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(FREEP) During his State of the City scheduled tonight, Detroit Mayor Dave Bing is expected to give a realistic prognosis of the city and his plans to move Detroit forward.

Still, some controversy surrounded the speech because Bing rejected a last-minute plea this morning by striking musicians of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra to move it to a different venue.

Orchestra members asked Bing to avoid “union busting” by crossing a picket line to deliver his second State of the City at the Max M. Fisher Music Center, where the symphony season was suspended this weekend because of failed negotiations.

Bing’s office said a last-minute move would be too difficult.

“While it may look good and read well to change venues, it is logistically impossible to do so at this late time,” mayoral spokesman Dan Lijana told the Free Press. “Moving the location, or not, is no indication of our interest in seeing this matter resolved for the good of all involved.”