By the time Dennis Archer ran for mayor in 1993, Detroit's national and state image had soured so much that it was easy prey for the destruction of vandals and the barbs of critics. The Detroit News Cranes now occupy the hole where the long-vacant J.L. Hudson building once stood. Archer succeeded in restoring business confidence in the once-beleaguered city, helping to bring development projects to Detroit. Archer also will be credited for his aggressive, and at least partially successful, campaign to alter the city's image. He was successful in moving the Tigers to Comerica Park, where he celebrated its opening with Sparky Anderson.
Snowstorm closes down city.
The city's Public Lighting Department experiences the worst power outages in its history. Save for Greektown, downtown was vacant after 5 p.m. Huge hotels sat empty, and bars and restaurants were shuttered. He came into office the same time the national economy took off, and Detroit really benefited from those eight years of prosperity. From even before Archer took office, headlines changed from stories about crime to articles about casino and ballpark development. As Archer leaves the 11th floor of the Coleman Young Municipal Building at year's end, one would be hard-pressed to paint the same image of the city it had when he took office, or anything near the degree of stagnation.