Business

The Skillman Foundation advocates for a community of children who are primarily Black, but after turning its gaze inward, realized its own spending didn't measure up to the mission.

Driving the news: The youth-focused foundation recently analyzed its financial decisions from 2019-2021 in a Racial Equity Audit.

Live Cycle Delight, the West Village fitness studio that opened nearly six years ago and expanded to a second location, is shutting down.

Driving the news: Rent is too high for what small businesses get in Detroit, owner Amina Daniels tells Axios, and they're "strapped with loans" given out during the pandemic.

The Ilitch family and Stephen Ross are asking for $800 million in public incentives to develop and renovate 10 downtown buildings for apartments, hotels, offices and retail space.

Here are the tax breaks and other public financing requests the Ilitches and Ross are making for their $1.5 billion District Detroit proposal, revealed in a community meeting Tuesday night, which require various approvals to move forward:

As the conversation around the District Detroit tax incentives and financing heats up, we're diving into the Ilitches' Little Caesars Arena, which has already received at least $403 million in public subsidy commitments from the Downtown Development Authority.

Why it matters: With so many residents in need, public funding for downtown developments is often viewed with skepticism — if not outright opposition.

Michigan State finally coughed up the public records shedding light on athletic donations totaling $56 million from boosters Mat Ishbia and Steve St. Andre.

Why it matters: MSU vigorously fought the records' release until a state judge ruled last month that contracts outlining the donations — a portion of which helped fund football coach Mel Tucker's $95-million, 10-year contract — are public.

Detroit's unemployment rate hit 6.4% in November — its first time below 7% in 22 years, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics figures Mayor Mike Duggan said Thursday.

Yes, but: It's "not something that we're celebrating and stopping, we're going to keep going," he said in a news conference.

Lyft rides in Detroit were among the fastest and longest in the United States, according to end-of-year data from the company.

Why it matters: Figures from October 2021-2022 show a trend in what Lyft riders are doing — namely, going out more.

New development projects stretching from downtown to the neighborhoods are changing how Detroit looks and feels.

Why it matters: Keeping incremental tabs on development helps the public stay informed about progress — or lack thereof — after the initial excitement when they're announced.