Take a look at our enhanced Articles page to see some thinking that defies the conventional wisdom about the Plaza and economic opportunity in the County.

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	As our masthead states, we think the worst possible outcome for the Plaza expansion would be for it to be built in the City of Port Huron with the City getting no benefit from the project. Were that to happen, the City would indeed pay the price in lost tax base, construction headaches, and traffic disruption – while other communities would reap the benefits from the Plaza. But how could the City benefit from an expanded Plaza? By working with MDOT to design a Plaza that would act more like a net than a pipe: a Plaza that would make it easier for some of that high volume of passenger and commercial traffic to get off in Port Huron. A Plaza that would allow us to let travelers know what we have to offer, and direct them to it. A Plaza that could give Port Huron and the area a basis for leveraging its location as a major transportation nexus. But that kind of cooperation would require forethought and vision – something the current Port Huron City Council and Administration seem to lack. In the meetings with MDOT to this point, most of the effort has gone into trying to deflect the project altogether, or reduce its footprint by a couple of acres. Much fuss has been made about the residences and businesses to be displaced by the Plaza. Almost no effort has gone into planning for how the Plaza expansion could be turned to the City's advantage. Most probably, the Plaza is going to be built. Several Federal agencies and the State have an interest in making the border more secure and streamlined. Furthermore, based on statements by Customs & Border protection, if the Plaza is expanded, it will be expanded in the City, since other locations cannot be secured. Though it is impossible to calculate exact percentages, many consider it a 90%+ certainty that the Plaza expansion will happen. How much sense does this make? Faced with the near certainty of the Plaza being expanded, the City officials are putting immense effort into the nearly lost cause of trying to get the expansion canceled (as if that was a good idea!), or reducing its size to preserve a few small houses in some aging neighborhoods. What is being missed is the opportunity to work with MDOT to help craft a project that will benefit the City and area. If they don't change tactics soon, they'll probably end up with the worst possible outcome: a Plaza expansion that is built within the City but does not benefit the City because nobody representing the City's interests worked with MDOT to design it that way. Something needs to change, for we only have a narrow window of time that is closing rapidly.