The plan to move the Detroit Pistons to downtown Detroit could stall as a federal lawsuit aims to block the basketball franchise's deal.
While construction of the Little Caesars Arena is coming along, things aren’t wrapped and buttoned up just yet.
This new suit is attempting to shut down the funding process, blocking the use of taxpayer money for the project.
At issue: whether the hundreds of millions of dollars tied up in this project can be directed there without a vote by residents.
This is a stark contrast to the excitement and pomp and circumstance we all saw a few short months ago, back when the Pistons announced that they were teaming up with the Ilitch family to bring the team downtown.
The timing is also hard on the Detroit City Council. The council recently got added to this federal suit and they’re just one day away from their vote to modify bonds to accommodate changes in the downtown plan associated with the Pistons’ move.
Today’s federal court hearing comes just a week after the lawyers for the Downtown Development Authority asked the federal judge to dismiss the suit, claiming it could cause massive harm to the city.
The hearing begins at noon Monday, June 19.
