Detroit Today: City Council delays vote on District Detroit project incentives

This week, Detroit City Council delayed a vote on incentives requested by the District Detroit project. Led by the Ilitch family’s Olympia Development and Stephen Ross’ Related Companies, new plans for the mixed-use development would include residential and commercial complexes, hotels and on-site parking near the Little Caesars Arena.

The estimated cost of the project is $1.5 billion with a 2028 expected completion date.

Listen: Why Detroit City council delayed its vote on tax incentives for District Detroit.

Guest

Annalise Frank is a reporter for Axios, covering the ongoing District Detroit story. She says one issue affecting the vote is a request by City Council President Mary Sheffield to have the district include a 2% ticket surcharge that would go into the city’s general fund.

“To have a mandated tax, there would be a law change that’s required,” says Frank. “But what Sheffield is saying here is that if they voluntarily commit to it, there needs to be no law change in order to institute this essentially voluntary payment to the city.”