Are suburbanites aware of how unattractive living in Metro-Detroit is to outsiders?

[Kathleen]

I work for a foreign corporation with facilities here in Metro-Detroit. Recently I had a discussion with some young European co-workers that were here on short-term assignment. They all told me that they didn't care much for Metro-Detroit. They weren't crazy about Downtown Detroit or the suburbs. They stayed in Novi. Their dislike of the suburbs was equal to their dislike of Downtown Detroit. Take Detroit proper out the picture. No one I know in cities such as DC, NY, Miami, etc. says "Detroit sucks but its suburbs are world class". This makes me wonder. Are suburbanites aware of how unattractive living in Metro-Detroit is nationally and globally? And are they aware of how unattractive it is to single people or people under 40?

Has anyone in your company taken the time to show your colleagues around the city and metro area? For the last several years, working with colleagues from India, California, and the UK that were on short-term assignments in our suburban Detroit offices, I've taken them on tours lasting from 3 to 10 hours, depending on the day and availability, on my own time, to share some of Detroit's historic and cultural treasures with them. All have enjoyed their experiences and some have asked for follow-up tours on subsequent stays.

I can't imagine being sent to a place where I'm holed up in a hotel room with little or no access to transportation when not working in the office. With mostly malls to visit in Novi, who wouldn't think little of the area?