Companies Detroit Should Try to Court

**Detroit500** · August-26-09, 08:19 PM

I've been trying to figure out, what companies should Detroit work very hard to try to bring to the city -- either through tax breaks, incentives, etc. etc. If you think about it there are lots of incentives which would persuade a business to move into Detroit [[or at least the metro region) due to lower costs of living, cheaper construction costs, etc. etc.

I'm not saying necessarily that these companies would relocate a headquarters here [[though that would be great), but at least operate a significant number of their employees out of a "Detroit" office.

Here were some that I was thinking:

Microsoft
Delta
Caterpillar
Turner Media [[CNN, etc.)

anyone have any other thoughts?

**izzyindetroit** · August-26-09, 08:23 PM

Synagro Technologies Inc.

**Detroit500** · August-26-09, 08:27 PM

izzy, makes perfect sense to me. Now THAT would have been a bribe worth taking.

**DetroitPlanner** · August-26-09, 09:09 PM

Haliburton
Cheesecake Factory
House of Blues

**izzyindetroit** · August-26-09, 09:19 PM

Monsanto

To take urban-ag to the max.

**HazenPingree** · August-27-09, 01:38 AM

We should also get

Toyota
Apple Computer
FAO Schwartz
and the company that makes Duct Tape

**Gsgeorge** · August-27-09, 01:43 AM

i would like to see these fine companies move their HQs to detroit!

wig shops united
nail salons'r'Us
unhealthy junk food stores, Inc
dollar store HQ
gas station with bullet proof glass & co.
shady auto repair shop corporation

MIRepublic · August-27-09, 02:19 AM

More seriously, I don't think Detroit should count on actively poaching any company; I find that neither an effective strategy nor an appropriate one. Detroit, when it does turn around, will have turned around because it gave ample attention, first, to its start-ups, not because it sang some siren song to be heard across the nation leading to some corporation to wreck itself on the metropolitan economy.

**iheartthed** · August-27-09, 06:57 AM

I always thought it would make sense for the city to aggressively compete to be the North American HQ of the foreign automakers. The city leaders could probably do so without much political backlash, but getting the state leaders to sign on would be a different story...

**ndavies** · August-27-09, 07:28 AM

How about Instead of courting individual companies we fix the problems around here. Then new startups can grow, companies we already have won't leave and other companies will just want to come here because it makes sense to be here.

How do we do that. We fix the schools, We reduce the crime, we lower taxes, We become a right to work state and we slim down the city and state government so they go back to providing essential services instead of just making municipal jobs.

**archytech** · August-27-09, 07:30 AM

I'd much rather see Detroit attempt to support new and emerging businesses instead of the corporate entities. Not that the name above aren't good ideas. The real question is how to we make it easier to do business here. Its very hard to get started in the city. You shouldn't have to know someone to do business with the city.

**E hemingway** · August-27-09, 09:02 AM

MIRepublic and ndavies are right. iheartthed has a point, too, but why would anyone seriously consider setting up shop here when we can't even clean up our own backyard? Besides is it really worth investing in attracting some [[[[[[ bag corporation [[from a municipal standpoint) that is more likely to abandon its home than stay and try to fix it up?

MIRepublic · August-27-09, 09:09 PM

Originally Posted by E hemingway

MIRepublic and ndavies are right. iheartthed has a point, too, but why would anyone seriously consider setting up shop here when we can't even clean up our own backyard? Besides is it really worth investing in attracting some [[[[[[ bag corporation [[from a municipal standpoint) that is more likely to abandon its home than stay and try to fix it up?

Well, to be clear, and just to distinguish myself from ndavies proposals, I do not support the dubiously-named 'right to work' silliness.

**mwilbert** · August-27-09, 09:50 PM

Detroit and Michigan should strive to become the easiest place in the country to set up a business. Not necessarily the cheapest, but the one with the fewest and most straightforward procedures, and with the best assistance in navigating them. If we could get someplace close to that, lots more people would start businesses, and probably some of those would grow to considerable sizes.

It is my impression that this would be a considerable change from the current situation.

**ndavies** · August-28-09, 06:51 AM

Originally Posted by MIRepublic

Well, to be clear, and just to distinguish myself from ndavies proposals, I do not support the dubiously-named 'right to work' silliness.

You may not support it , but without it many companies won't even look at Michigan.

**Russix** · August-28-09, 08:50 AM

Originally Posted by mwilbert

Detroit and Michigan should strive to become the easiest place in the country to set up a business. Not necessarily the cheapest, but the one with the fewest and most straightforward procedures, and with the best assistance in navigating them. If we could get someplace close to that, lots more people would start businesses, and probably some of those would grow to considerable sizes.

It is my impression that this would be a considerable change from the current situation.

