LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – An overwhelming share of Detroit residents, along with a narrow majority of Michigan voters, say they support a proposal to put Belle Isle on the international map.

That support comes from survey results commissioned by Belle Isle Freedom City and conducted by Mitchell Research & Communications on November 18-21, 2025. It revealed 51% of Michigan voters and 68% of Detroit voters support a proposal to transform the 982-acre island in the Detroit River between Detroit, Michigan and Windsor Ontario Canada into a Special Economic Zone.

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In order for the Special Economic Zone to be created, it would require passage of legislation by the United States Congress, the State of Michigan, and the City Of Detroit.

Once created, goals for the Special Economic Zone include high-income and mixed-use housing, entertainment, and a retail district. In addition, residents would have unique tax advantages.

“When voters statewide and in Detroit find out what a great transformation this would be, while maintaining all the things that Detroiters love about Belle Isle, support increases dramatically among statewide voters and stays very high with Detroiters,” said Steve Mitchell with Mitchell Research & Communications. “This would be a huge economic package for the entire state of Michigan with on average $1 million going to all the counties other than Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb which would be getting somewhere in the neighborhood of $10-$14 million annually from Belle Isle,” he said.

Supporters say the project would generate 20,000 high-paying construction jobs over a 10-year period. Once the construction period is over, officials say 46,000 permanent positions would remain.

The poll ‘s Margin of Error for N=616 General Election voters is 3.95% at the 95% Level of Confidence; N=197 Detroiters has an MoE of 6.98%.