MBN On The Road | Mayor Duggan Talks Business at the 2026 Detroit Policy Conference

Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, MBN was on the road at The Department at Hudson’s in downtown Detroit, for this year's Detroit Policy Conference, put on by the Detroit Regional Chamber. The event centered on the "New Leadership Era," featuring discussions on the city's future, economic development, and regional policy. This interview was the "Media Scrum" with former Mayor of Detroit, and current Michigan Independent Gubernatorial candidate Mike Duggan. The Mayor discusses data centers, his independent candidacy, and Detroit's handling of contaminated soil at development projects. The 2026 conference, was a sold-out event. The conference brought together approximately 1300 regional leaders to address crucial economic and community challenges in the Detroit region. Speaking at the Department at Hudson’s, Duggan outlined a vision for state-level economic growth, including proposed standards for data center approvals to protect local communities. Role Transition: Duggan addressed the conference in his new capacity as a 2026 Michigan gubernatorial candidate. Keynote Focus: He discussed economic development on a broader scale, focusing on balancing growth with equity and setting state-level standards for large-scale development projects like data centers. Conference Theme: The 2026 conference focused on "A New Leadership Era," exploring leadership transitions in the region. Duggan’s participation highlighted the shift in his focus from municipal leadership to state-level governance, emphasizing the need for proactive state-level policies rather than relying on local, township-by-township decisions.