“What’s good for the country is good for General Motors, and vice versa.” General Motors chairman Charlie Wilson’s famous 1955 quote spoke to a time when the Big Three (Ford, GM, Chrysler) automakers produced the engines that drove both America and the American economy. The seat of their empire was Detroit, and when the empire eroded it left the country’s car capital with ruins as spectacular as Rome. (The blown-out Michigan Central Depot on LaCombe Drive is particularly poignant.) Unemployment – the city lost 39 percent of its manufacturing jobs in the 1980s – and crime soared. Detroit became synonymous with decay.

Today, the Motor City is back at full speed. Bolstered by an extravagantly ambitious airport expansion and bursting with pride over its championship-winning NBA team, Detroit is rebuilt, re-energized and emphatically open for business. The base is still automotive, to be sure. Cars now come off assembly lines all over the world. Most of the high-tech, high-paying engineering and administrative jobs for the Big 3 are still located here, however, and the world’s auto parts suppliers have stayed in the neighborhood, too. But Detroit has diversified, becoming a hub for healthcare – the Henry Ford Health System is one of the largest employers in the state – financial services and shipping. The Port of Detroit processes more than 17 million tons of cargo each year, taking advantage of its border location with Windsor, Canada, and its access to world markets via the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway System.

When Detroit isn’t working, it’s playing. Sports are a big deal in the “Big D,” drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Basketball, baseball and football aside, hockey’s Detroit’s Red Wings are known for the fervor of their fans. College sports take center court. Both Wayne State and University of Detroit Mercy have NCAA Division 1 programs.

Arts are active as well. The newly renovated Fox Theater packs in audiences who once shunned the abandoned and dangerous downtown streets. Detroit is now second only to Broadway in the number of theater seats in its glitzy district. And although Motown may be ancient history, Detroit’s music scene remains red-hot. Fans from all over the world flock to catch the White Stripes, Eminem, Kid Rock and the Von Bondies in the clubs where they first earned national recognition.

It’s a new model but, by any measure, Detroit is once again firing on all cylinders.

LODGING

THE WESTIN DETROIT METROPOLITAN HOTEL

There’s more than one business traveler who’ll swear this is the best airport hotel in the world, and it’s a perennial favorite with those doing business in Motor City. Located adjacent to the Northwest Airlines’ terminal, the eight-story atrium is an oasis of running water and whispering bamboo. Sleek and contemporary Asian-influenced rooms create a cool and calming atmosphere, while Westin’s signature “Heavenly Bed” is a weary road warrior’s dream. $$$$
WESTIN DETROIT METROPOLITAN HOTEL
2501 World Gateway Place
tel 734 942 6500
http://www.starwoodhotels.com

THE INN ON FERRY STREET

Those wanting more intimate accommodations need look no further than the 42-room Inn at Ferry Street. Four Victorian homes and two carriage houses were lovingly renovated to create a unique inn. The rooms may be historically accurate, but the amenities are thoroughly up-to-date, with dual phone lines and data ports in each room. A complimentary happy hour and free shuttle within a five-mile radius will keep guests returning year after year. $$
THE INN ON FERRY STREET
84 E. Ferry St.
tel 313 871 6000
http://www.theinnonferrystreet.com

THE ATHENEUM SUITES HOTEL

Within walking distance of downtown’s Renaissance Center and other convention facilities, the Atheneum offers an all-suite setting with modern design and all the a menities. Business travelers and tourists alike will appreciate the complimentary three-mile-radius shuttle, while technophiles will appreciate the in-room CD players, high-speed Internet access and free fax services. After enjoying the two in-house restaurants and 24-hour room service, calories can be worked off at the modern fitness facility. $$$$
THE ATHENEUM SUITES HOTEL
1000 Brush St.
tel 313 962 2323
http://www.atheneumsuites.com

