I know you folks don't live in Michigan and don't understand how badly the state is trying to rebuild Detroit.
http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=22165#.UNGovXcs2So this is a software house who moved to Michigan and is getting grants and tax credits to make VIDEO GAMES in the state.
If Brian, Melissa and Matt could put together a plan to move the studio to Michigan and even better to within Detroit city limits, I can tell you Quicken, Little Caesar's pizza, The governor Rick Snyder, Paul W Smith a WJR radio host, Mayor Dave Bing and many other people would see that investment funds are there. I can absolutely guarantee if Mercedes called WJR radio in the morning and floated the idea of moving a world class gaming studio making family friendly games to this area it would be HUGE.
I hear this every single day driving to work that this type of investment is what the state NEEDS to diversify from the auto industry. I am saying again if you can contact Paul W. Smith, Dan Gilbert, Mike Illich, Rick Snyder you will get action. They want this type of thing BADLY! This isn't something a mere fan like myself can do - they would want a buy in from a STUDIO.
When I read your post, I immediately think of what Governor Lincoln Chafee did to 38 Studios. And how every Rhode Island resident is now responsible to pay back the over 75 million dollars that the Rhode Island Economic Corporation decided to dump into one lone studio instead of spreading the wealth around.
I loved Kingdoms of Amalur, a second one with co-op was complete and the deal inked with Take Two to distribute it, and then idiot Mafioso Chafee opened up his big mouth about the possibility of financial trouble at 38 Studios and WHAMMO! Chafee practically led a pitchfork-and-torches brigade to their door and shut them down himself.
I am not saying Michigan or Detroit would do the same thing, but those state deals are deals with the devil. Politics are as corrupt as it gets, and those people will turn on you on a dime. 38 had to take the money sooner than they needed it, made a deal with one Governor then got backstabbed by the next one to take office, and it was all downhill from there. And Curt Schilling not only put up 50 million in gold bouillon of his own and never saw a dime, but author R.A. Salvatore, who wrote the entire backstory and lore, never saw a dime either. They were supposed to get paid on the back end, after EA got its own millions in investment in Reckoning back.
I dunno. This kind of thing is far from transparent, and governments know NOTHING about the gaming industry. It could really be a fiasco. What politicians consider "profitable" could be even worse than NCSoft's judgements.
You make a deal with the devil, and who do you wind up tied to? The devil. Governments are corrupt and politicians will backstab you when you least expect it.