Detroit mayor admitted to hospital for "discomfort"

DETROIT (Reuters) - Detroit mayor Dave Bing was admitted to a hospital on Thursday afternoon due to "discomfort" after an early morning dental appointment, the mayor's office said on Thursday.

Bing will be held at Detroit's Henry Ford Hospital overnight for observation as a precautionary measure, said Robert Warfield, director of communications for the mayor.

Bing, a former professional basketball player who was elected mayor in 2009, is under intense pressure from Michigan's governor to cut costs and craft a restructuring plan for the city before it runs out of money in May.

Two credit rating agencies this week slashed the city's debt ratings, which were already rated as junk bonds, citing the lack of consensus on a solution for Detroit's financial problems.

The financial review team charged with recommending a solution concluded Wednesday that Detroit faces severe financial stress and agreed to pursue a consent agreement.

Population decline, widespread housing foreclosures and a shrinking business community have depleted Detroit's tax base. While the auto industry has recovered from its slump of a few years ago this has not helped Detroit much because there are few auto plants within the city and Ford and Chrysler's headquarters are in the suburbs.

Earlier this month, Bing unveiled a plan to sell vacant city-owned lots for $200 each.

(Reporting By Deepa Seetharaman; Editing by Greg McCune)