The future of NAIAS has been jeopardized by politicking games, and now, Motor City has been given a choice -- act now or risk losing the auto show at Cobo to other states.

If we want to keep the NAIAS in the heart of the automobile capital, we have to act now.

If keeping it in Detroit is not feasible, we still have an opportunity to keep it here in Automation Alley. Novi and The Rock Financial Center are ready and willing to take on the show. The region must keep the NAIAS here. If we don't act immediately, we run the risk of losing this premier event and all of the indispensable economic advantages it brings with it.

The benefits to Novi are clear. Within a 15-mile radius, we have more than 10,700 hotel rooms available - more than Detroit. The infrastructure is in place with Grand River recently widened and new interchanges along a newly renovated I-96 at Novi, Beck and Wixom roads. There is even the infrastructure in place to run a rail from downtown Detroit to Novi.

With the above factors in mind, Novi has proven itself to be a premier staging area to keep the NAIAS within the region. As far as I am concerned, Michigan losing the North American International Auto Show should not be an issue for debate when there is a solid and well-developed plan to keep it in Automation Alley.

State Rep. Hugh Crawford