Romulus Mayor Robert McCraight had some advice for local municipalities looking for economic development: “Welcome Sheetz to your community.”
In a recently published letter to the editor of The Detroit News, McCraight said “actions speak louder than words” in economic development and that he believes in giving credit where credit is due.
“Over the last 20 years, I’ve seen plenty of companies come into communities with big promises only to fall short on follow-through,” he said in his letter, “and Sheetz has absolutely earned it.”
The mayor added that prior to the opening of the Sheetz facility in Romulus last August, the community was dealing with gas stations that “consistently fell behind on code enforcement.” He noted the need for code enforcement has dropped dramatically, McCraight said, following Sheetz entering the marketplace. He said he believes the competition Sheetz offers is a motivating factor in that drop.
“Because now there’s competition. And competition makes everyone better. Being home to the largest international airport in Michigan, Romulus is the first impression for more than 30 million travelers annually. I’d say that makes us the “Gateway to Michigan,” and we need to raise the level of expectations from our community stakeholders. In short, we must do better. Sheetz has definitely supported that initiative,” McCraight said in his letter.
“From Day One, the Sheetz team said what they meant and did what they said. They didn’t just show up with a shovel and a site plan, they showed up with a vision that aligned with ours. Romulus has invested years of hard work into becoming a hub for innovation and forward-thinking growth — where economic development goes hand-in-hand with strong community values. Today, I’m proud to say that Sheetz has helped redefine what’s possible here. We call it the “Sheetz Effect,” a ripple of positive impact that’s energized nearly every part of our local economy.
“I know that in some places, Sheetz has been met with resistance. There have been unsubstantiated claims of crime, pollution and blight associated with the chain, spread by their competition. But we have witnessed the exact opposite on their site in Romulus. Their site is always clean, and their staff has always been great with customer service. And their management team has always been very responsive and continues to build their relationship with the city, even after they received their certificate of occupancy. That hasn’t always been the case with other stakeholders.
“If you’re a mayor, city councilmember, planning commissioner, or a city manager in southeast Michigan wondering whether Sheetz is the right fit, I suggest you “get the facts,” not listen to false rumors spread by their competition. It may enhance your community. It certainly has ours.
“Sheetz has validated what we’re doing in Romulus, and they’ve made it easier for us to say to the next great partner: “Come partner and grow with Romulus; We are the ‘Gateway to Michigan!’”
