A Port In The Storm

I am really angry!

What a great day for Detroit! What a horrible day for Windsor! What a gross miscalculation that may cost us dearly if someone at City Hall does not finally wake up. Obviously I am talking about the Ambassador Bridge Company’s plans for the economic revival of Detroit. Oh, and fixing the border too, Properly!

Remember the sage words of our experts on the border on Council, the Mayor and Mr. STOPDRTP:

• “A plan to create a joint 150-acre U.S.-Canada customs plaza on Detroit's west end to handle tunnel and bridge traffic has been floated by the bridge company. A new road parallel to the riverfront would carry tunnel traffic to the superplaza, according to the bridge's proposal.
  
  "The commission feels (the bridge plan) doesn't make any sense," Francis said. "The plan would effectively shut down the tunnel. There would be no use of it. If people have to go all the way to the west end (for customs clearance) they would just use the bridge."
  
  Coun. Dave Brister, a member of the tunnel commission, described the bridge's plan as a serious threat to $6 million in annual revenues for the city as part owner of the tunnel.
  
  "Clearly that would be at risk if the bridge's plan goes forward," Brister said. "I would have concern if the DCTC is supporting the bridge plan because it’s not in the best interest of Windsor taxpayers."

Well they were both wrong. It does make sense and the Tunnel will now thrive in spite of our naysayers. The Mayor and Councillor Brister have to start “Thinking Big.” They just don’t seem to get it yet.

It is clear that they have not figured out that, to make money at the Tunnel, you need a working border at the Bridge and Tunnel so that Americans do not fear waiting for hours to cross into Canada. A working border is in the interest of the taxpayers of Windsor and businesses who depend on getting their goods into the US without delay. Promoting subsidized NEXUS cards is NOT the way to promote a free-moving Tunnel for heaven’s sake. They are talking as Tunnel Commissioners and what is good for the Tunnel only and not as Members of Council interested in what is good for all citizens of Windsor.

Unlike the Schwartz billion-dollar dream, this is no chimera. The stars seem to be aligning themselves properly so that this concept can be brought to a practical reality. Ask the Bridge Co. how long they have been working on this and doing what it really takes to get a project like this organized and moving. Oh well, they are only putting up 30 million of their money in real US dollars so I assume they think it makes sense. They are only business people after all.

The story is not the Tunnel although it is very important for Detroit budgetary reasons and for the Council apologists to stir up people in Windsor for their own self-interest. I hate to be a spoil-sport but it does not matter what we say about this. This is all taking place in the US so who cares about Canada, except us. Clearly the Governor and the Mayor of Detroit will be pleased.

The real story is the economic revival of Detroit and the region. The real tragedy is that Windsor is not up there on the stage saying we are part of this.

Isn’t it ironic. A few weeks ago the City brought in another world-famous guru to tell us about the importance of regional co-operation in the globalization fight and now we are on the outside looking in as a major announcement is made. I wonder if our Mayor even was told about it or is he totally now out of the loop. I just do not get it.

I may as well tell it to you here since I doubt that you will read about it locally above the din of the apologists. As I understand it, there are 4 key elements on what is being called “Port of Opportunity & Employment.” The word Port is used since the Detroit Wayne County Port Authority is a major player in the program. (In case you missed it, months ago the Bridge Co. said that it wanted to work with the Port Authority over here. I wonder if anyone from the Authority followed up)

The elements are:
1) Border Solution, “International Center” of trade & tourism to promote increased trade opportunities between Canada and the US ie the 200 booth solution that was announced before.
2) Creation of “Big Box & Main Street” retail development in the heart of Detroit’s major roadway network
3) Port Authority creation of a major manufacturing & distribution center ie a very specialized competitive solution for retention and cost savings for regional manufacturers and the entire US supplier community
4) Detroit-Wayne County Port Authority assumes operation and expansion of Detroit Windsor Tunnel

My suggestion however is that this is just the beginning of the story. Check out the Port Authority’s website on your own to see what the true advantage of this whole concept is. It is brilliant! The GM project will be clearly the first of many such projects to grow Detroit economically.

There’s a lot more to talk about but that can wait for another day.