Detroit has lived up to its nickname, “America’s Comeback City,” in the last few years. Small businesses such as Detroit Vs. Everybody are thriving, big businesses like Microsoft are settling in the downtown area, the Red Wings and Pistons are gearing up for a new home in Little Caesars Arena and Motown was recently ranked the ninth best place to go in the world in 2017 by The New York Times.

However, the city of Detroit still lacks structure. The unemployment rate of Detroit is double the national average, and many people associate fear with the city. These problems have plagued Detroit for many years and at the moment are not improving. But a new proposal focusing on soccer could generate billions of dollars and revitalize the once-booming city.

In April 2016, the billionaire owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores proposed their plan to invest $1 billion into the city of Detroit. The plan entails replacing the half-built Wayne County Jail, that was started but never finished because of a lack of funding, with an entertainment district that would include a shopping center, restaurants, a commercial building, residential housing and a state-of-the-art soccer stadium.

The plan was originally ignored by Wayne County because it had little planning and the future of the jail was in limbo. However, the proposal has gained traction over the last few days. Gilbert and Gores have offered a second bid, which includes the new entertainment center and 23,000-seat stadium and a place to rebuild the jail site 1.5 miles away from the unfinished site and include a new adult and juvenile detention facility as well as a new courthouse. This new jail site is estimated to be worth $420 million.

This is a great opportunity for the city of Detroit. With the proposal, the city can grow culturally, generate revenue, host a professional soccer team, expand its reach around the world and finally finish the jail.

In recent years, Major League Soccer has grown exponentially. What started off as a league only followed by the few Americans that had interest in soccer is now reaching countries all over the world. MLS houses 22 teams nationwide and is divided into two conferences: Eastern and Western.

Proof of the league’s growth is in the players who have joined in the last decade. All household names, international players like Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Giovani Dos Santos, Sebastian Giovinco, Didier Drogba, Thierry Henry and David Beckham have moved to MLS as it evolves into an international association.

Bringing an MLS team to Detroit will increase tourism. The Motor City is already on the rise in regards to people visiting, however there is still a stigma associated with the city’s name. When people hear the name, they usually think “The murder capital of America” or “poverty stricken.”

These people, however, don’t know the modern Detroit that I know. The Detroit of today is diverse, growing, exciting, hard-working and pride-filled. By increasing tourism, which is a definite bonus of the new bid, Detroit will gain the image it deserves and continue to thrive, possibly leading to a jump in diversity and population in the Motor City.

Unemployment rates are a hot topic, and Detroit is no stranger to job loss and recession. Detroit currently has a 9.8-percent unemployment rate as of December 2016, which is double the national rate of 4.6 percent. This new project will increase the amount of workers in the city of Detroit. The restaurants, shopping, hotels, and homes in addition to the massive soccer complex and jail will require workers to fill various jobs.

Other than the chance of the Wayne County Executive Warren Evans possibly saying no to the project, there is also the backlash from the Detroit-based semi-pro soccer team, Detroit City FC. DCFC was started by David Dwaihy, a Grosse Pointe North alumn, Todd Kropp, Sean Mann, Ben Steffans, and Alex Wright. The club is known for its passionate fan base known as the “Northern Guard” and sold-out games. DCFC’s stadium is in Hamtramck at the historic Keyworth Stadium.

The big thing DCFC focuses on is community. This is why the majority of their fan base are against the idea of Detroit getting an MLS team. At games they drape signs over the railing with the statement “built not bought,” proving the fans loyalty to the club they support, and disapproval of big corporations taking over metropolitan city they call home.

The club also does well in the community. They pride themselves on a diverse fan base whether it’s racially or philosophy-based.

I find positives in both DCFC and the idea of an MLS team in Detroit. DCFC is community-oriented, and supporters take pride in how close they feel to the club and the hands-on experience they get as supporters. This is great for building camaraderie in Detroit neighborhoods.

The MLS team, however, will take the city to a whole new level. It will introduce students in the city and state to a new professional sport, will promote the city in a new light and provide another source of revenue. Both clubs could work together to help out neighborhoods in the area to build a better image, and both could be highly successful even with the other there