Detroit's World City Ranking

[BrushStart]

We are gamma- as of 2010, but still ranked.

I thought I'd go through the factors:

Economic characteristics

• Corporate headquarters for multinational corporations, international financial institutions, law firms, conglomerates, and stock exchanges that have influence over the world economy.
  
  • Metro Detroit has 12 Fortune 500 companies [[Ford, General Motors, GMAC, TRW, Lear, Penske Group, DTE, Masco, Visteon, Autoliv, ArvinMeritor, Kelly Services). In 2006, we had 23 Fortune 500 companies.
  • We don't have many major financial institutions [[Comerica screwed us). We still have GMAC, Ford Credit, and Quicken Loans is a new addition.
  • Metro Detroit doesn't have a single law firm ranked in the Vault 100.
  • The Detroit Stock Exchange is long extinct.
  
  
• Significant financial capacity/output: city/regional GDP
  
  • Detroit has the 23rd largest GDP in the world at $253 billion
  
  
• Stock market indices/market capitalisation
  
  • No indicies based in Detroit, but we do have many publicly traded companies
  
  
• Financial service provision; e.g., banks, accountancy
  
  • Again, Comerica screwed us, but we are saved by the Big 4 accounting firms
  
  
• Costs of living personal wealth; e.g., number of billionaires
  
  • Detroit has the 9th most millionaires of U.S. cities [[92,000) total, and several billionaires, Matty Maroun, Mike Ilitch, Dan Gilbert, can we claim Tom Gores now?
  
  

Political characteristics

• Active influence on and participation in international events and world affairs; for example, Washington, London, Paris, Tokyo, Berlin, Rome, Moscow, Canberra and Beijing are major capitals of influential nations or unions.
  
  • Detroit has international collaboration with Windsor, Canada, and is also the busiest border crossing in North America for commerce and trade.
  
  
• Hosting headquarters for international organizations [[World Bank), NATO headquarters
  
  • Is the UAW an international organization? I think it is.
  
  
• A large proper, population of the municipality [[the centre of a metropolitan area, typically several million) or agglomeration
  
  • Metropolitan Detroit is a very large agglomeration of communities, with a declining urban center. It is the 11th largest MSA in the U.S.
  
  
• Diverse demographic constituencies based on various indicators: population, habitat, mobility, and urbanisation
  
  • No, not really.
  
  
• Expatriate communities
  
  • Largest Arab expatriate community in the U.S.
  
  

Cultural characteristics

• International, first-name familiarity. For example, New York City and Los Angeles are commonly referred to as just "New York" and "LA" respectively, without needing to specify its state or location within the United States.
  
  • Everyone in the world knows Detroit, the "Motor City," "Motown," etc.
  
  
• Renowned cultural institutions [[often with high endowments), such as notable museums and galleries, notable opera, orchestras, notable film centres and theatre centres.
  
  • The Detroit Institute of Arts
  • The Henry Ford
  • The Museum of African American History
  • The Detroit Opera
  • The Detroit Symphony Orchestra is recognized internationally
  • Detroit has a fledgling film industry
  • Detroit has the 2nd highest concentration of theatres outside of Broadway
  
  
• A lively cultural scene, including film festivals [[such as the Toronto International Film Festival), premieres, a thriving music scene, nightlife, an opera company, art galleries, street performers, and annual parades.
  
  • Detroit is the origin of Motown, Techno, and arguably Punk Rock, and is the birthplace of stars like Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson, Eminem, and Kid Rock, all of whom are known internationally.
  • Detroit has a thriving music scene, including the Detroit Electronic Music Festival, Jazz Festival, and Hoedown.
  • Nightlife scene is strong.
  • Detroit has a high concentration of art galleries and is recognized as a growing arts epicenter, i.e. Sugar Hill, Russell Industrial, etc.
  • Street performers? Maybe that guy who plays that sax in Greektown?
  • America's Thanksgiving Day parade is hosted by Detroit.
  
  
• Several influential media outlets with an international reach, such as the BBC, Reuters, The New York Times, or Agence France-Presse.
  
  • We have two regional newspapers with very limited international reach, outside of Windsor, Canada.
  
  
• A strong sporting community, including major sports facilities, home teams in major league sports, and the ability and historical experience to host international sporting events such as the Olympic Games, FIFA World Cup, or Grand Slam tennis events.
  
