DETROIT BUSINESS MAIN 02-04-08 A 1 CDB 2/1/2008 7:08 PM Page 1 ® www.crainsdetroit.com Vol. 24, No. 5 FEBRUARY 4 – 10, 2008 $2 a copy; $59 a year ©Entire contents copyright 2008 by Crain Communications Inc. All rights reserved THIS JUST IN DSO seeks riverfront home Harper plans heart hospital The Detroit Symphony Or- chestra is talking with the BY SHERRI BEGIN The health system has won state versity Hospi- campus of specialty hospitals. Detroit Economic Growth CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS approval for a plan to add an $88 tal, Horvath It would be “a virtual institution Corp. about a plan that million, 13-floor south tower addi- said. within the halls of Harper Univer- Detroit Medical Center’s strug- would give the orchestra a tion to Harper University Hospi- Eventually, sity Hospital,” Bock said. “Our gling heart program at Sinai-Grace riverfront venue for sum- tal. the hospital also hope and plan is through philan- mer performances. Hospital could have new life if it The addition will house the new plans to relocate thropy to raise funds to build a The Miami-based John S. were consolidated into a new heart hospital, a ground floor three cardiac physical structure.” and James L. Knight Founda- “heart hospital” in development at emergency center, relocated car- catheterization Theodore Shreiber, a board-cer- tion has granted $100,000 to DMC Harper University Hospital. diac catheterization laboratories or angioplasty tified physician in cardiovascular the DSO for a feasibility Harper, which already has open and four floors of nonlicensed pro- labs to the new disease and interventional cardiol- study on the “reasonable- heart and angioplasty programs, is fessional office space, according to Bock tower, accord- ogy, who practices at Harper, will run the heart hospital, Bock said. ness of potentially having looking to create a heart hospital a state approval letter for the pro- ing to the state’s letter approving Bock announced last week that the DSO be part of a venue within Harper, said Larry Hor- ject. the project. he plans to resign in September to downtown,” said Ross Bin- vath, manager of the certificate of The new heart center will most- Harper President Brooks Bock nie, vice president of sales need section for the Michigan De- ly be for post-care of patients hav- said the hospital is part of the See Harper, Page 19 for the DSO. partment of Community Health. ing cardiac surgery at Harper Uni- DMC’s commitment to develop a The DSO’s performance last summer at the River Days festival showed there’s a community that is really interested in see- WHO WATCHED WHAT? THE RATINGS TELL THE STORY ing the orchestra perform How innovative outside during the sum- Mayor Kwame mer, he said. “We have a Kilpatrick’s broadcast number of summer homes, apology on Wednesday but we’re always looking.” drew many more local is Michigan? The DSO performs each viewers than either summer at Meadow Brook, President Bush’s State Greenfield Village and at of the Union address Kensington, Metro Beach on Monday or Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s Index aims to and Willow metroparks. Many years ago, it also per- State of the State formed at Detroit’s Chene speech on Tuesday. Kilpatrick Granholm Bush Park, and at one time on The following is the keep track Belle Isle, Binnie said. rating, or percentage of “We obviously wouldn’t receivers tuned to a 37.6 17.1 14.3 BY CHAD HALCOM play all summer; there given broadcast, for CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS would be other concerts each of the three: For more details, see Page 20. presented” at the proposed If innovators drive the state’s economic en- downtown venue, Binnie gine, a new report from the University of Michi- said. gan-Dearborn suggests the state’s brain trust is The DSO isn’t interested slowly getting a feel in owning the venue, he for the accelerator. said. Instead, it might look TRACKING All eyes on the mayor An inaugural “In- to lease space or work out novation Index,” re- INNOVATION another arrangement with leased today by UM- the city of Detroit. Dearborn’s Center How innovative is “That’s why we’re doing Kilpatrick story boosts local for Innovation Re- Michigan? this — to see if there’s search, shows a Today, a new quarterly enough interest in going composite of indica- Innovation Index forward, if it’s a good busi- tors gauging inno- produced by the media’s ratings, circulation University of Michigan- ness partnership,” he said. vation activity in Dearborn Center for — Sherri Begin the state was down BY BRENT SNAVELY papers alike posted video Innovation Research slightly for the sec- AND TOM HENDERSON footage of the mayor’s