It started out as the D.E.M.F. It seemed to be a booby prize given to the techno culture in Detroit [[and other parts of the country I heard) when all of the parties were systematically shut-down in late '99. I don't think city planners took it seriously. But the first one drew close to a million folks [[the only death was a kid trying to imitate other kids climbing the Noguchi fountain-an easy task up, I hear, but a perilous one down. Cops saw him and ran towards him shouting. He panicked to get down, fell on his head, and died hours later in the hospital. Felt bad when I heard about it from those who were there to see it.), and dollar signs sprang up in the eyes of many.
The following year was a rain out the whole weekend, but there were twice as many corporate sponsorship [[like Absolute Vodka). The third year the controversy of Carl Craig being edged out on the whole thing [[and a lot of folks who backed him and supported him were mad) was a constant underpinning. Once the name changed and admission was charged, folks knew it was far too removed from it's inception, and attendance dropped radically.
Detroit still has lots of events that draw folks. I still stand by the Montreux-Detroit Jazz Festival [[oh, I'm sorry, the Detroit Jazz fest) as being a happening thing that gets good acts and packs folks in yearly. It's in the top 25 jazz fests listed. You can't have Detroit and not have music as a part of it all.