Some locales can’t seem to shake their less-than-sparkling reputations despite efforts to lock away the skeletons of yesterday. We’ve decided to highlight five of these Bad Rap Cities that are making moves to shed their grimy and gritty images in hopes of becoming more tourist-friendly. Maybe, just maybe, after reading this series you'll be willing to take a chance on them. Enjoy.

Bad Rap City: Detroit

Why Go?
Despite the auto industry’s depressed state, the Motor City has plenty of bright spots. This is Motown, so soul permeates the streets as well as an admirable air of survival. Even Hollywood has infiltrated the city, filming shows like HBO’s "Hung," and making movies like "Red Dawn" and "Gran Torino" on its streets.

People are passionate here, especially when it involves politics and sports, and they don’t apologize for their opinions. Yes, Detroit is a bit messy-- one street can sport beautiful new buildings, but a block away lies a condemned property awaiting its fate--either remodel or eternal eyesore.

Those still raising their eyebrows over Detroit are usually older folks still channeling 1967 riot memories or referring to neighborhoods where tourists wouldn’t visit anyway unless they were courting trouble. And the tales of government corruption? Meh. Unless you plan on moving there, it’s nothing the average visitor would experience. Our advice? Ignore the naysayers and head to Michigan.

After all, a place that counts Aretha Franklin, Madonna and Robert Frost as natives can’t be all that bad.

]]> Chanize 2009-10-19T16:36:57-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/10/14/124548/70

Update: Ok fine, so as the DTW rep points out in the comments, Boingo is available in both terminals. But our own experience convinced us otherwise, and we recommend checking out the Airport WiFi map (click the icon to the right) to note that most airports tagged have free Wifi; something DTW should think about if they can afford the snazziness evident elsewhere.

We may have told you time and time again about the wonders of Detroit's Wayne Country Airport, but despite the very cool in-terminal monorail and relaxing LED light tunnel, Detroit is not as down with technology as you think.

In particular we refer to their Airport WiFi situation, which is sad to say the least. They've had internet in their Smith terminal since 2004, but with that terminal currently sitting empty Detroit has had to equip the rest of the airport. These days, you can log into the 'net from Delta/Northwest's McNamara Terminal only, and it's a Boingo frontier there. ]]> JetSetCD 2009-10-14T14:08:37-05:00 42.2078220 -83.356292 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/10/9/10478/4260

Yesterday, some Detroit residents may have thought the city was under seize based on the number of military vehicles and debris in the streets, but it was all just part of the latest movie shoot happening in the city. They were filming an elaborate explosion scene near Woodward Ave and Mack Ave for "Red Dawn," a remake of the 1984 classic starring Patrick Swayze.

“Red Dawn” has been filming in Michigan since last month at various locations and will reportedly continue through the beginning of December. The cast is full of up and coming actors, like Connor Cruise, the adopted son of Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, who, despite a hectic shooting schedule, has been spending most weekends with his dad in Boston. Other cast members include Chris Hemsworth ("Star Trek"), Josh Peck ("Drake & Josh"), and Adrianne Palicki ("Friday Night Lights"). ]]> cmb 2009-10-09T11:59:24-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/2/23/225930/034

If you’re passing through DTW today, keep an eye out for George Clooney. The A-lister will be filming a scene for his latest movie, “Up in Air” in one of four terminals the airport has made available for filmmakers.

Michigan is currently offering a 42 percent tax credit to filmmakers who choose their state as a filming location, making Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport very attractive to cost conscience movie producers. To accommodate potential movie projects, the airport has two completely new terminals, McNamara and North, that are open to filmmakers and two others that are no longer in use but can still be used for filming, Smith and Berry.

These two terminals are ideal for set designers because all of the ticket counters, phone booths, luggage carousels, restaurants and coffee shops remain but because they are no longer in use so they can be customized to fit whatever is called for in the script. ]]> cmb 2009-02-24T09:11:19-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/