 Newsletter Signup
Stay informed with the
NEW Casino City Times newsletter! |
Gaming News
Detroit Mayor Buys Time on Casinos27 November 2001DETROIT, Michigan – Nov. 27, 2001 –As reported by the Detroit Free Press: "Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer is officially giving up on his plan to put casinos on the Detroit riverfront east of the Renaissance Center. Although the plan has been politically dead for months, Archer had hoped to put at least one casino on the riverfront before he left office. "Archer is expected to ask the City Council as early as today to extend by three months development agreements between the city and the three temporary casinos. The agreements, which govern casino operations and now require all three casinos to move to the riverfront, expire Dec. 31. Without an extension, the casinos couldn't operate after the deadline. "…The move signals the passing of the baton on the issue to the new mayor, who opposes putting casinos on the east riverfront. "Mayor-elect Kwame Kilpatrick, who takes office Jan. 1, is expected to hammer out agreements with the three casinos on where MGM Grand will be located and what will be done with land the city spent more than $140 million to buy for the casino project. "…Archer had wanted all three casinos in a row a block from the Detroit River. But he couldn't reach deals with landowners last spring and announced that only one, MGM Grand, would move to the river. "The city didn't buy all the land it intended to, leaving some landowners upset. "…Greektown and MotorCity have said they want to expand and build hotels at their current locations. "…Bob Berg, spokesman for Kilpatrick, said the new mayor isn't surprised that he will inherit the casino issue. Kilpatrick plans to be involved in the discussions with the casinos, Berg said…" |