Diving Deep Into a Local Story

In these days of sound bite journalism, being given the chance to write 5,000 words delving into a topic for a mainstream publication is a privilege. When I’m asked to contribute an article for The Ann, a magazine based in Ann Arbor, no word length is discussed. The idea is that I should submit a piece that’s long enough to do justice to the topic and to include all the important aspects so the piece is fair. So I dove in to the meaty subject of whether the city of Ann Arbor needs a new world class hotel and conference center. The result is this article. To those who don’t live here, the subject may seem trite. But for the many who have been pushing for a luxurious place to host meetings, those recruiting for the university and others seeking to boost tourism, it’s a big deal. In researching this article, I was able to learn more about local government and the role that the University of Michigan and private industry play when it comes to a decision like this. I found that there is no easy answer to why the city does not have a four star hotel. But at the very least, I hope the piece shed light on the issue and will become the launching point for further discussion.