apol- aims to find out. THE NEXT ACT ond quarter of 2007, Driver’s license bill CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS ogy, full-text versions of The new index will be but still ahead of ac- What happens Beatty’s letter of resigna- published exclusively in next is up to the tivity levels for moves forward Public interest in the Kwame Kilpatrick tion on Jan. 28 and tran- Crain’s Detroit prosecutor. See most of 2006. Legislation that would text-message scandal has been a ratings boon scripts of the romantic text Business. Keith Crain’s Project organiz- allow Michigan to issue a for local media, generating higher newsstand column, Page 6. messages between the two. See Page 21. ers at the school driver’s license or identifi- sales, record traffic to Web sites and huge tele- Beatty was replaced on said they created cation card to people in the vision ratings. Tuesday by Kandia Milton, a longtime friend the report to monitor a possible leading indi- U.S. legally but on a tempo- The mayor’s affair with Christine Beatty, of Kilpatrick’s who has served as deputy chief cator of the state’s economic health in future rary basis, like those on his former chief of staff, has provided media of staff and liaison to City Council. quarters — particularly if new products and work or study visas, has organizations of all stripes opportunities to In addition, media organizations have em- new companies generate jobs and invest- taken a step forward. present information and invite public feed- ployed blogs and reader feedback forums on ments. The Senate Transporta- back in ways that would not have been possi- their Web sites to capture public opinion and ble just a few years ago. “There are other innovation statistics and See This Just In, Page 2 Radio stations, television stations and news- See Scandal, Page 20 See Index, Page 21 Local firms defend against ECD promises profits, economy with military NEWSPAPER Page 3 innovations, Page 9 DETROIT BUSINESS MAIN 02-04-08 A 2 CDB 2/1/2008 7:04 PM Page 1 Page 2 CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS February 4, 2008 by Rep. Edward Gaffney, R-Grosse stations out of receivership that Charles Podowski, president and THIS JUST IN Pointe Farms, would establish a formerly belonged to Fusion Oil, a CEO of Dearborn-based Auto Club sales-tax-free zone at the center. 2007 Romulus-based oil marketer and Group Inc., that the company ■ From Page 1 A third bill, sponsored by Rep. owner of gas stations in Michigan would eliminate 240 positions, in- Paul Condino, D-Southfield, would and Ohio. cluding 160 jobs in Michigan, said tion Committee last week ap- extend earmarked hotel and Newsmaker Atlas won its bid from Georgia- Nancy Cain, AAA Michigan direc- proved Senate Bill 962 in the liquor taxes for seven years. based auction firm Tranzon L.L.C. tor of public relations. wake of concerns over a new re- — Amy Lane for Sunoco stations in Romulus, Many employees received no- quirement that Michigan drivers of the Year Westland, Flat Rock and Adrian. tices about their jobs on Thurs- must demonstrate U.S. citizen- POH makes quarterly profit UAW President Terms were not disclosed. day, Cain said, and the company ship or permanent legal pres- Ron Evans said Atlas hopes to com- expected to contact the rest by ence. POH Regional Medical Center, Gettelfinger, plete deals for new operators at day’s end Friday. A provision in SB 962 would tie formerly Pontiac Osteopathic Hos- Crain’s the station sites within a week Of the 160 Michigan positions, the expiration date of a driver’s pital, operated in the black its Newsmaker of and will re-brand the locations to 120 are in a five-county region of license to the expiration date of a first quarter under the new own- the Year, will Marathon, Clark and BP stations. Southeast Michigan, including 69 work or study visa. ership of Flint-based McLaren speak at noon Fusion Oil has been a Sun Oil dis- at the headquarters in Dearborn. Overall, the bill would bring Health Care. Feb. 14 at the tributor and previously owned as The company is projecting rev- Hyatt Regency Michigan into compliance with The system reported operating many as 80 stations in Michigan enue of $1.6 billion for 2008, down Dearborn. federal driver’s license standards income of $770,000 on net revenue and Ohio. $30 million from 2007 and down Tickets are that take effect in 2009. of $35 million for the quarter end- Gettelfinger — Chad Halcom $39 million from 2006. The committee also approved ed Dec. 31. That compares with a $50 each and The cuts are largely in opera- can be purchased at Senate Bills 964-966, which would net operating loss of $872,000 on tions, administrative support and www.regonline.