This is veering wildly off-topic, but I think people from the area are more "cynical" about Detroit because we are more aware of the real problems in the region. Lack of transit, issues with the education system, high auto insurance, crime, an auto-dependent economy, etc. Outsiders get to read nice fuzzy stories from the New York Times about new restaurants once or twice a year and maybe visit to see the highlights, but that isn't reality.

There's a lot to be excited about in Detroit, including the possibility of the tallest building in Michigan, but we're also still trying to recover from deep economic, racial and infrastructure issues from over 70 years ago.