The Mayor of Detroit Has Some Thoughts About Reviving Los Angeles

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When Mike Duggan assumed the position of Detroit’s mayor in 2014, the city was precariously situated. Its main industries were abandoning ship, homelessness was rapidly increasing, and what once was a symbol of American pride appeared worn and frayed.

It was, in other words, a little like present-day Los Angeles.

Duggan played a key role in bringing about a transformation that has effectively addressed many of the issues faced before, making it one of the most impressive urban resurgences in modern U.S. history. Given his past successes, he appeared to be an ideal interviewee to share insights on the present difficulties facing the Southland.

Duggan played a significant role in orchestrating a turnaround that has largely resolved many of the problems faced previously, making it one of the most remarkable urban recoveries in recent American history. As such, he seemed an excellent choice to seek thoughts from regarding the current challenges facing the Southland.

He advises, ‘It’s important to confront reality as it truly is, not as you might hope it to be,’ when discussing the best guidance for navigating Los Angeles.

Essentially, instead of yearning for a past that’s vanishing, it’s more productive to adapt to a present that’s evolving. For instance, rather than attempting to recover every single manufacturing job, he should embrace a different approach to job creation, as the city has done by encouraging mobility and technology-focused innovation companies.

And in Los Angeles’ case? Maybe not put all your hope in recapturing production jobs.

Due to Duggan not explicitly stating it, it’s implicit: The rise in film production costs coupled with the advent of AI and cheaper production options elsewhere makes it highly improbable for all those on-set jobs to return, much like the revival of car manufacturing in Detroit. Yet, this doesn’t mean that initiatives such as increased California tax incentives shouldn’t be pursued. It simply means we need to invest our efforts elsewhere.

Duggan recently expressed his backing for “Live From Detroit: The Concert at Michigan Central,” a Peacock-streamed event that initially aired in June and is now nominated for the best variety special at this year’s Emmys. During the show, prominent figures from Detroit such as Diana Ross, Jack White, Big Sean, and Eminem (with Eminem himself contributing to the selection of songs to reflect Detroit’s diverse music genres) all performed. Notable out-of-state artists like Jelly Roll and Melissa Etheridge also joined in.

The concert, held near the renovated Michigan Central, served as an illustration of urban revitalization. Over a six-year period and with a $1 billion investment, Ford transformed the once decaying train station, closed since 1988, into a modern technology hub for mobility – one of Duggan’s notable accomplishments.

Although his comeback faced some disagreements, such as debates regarding potential public health risks from the city’s “blight demolition” and criticisms towards him for close relationships with developers, Duggan still managed to earn sufficient praise to serve three terms in office. He is now a strong contender for the position of Michigan governor as an independent candidate, potentially succeeding Gretchen Whitmer.

Duggan admitted that he lacked sufficient knowledge about Los Angeles to provide Karen Bass with tailored advice. However, he felt confident discussing his experience in Detroit, where he successfully drew numerous startups through diverse programs and incentives, causing the city to gain recognition as one of the most rapidly expanding startup environments globally.

As a gamer diving into this virtual world, I found myself in a city where joblessness was alarmingly high, yet brimming with educated individuals yearning for employment. So, we had to approach the businesses and ask, “What are the obstacles that prevent you from hiring? Let’s work together to tackle those challenges.

He additionally commented on how the city continued to grapple with consequences stemming from the Detroit Uprising of 1967, including population decline, for multiple decades. However, during numerous nights of George Floyd protests in 2020, there was no violence reported.

Despite maintaining its allure as a hub for dream chasers, be it in Hollywood or beyond, modern-day Los Angeles appears to be quite different from 2000s Detroit on various counts. However, recent surveys suggest that the city’s glamour might be diminishing. For instance, last year’s Los Angeles Quality of Life Index, spearheaded by UCLA’s Luskin School of Public Affairs, revealed that Angelenos’ perceptions of their quality of life were at a nine-year study low.

Furthermore, the city’s significant financial deficit and a 22% drop in local manufacturing earlier this year paint a more dismal image. (Occasionally, even proponents of production have issued warnings reminiscent of Detroit’s situation.)

Across California, the general sentiment isn’t favorable: a study by Leger Analytics found that over twice as many people outside the state think California’s model shouldn’t be emulated compared to those who believe it should. Moreover, 77% of respondents expressed no interest in relocating to California, which helps explain why the California Department of Finance predicts minimal growth from now until 2030, after periods of significant expansion for much of its history.

Those connected with the concert and Detroit’s revival believe that Los Angeles could benefit by studying lessons from Detroit’s rejuvenation process.

According to Paul Rosenberg, Eminem’s longtime manager and native of Detroit, the goal is to alter people’s perspectives. However, once this shift in perception occurs, it’s crucial to identify the individuals, businesses, institutions, and even governments that are ready to back up this change.

In Detroit, several entities took on the role of city benefactors, such as Ford, which not only funded the restoration of the train station but also sponsored the concert, alongside local tycoons like Mike Ilitch and Dan Gilbert. However, it’s uncertain who will fill these roles in Los Angeles; many established studios are currently downsizing, while tech-entertainment companies with substantial resources have yet to show significant dedication towards the city.

Jesse Collins, a seasoned Emmys producer who recently organized both the Detroit concert and this year’s BET Awards in downtown, expressed his conviction that he has uncovered some secrets behind the Michigan miraculous success.

It appears that Detroit has a powerful sense of unity – regardless of one’s financial status, Detroit residents support each other. They exhibit a team spirit, and after the fires in Los Angeles, everyone came together. My suggestion is to discover our own community and avoid letting economic disparities create divisions.

The central debate surrounding Los Angeles’ future hinges on whether its deeply rooted legend, along with its rich tapestry of residents from varied cultures, can triumph over seemingly insurmountable economic and governance hurdles.

2026 World Cup, 2027 Super Bowl, and 2028 Olympics might provide an advantage for Los Angeles, events seemingly designed for exactly this purpose. However, the long-term impact of such grand sporting events on a city’s vitality has been a topic of disagreement among urban scholars. Those from Atlanta, who staged the Summer Games in 1996, have claimed that there was no lasting economic growth and that such expectations were unrealistic to begin with.

In comparison to Atlanta or Detroit, Los Angeles boasts a broader array of landscapes and industries, but also faces a more intricate set of housing, safety, and ecological issues that intensify the challenges common to company towns. As Rosenberg points out, “It’s not just about ‘the city is bankrupt, how do we recover?’ The situation is much more nuanced.

Despite these hurdles, Duggan maintains an optimistic outlook. He believes that if Detroit was able to recover, then Los Angeles can do the same, and perhaps not plummet as deeply initially.

He expressed, “Back when I first began in Detroit, I would’ve happily traded just about anything for the weather, the coastline, and the economic foundation that Los Angeles offers.

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2025-06-19 04:25