Bing sworn in as Detroit mayor

DETROIT, May 11 (UPI) -- Dave Bing was sworn in as Detroit's 62nd mayor Monday, taking the reins of a city rocked by economic hardship and political scandal, witnesses said.

Bing, 65, a former star NBA player for the Detroit Pistons in the 1960s, took the oath in an unadorned conference room at the Detroit Bureau of Elections office in the city's downtown, The Detroit Free Press reported.

Bing took the oath after his election win over interim Mayor Kenneth Cockrel Jr. was certified by the city's board of canvassers, officially making him the mayor. Cockrel will return to his post as president of the City Council, a job he held before taking office in the wake of last year's criminal conviction and resignation of former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick.

"It's the biggest challenge of my life," Bing said after he was sworn in. "But I think it's one that I'm ready for."

Bing had planned a low-key swearing-in ceremony with his wife Yvette, his daughters and granddaughters, the Detroit News said.

The new mayor was also reportedly seeking to finalize the members of his administration, who will be immediately tasked with addressing Detroit's budget deficit.