Circuit Court Judge James Giddings dismissed a lawsuit
brought by the Tiger Stadium Fan Club that challenged $55M in
funds from the quasi-public Michigan Strategic Fund for a new
Tigers' stadium, according to this morning's DETROIT NEWS. The
ruling "removed the final obstacle" to a new facility. The group
had argued the $55M grant was "public money and should have been
approved by the Legislature," but Giddings said the money was
"not state funds subject to appropriation." The Fan Club, which
previously had promised to appeal if they lost in court, did not
announce their immediate plans. Tigers President John McHale
said the team would "probably not finalize the funding package
until the fan club decides whether it will appeal the decision"
(Valarie Basheda, DETROIT NEWS, 3/22).
TOUGH TALK: Columnist Pete Waldmeir notes the stadium
victories of this week, but cautions city officials to not let
Tigers Owner Mike Ilitch "fool" them into committing too much
financing to the project. The Ilitches "are shrewd manipulators"
who have "been playing the stadium deal like a gypsy violin," he
writes (DETROIT NEWS, 3/22).