  • Detroit has 4 professional sports teams, which are well-known [[losing the Detroit Shock to Tulsa, OK cost us)
  • Detroit has hosted the Superbowl, MLB All Star Game, NCAA Final Four, and NCAA Frozen Four, but no international events
  • Detroit bid for the 1968 Olympics and may contend for the 2020 Summer Olympics
  
  
• Educational institutions; e.g., universities, international student attendance, research facilities
  
  • University of Michigan is an international research institution
  • Wayne State University is a major research institution
  • Eastern Michigan University is a research institution
  • Lawrence Tech is highly regarded technical school
  • College for Creative Studies is highly regarded arts school
  
  
• Sites of pilgrimage for world religions [[for example, Mecca, Jerusalem or Rome)
  
  • Not really.
  
  
• Cities containing World Heritage Sites of historical and cultural significance
  
  • Nope.
  
  
• Tourism throughout
  
  • Detroit is America's 23rd most visited city with 15.3 million travelers
  
  
• City as site or subject in arts and media, television, film, video games, music, literature, magazines, articles, documentary
  
  • Philip Levine is named poet laureate
  • Detroit appears or is discussed regularly in all forms of media
  
  
• City as an often repeated historic reference, showcase, or symbolic actions
  
  • Yes, Detroit represents cars, heavy industry, the middle class, unions, music, and African Americans. Sadly, Detroit is also a symbol for crime, segregation, decline, and blight.
  
  

Infrastructural characteristics

• An advanced transportation system that includes several highways and/or a large mass transit network offering multiple modes of transportation [[rapid transit, light rail, regional rail, ferry, or bus), for example the London Underground.
  
  • Detroit has an extensive highway system
  • Metro Detroit operates 2 bus systems, DDOT and SMART, and receives overlap service from the Windsor Transit Authority Tunnel Bus
  • Detroit has a 2.9 mile elevated rail line carrying 2.2 million passengers per year
  • Detroit has 4 connections to Canada: Ambassador Bridge, Bluewater Bridge, Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, and a heavy rail tunnel.
  • Detroit has a new downtown port, but no ferry service
  
  
• Extensive and popular mass transit systems, prominent rail usage, road vehicle usage, major seaports
  
  • Mass transit is not very popular. Personal vehicle ownership is high.
  
  
• A major international airport that serves as an established hub for several international airlines, for example, London. Airports with significant passenger traffic and international passengers traffic or cargo movements.
  
  • Detroit Metropolitan Airport is the 17th busiest airport in the U.S. with many international destinations.
  • DTW is a major hub for Delta Airlines.
  • McNamara Terminal is one of the most advanced airport terminals in the world.
  
  
• An advanced communications infrastructure on which modern trans-national corporations rely, such as fiberoptics, Wi-Fi networks, cellular phone services, and other high-speed lines of communications. For example, Seoul and Tokyo are known as the digital and technology capitals of the world.
  
  • Detroit is a typical U.S. city with infrastructure supporting all popular technologies.
  • City-wide WiFi service has been proposed.
  
  
• Health facilities; e.g., hospitals, medical laboratories
  
  • Metro Detroit is home to several major medical facilities, including the Detroit Medical Center [[Vanguard), Henry Ford Hospital, Beaumont Hospital, UofM Research Hospital Campus, Oakwood Hospital, St. Joseph Mercy Health System, etc.
  
  
• Prominent skylines/skyscrapers [[for example Chicago or Hong Kong)
  
  • One of the largest office complexes in the world [[Renaissance Center)
  • The tallest hotel in the Western Hemisphere [[Marriott)
  • The finest collection of pre-war era, Art Deco skyscrapers in the world, including the "Cathedral of Finance" aka Guardian Building.
  
  
• Cities' telephone and mail services, airport flights-range, traffic congestion, availability of water, train facilities, nearby parks, hospitals, libraries, police stations, etc.
  
  • Telephone and mail service are on par with other major U.S. cities
  • Airport flight range is international
  • Traffic congestion is moderate
  • Detroit Water & Sewage is considered to be among the cleanest treated water in the world.
  • Detroit is located in Michigan, which is surrounded by the world's 5 Great Lakes.
  • Train facilities are limited.
  • Belle Isle Park is the largest city park in the U.S. and the nearby Metro Park system is enviable.
  • Hospitals are plentiful, see above.
  • Libraries are plentiful, for now.
  • Detroit could use a more effective police presence.
  
  

Well, that's my analysis. What areas do you think we could improve the most?