DINING

SWEET GEORGIA BROWN

Fried lobster, peach cobbler and sweet potatoes three ways are just a few highlights at this stylish (dress up!) Detroit favorite. There’s live jazz Tuesday through Saturday nights, and the buffet brunch is one of the most popular in town. Reservations are recommended, as the retro booths fill up fast. $$$
SWEET GEORGIA BROWN
1045 Brush St.
tel 313 965 1245

NEW HELLAS CAFÉ

Founded in 1901, the New Hellas is an institution in Greektown. The family-owned corner restaurant attracts a loyal following of diners seeking authentic moussaka and waiters who shout “Opa!” when delivering a dish of flaming saganaki. Don’t miss the house-made Greek yogurt, thick and tangy. The pastitsio is a must. $$
NEW HELLAS CAFÉ
583 Monroe St.
tel 313 961 5544

OPUS ONE

Relentlessly upscale, Opus One defied Detroit wisdom when it opened. Twenty years later, the marble-and-etched-glass eatery is still packing the linen-covered tables with a fresh seasonal menu and flawless service. Try the phyllo-wrapped shrimp or the Greek-influenced rack of New Zealand lamb. Opus One is popular with the theater crowd, and reservations are recommended. $$$$
OPUS ONE
565 E. Larned St.
tel 313 961 7766
http://www.opus-one.com

DIVERSIONS

Although downtown Detroit does have a PeopleMover light rail system, it’s only appropriate that, in the Motor City, you’ll need a car to catch all the sights. Step on the gas and make your first stop the Automotive Hall of Fame in Dearborn (21400 Oakwood Blvd., Dearborn, tel 888 298 4748, ) to pay homage to all things automotive. Check out a replica of the world’s first gas-fueled car and then go right next door to the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village, America’s largest indoor-outdoor museum. (20900 Oakwood Blvd., Dearborn, tel 313 271 1620, http://www.hfmgv.org) Exhibits include Henry Ford’s original bicycle shop and a state-of-the-art IMAX theater.

And what would a road trip be without music? Musical Motown put out hundreds of hits that still play on our radios today. The Motown Historical Museum (2648 W. Grand Blvd., tel 313 875 2264, http://www.motownmuseum.com) was Berry Gordy’s home where many of America’s favorite songs were recorded. Costumes and memorabilia take visitors back to a time when the Temps, the Tops, Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson reigned supreme. (The Supremes were Motown artists, too.)

Sports fans may want to make a pilgrimage to the Palace of Auburn Hills, home of the perennial powerhouse Detroit Pistons and the WNBA’s Shock. (4 Championship Drive, Auburn Hills, tel 248 377 8601, http://www.palacenet.com) Besides basketball, the Palace is the scene of many music and entertainment events. Downtown, Comerica Park, home of the Detroit Tigers, is a great place to catch a baseball game. (2100 Woodward Ave., tel 313 471 2555, detroit.tigers.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/det/ballpark/index.jsp).The new stadium also has a Ferris wheel, carousel and great sightlines, even from the upper deck. The world got a good look at the Detroit Lions’ Ford Field (2000 Brush St., tel 313 262 2000, http://www.fordfield.com) during Super Bowl XL. Tours are available. Culture vultures can spend days at Detroit’s many venues. The Detroit Institute of Arts (5200 Woodward Ave., tel 313 833 7900, http://www.dia.org) has one of the best collections in the United States, composed of more than 65,000 works. Don’t miss the General Motors Center for African-American Art with more than 400 pieces, the Monet , the mummies or Diego Rivera’s fantastic fresco. The Detroit Symphony (3663 Woodward Ave., tel 313 576 5111, http://www.detroitsymphony.com) performs classical and popular music at Orchestra Hall and numerous area venues. Those who prefer slot machines to symphonies will find plenty of gambling action at any of the city’s three casinos. Any way you look at it, Detroit’s attractions are definite winners.

INFO TO GO

Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW) is 35 miles southwest of the city. Taxi fare to downtown averages $32-$35. SMART buses (http://www.smartbus.org) stop on the outer roadway (lower level) near the ground transportation offices at the Smith Terminal.