I woke up this morning, walked outside to get my Sunday paper, started a pot of coffee, scanned the headlines on the front page and dove into my favorite part of the paper - Local News.

My eye caught the headline for an article “Burbs seek convention cash“. The article describes a common theme that the region is lacking in adequate convention space and that there is some activity in the suburbs to address that need. Dearborn appears to be considering using public funds (tax dollars) to build a convention center and is asking for a feasiblity study to be done. There is also mention John Bowden (I am assuming they are talking about John Bowen) of Rock Financial Showplace, about the number of events held and the new hotel being considered.

As I neared the end of the article, I was drawn to a comment by Oakland County Economic Development and Community Affairs Director Doug Smith. The comment reads “But its location — described by Smith as being “in the middle of nowhere” — is an issue. Its space is also geared toward exhibitions, rather than conferences.” Excuse me, did I read that right Mr. Smith? Is this same City of Novi that in the last several years, one out of every four people who have moved to OAKLAND COUNTY has moved to? The same Novi that is the fastest growing area of the county, and one of the fastest growing areas in the state. The same Novi that is home to Twelve Oaks Mall, ITC, Ryder and a host of other corporate headquarters? The same Rock Financial Showplace that his boss Brooks Patterson continually uses in his speeches as a glowing example of what a private business can accomplish with support from the community and region?

First, I want to make something very clear: I like and respect Doug Smith very much. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to serve with Doug on the Business Roundtable for Oakland County Economic Development Committee and on the Board of Directors of the Woodward Avenue Action Association. He comes from a long background of Economic Development and has generally had a very favorable opinion of Novi.

I was compelled to fire him off this email:

In a Detroit Free Press article Sunday regarding the need for convention space in the region, you are quoted as describing the Rock Financial Showplace as in “the middle of nowhere”. What is that all about?

I certainly hope that this is a comment taken out of context and that Oakland County’s Economic Development leader doesn’t consider Novi or the Rock Financial Showplace to be in “the middle of nowhere”. The article seemed to use you to make make counterpoints against the Rock Financial Showplace. While I don’t disagree that it is a exhibition driven facility, I am not sure why that point needs to be driven home by you.

I was also pleased to hear that Oakland County has no plan to build a convention center. Blair Bowman has proven that a privately funded facility can fill that need at a far lower cost. While I strongly agree we need additional conference space in the region, I would encourage its creation using private investment and not taxpayer dollars.

I hope you have an opportunity to publicly clarify your comments at some future opportunity and that Oakland County will continue its strong support for the City of Novi and Rock Financial Showplace.

The long and short of it is that this is a boneheaded comment that I hope was taken out of context. To call one of the county’s crown gems (and largest taxpayers) “in the middle of nowhere” serves no purpose. I hope Mr. Smith comes to Novi to either apologize or explain the context the comments where made.