If you look around the country today, you will find virtually every professional sport, whether male or female, with owners demanding new venues for their teams. While that is not new, the lack of any detailed information for almost every recent proposal is quite alarming to me. Don’t get me wrong, sports owners have never wanted the public to genuinely be involved in the venue details. This would force the team to answer questions that they don’t want to talk about. So, teams normally will pressure local governments to approve these massive deals in weeks, if not days, allowing nobody to read the crucial details.
Thankfully, the stadium plan was “designed for future growth” and would “accelerate the redevelopment of Detroit’s oldest neighborhood”, according to DCFC.
Just one small problem. They have virtually nothing locked in and ready to move forward. The stadium itself is a mystery, apart from its location. Aside from the team wanting to finish construction before the 2027 season, does anyone know anything else about the proposed stadium? Size of the stadium? The team doesn’t know. Cost of building the stadium? The team doesn’t know. Does the team have any goals in building the stadium? The team doesn’t know, since the proposal “is still being planned from design to finances”. Speaking of finances, the team will not release any documents related to the $6.5 million purchase of the land for the new stadium. Why? Because the “financing details are still being finalized”.
Crain’s Detroit Business wrote a story on DCFC and mentioned that the cost of the stadium could be above $75 million, will involve city land valued at $1 million or more and could “receive $1 million or more in property tax abatements”. That seems like this project could get expensive for taxpayers. Sadly, it continues to be unknown whether any taxpayer money will be used in this project.
Fortunately, we will get exact answers soon. Just kidding. The team continues to have “discussions on (tax) incentives…behind the scenes”. That should make everyone feel good. I am sure we will know absolutely everything in a short amount of time. So right now, we are left with a promise by DCFC that they will “begin a public engagement process later this year” and plan to give us actual details “after talking with fans, residents and city officials”.