, rio has already mentioned (in this thread I might add) he lived in Detroit for a long time. I understand where you're coming from, but in this case I think guy is allowed to express his (informed) opinion.

[Big Pimpin]

Originally Posted by domafia

Chill bp, rio has already mentioned (in this thread I might add) he lived in Detroit for a long time. I understand where you're coming from, but in this case I think guy is allowed to express his (informed) opinion.

Dom...this guy has lived everywhere for a long time....some examples..

1. Pitts
2. NO
3. Delaware
4. All parts of Cali
5. Detroit
6. Every country outside USA


Bottom line......How do you/I know he lived there. I call bullshit for one as he claims he has been everywhere. Ban me if you want but I'm just sick of his USA city bashing bullshit. **** that shit....he wants to bash the US so damn bad then I'll stand up for it in my way. He stops then I'll stop but this is total bullshit