The Wayne County Commission yesterday introduced an
ordinance to impose both a 2% tax on car rentals of up to a month
and a 1% tax on hotel rooms to help support a new Lions stadium
in downtown Detroit, according to the DETROIT NEWS. While the
taxes could raise about $4M a year to help support construction
bonds, the commission is being "hampered" because no final deal
yet exists between the Lions, Tigers, county and city officials
over whether the teams will attempt to share a facility or build
two separate stadiums. Action is needed to meet an August 27
deadline to place the proposal of November 5 ballots in Wayne
County (Basheda & Linsalata, DETROIT NEWS, 8/16). Officials hope
for a deal by next Thursday, but could push it back to the
deadline of the 27th (Tina Lam, DETROIT FREE PRESS, 8/16).
SPORTS COMPLEX: According to unnamed sources cited by the
DETROIT NEWS, the parties are discussing plans for a pair of
side-by-side stadiums east of Woodward, along the Fox Theatre
district. Insiders have said the plan calls for the Tigers to
build a 45,000-seat open-air stadium and the Lions to construct a
70,000-seat domed facility. A "sports village" on the site would
feature superstores by a number of retailers. Total cost would
be about $465M, with a stadium authority owning the stadiums. In
Pontiac, the Pontiac City Council met with Silverdome officials
to discuss lease talks with the Lions. The team is contracted to
play at the facility until 2004 (DETROIT NEWS, 8/16).
