Detroit has a bad reputation.
There are people who claim it's a dangerous, ugly city — most of whom have never actually been there.
Some of them don't live in Michigan, and some are talk show hosts.
They won't venture downtown, but they offer plenty of opinion on what's wrong with it.
But when people come to Detroit for Super Bowl XL on Sunday, they will get a chance to see Detroit for what it really is and not what stereotypes say it is.
When it was first announced in November 2000 that Detroit would host the 2006 Super Bowl, questions and jokes were incessant.
Who would want to go to the big game in a crime-infested city like Detroit?
But city officials and residents have taken the challenge to show visitors how wrong their misconceptions are by presenting all the city has to offer.
When people come downtown for the first time, they will see a city that has been working hard for several years to remodel its image — both literally and figuratively.
They will see a city that has large businesses like Compuware settling downtown and commercial projects springing up everywhere. Buildings are being renovated and new stores are opening up.
Detroit was on its way back up long before the Super Bowl was headed in its direction, but knowing the eyes of the country will be on it has given city planners a charge and something to work toward.
Some businesses were established specifically for the Super Bowl crowd, but they are meant to stay and help Detroiters long after the football fans leave town.
It would be great if some of the money going into the city for the Super Bowl could make its way to helping with more community projects.
Detroit is not perfect. It has crime and poverty. But what large, densely populated city doesn't?
The jokes that people tell about a city full of nothing but aggressive drivers, nasty people and lots of crime are misguided. There are great people that live in Detroit, and they will continue to work to make Detroit great. They will work hard to make the whole city, not just the visible downtown, a great place to live.
If you don't believe us, try asking a Detroiter for yourself. Have you ever done that?
People who go to Detroit for the football game should come back and see what the city can offer visitors.
There is plenty to do downtown, including art and history museums, theaters, restaurants, sculptures and parks. Detroit has a rich musical and cultural history and is a great place to live and visit.
Give Detroit a chance and be part of its renaissance.
Don't judge the city by what you've seen in Eminem's "8 Mile." See it for yourself.