Ehem, if there was money to be made, it wouldn't matter how complicated, backwards, and expensive it is to setup a business here. Companies would still setup shop to tap into a profitable market, but profitable market we are not. Right-to-work states only attract jobs that were on their way to China or Mexico so I wouldn't get too excited at the prospect.

**Detroit500** · August-28-09, 04:11 PM

Yes, but I think Michigan should also try to figure out what types of businesses to try to attract, some fit Michigan's "game plan" closer than others.

MicroSoft is a good fit because in part due to Steve Ballmer's relationship with the community -- he came back to town to speak at the national summit, has given or has had MS give millions to institutions like The Henry Ford, Detroit Country Day, etc. MicroSoft and Ford Motor have also teamed up on some exciting technologies such as sync. Seeing MS move to Dearborn or Detroit would be great!

Caterpillar might be interested in Michigan due to the highly skilled manufacturing labor force that Michigan has to offer, similar types of products, slightly different market than GM.

**Detroitej72** · August-28-09, 04:20 PM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

I always thought it would make sense for the city to aggressively compete to be the North American HQ of the foreign automakers. The city leaders could probably do so without much political backlash, but getting the state leaders to sign on would be a different story...

I had always heard that the two reasons the foreign automakers didn't locate here were because of the clout that the Big 3 had over state leaders and the strong union presence.

**DetroitPlanner** · August-28-09, 06:24 PM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

I always thought it would make sense for the city to aggressively compete to be the North American HQ of the foreign automakers. The city leaders could probably do so without much political backlash, but getting the state leaders to sign on would be a different story...

The last thing the Detroit area should do is go after more eggs to put in one basket. That is one of the main reasons why we are in the mess we're in now. Right now we are stuck because we have to bend over backwards to please the automakers that are here now. When we can only do so much for economic development, we can't ignore them, but at the same time we need to pursue other economies.

MIRepublic · August-28-09, 09:00 PM

Originally Posted by ndavies

You may not support it , but without it many companies won't even look at Michigan.

Utter bullshit. There is not one right-to-work state in the northeast, and only one in the midwest/Great Lakes [[Iowa). The absence of right-to-work is not even an a legitimate obstacle, for us, but keep dreaming. Even considerably less regulated and more red Indiana isn't right-to-work. RtoW is a gimmick, and one that doesn't accomplish anything beyond its real intent: to victimize a state's middle class.

**Tsomyak** · August-28-09, 09:11 PM

Originally Posted by MIRepublic

Utter bullshit. There is not one right-to-work state in the northeast, and only one in the midwest/Great Lakes [[Iowa). The absence of right-to-work is not even an a legitimate obstacle, for us, but keep dreaming.

And what industries are coming to the Midwest and Northeast? Precious few. It's no coincidence that Honda, Toyota, etc, etc. built their plants in the south and west. I'm not saying I like it, but I think the recent history is pretty clear. Corporations will build where they don't have to deal with unions.

**vetalalumni** · August-28-09, 09:45 PM

Originally Posted by Detroit500

Yes, but I think Michigan should also try to figure out what types of businesses to try to attract, some fit Michigan's "game plan" closer than others.

MicroSoft is a good fit because in part due to Steve Ballmer's relationship with the community -- he came back to town to speak at the national summit, has given or has had MS give millions to institutions like The Henry Ford, Detroit Country Day, etc. MicroSoft and Ford Motor have also teamed up on some exciting technologies such as sync. Seeing MS move to Dearborn or Detroit would be great!

Caterpillar might be interested in Michigan due to the highly skilled manufacturing labor force that Michigan has to offer, similar types of products, slightly different market than GM.

Game plan idea sounds great.

Big Brother [[MicroSoft) may have reached an apex, or will soon. Without dramatic different directions, it will slowly fade sooner than many believe. Regardless, it has little problem attaining top-tier corporate talent right where it currently is located. And their satellite's do quite well as it is. Not sure what would motivate a corporate move to MI.

Caterpillar is quietly very important to Illinois and that state would fight hard to retain Caterpillar. And corporate Caterpillar [[Peoria) also has little trouble finding international and regional talent [[UofI, Bradley, Chicago area schools etc...).

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

The last thing the Detroit area should do is go after more eggs to put in one basket. That is one of the main reasons why we are in the mess we're in now. Right now we are stuck because we have to bend over backwards to please the automakers that are here now. When we can only do so much for economic development, we can't ignore them, but at the same time we need to pursue other economies.

That would be diversification [[spreading risk). For that, MI should scale up in Medicine and Health, Education, Communications, and of course Technology.

**jtf1972** · August-28-09, 09:50 PM

I can only think of two. 1. Any & 2. All.

**East Detroit** · August-29-09, 07:57 AM

Microsoft could be a possibility.

1. We have a lot of technical people ready to work, or switch jobs
2. Ballmer has roots here and is pro-Detroit
3. Google making forays into Michigan which could make them respond

http://www.techflash.com/microsoft/M..._46116482.html