Struggling Detroit Chases Away Businesses to Please their Union Overlords

By now, you’ve all seen the haunting photos of Detroit.  Usually there’s some sort of caption that confirms that these photos were taken — yes — in America.  And not only in America, but in the city that used to be our crown jewel.

The Detroit News reports that in spite of their desperate economic times, the city has no plans to bring viable jobs to its citizens:

You’d think, with all the economic depression that the city is suffering, that the leaders of the city would’ve woken up.  Maybe they would try to do something different, something to attract business, instead of repel it.

The City Council late last week refused to OK permits for a second tower of rooms to be built next to the Crowne Plaza Pontchartrain Hotel downtown.

The $158 million, 500-room expansion would have made Detroit more competitive for the big ticket conventions and events — such as the NCAA Final Four — that it is missing out on for lack of large hotels downtown.

It would have also created more jobs for city residents, both in the construction and staffing.

Interestingly, the owners of the hotel didn’t ask the city for any tax breaks or incentives. They just wanted to create jobs in a place that — honestly — most businesses have abandoned.  So why in the name of all that is holy, did Detroit decide to reject their plans?

Crowne Plaza has been in a long-running labor dispute with the union representing downtown hospitality workers. Three years ago, employees voted against forming a union.

Ahhhh….  Now it all makes sense.  Labor unions would rather Americans not have jobs than lose one ounce of their power.

The city tried to force Crown Plaza to take a neutral stance on labor organizing drives, which — to their credit — they refused to do.  Instead, they’ll take the money they had planned on investing in Detroit and move it to another city.   As Nolan Finney wrote, “Detroit not only loses a major hotel, it also sends a message to other developers that the city is not an honest broker when it comes to labor disputes.”

Image Credit: By Gwert38 (Template:Used with permission) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Hat Tip: Detroit News