Wednesday, April 09, 2014

"According to court documents filed Wednesday, investors are willing to pay or make loans of close to $2 billion for the masterpieces inside the Detroit Institute of Arts" (UPDATED)

Emergency manager Kevyn Orr says it isn't going to happen -- he says "we have no intention of selling art" and also correctly points out that "in a Chapter 9 [bankruptcy] you cannot compel the city to sell anything, not a park, not a zoo, not the DIA."

But here's a question:  at what point would such an offer become not disgusting?  Ten billion? Twenty billion?  Is there literally no amount of money where we would have to say "you know what, the money could do more for the city than the art"?

UPDATE:  Michael Rushton tweets:  "Detroit's violence, failed schools, decrepit public services, poverty: disgusting. Arts 'advocates' need perspective."