State seeks $100K a day in penalties for Ambassador Bridge owners

**begingri** · June-09-11, 11:27 PM

BY JOHN GALLAGHER

DETROIT FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER

Saying he was “very concerned” that the Ambassador Bridge owners have not complied with his order, Wayne County Circuit Judge Prentis Edwards has set July 7 as a date for a hearing to determine if and how serious sanctions should be imposed on the bridge owners.

During a two-hour court hearing this morning, Assistant Attorney General Robert Mol, representing the Michigan Department of Transportation, asked Edwards to fine the bridge owners $100,000 a day until the bridge company starts to rebuild its approaches to the Ambassador as MDOT demands and as Edwards has previously ordered.

Edwards did not impose any penalties today, but he indicated that he was leaning “very strongly” to imposing penalties if the Detroit International Bridge Co. does not begin to comply. The company is owned by businessman Manuel [[Matty) Moroun.

Continued at: http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...=2011110609017

**1KielsonDrive** · June-10-11, 01:03 PM

And fines should be retroactive to the day the new intersection/exchange was opened. This was planned and negotiated for many years before even beginning demolition/construction. Manny's companies were included in negotiations the entire time. Negotiations, I might add, that benefitted him at least as much anyone else. We the people, through the state, federal and local governments, worked with him in good faith. This CREEP abandoned all previous agreements on a hundreds of millions dollars project just to hold us hostage over his bridge to nowhere. Steal a package of bologna and see where you end up. Manny is impervious to punishment solely because he's a billionaire and buys all the political influence and clout he wants.

**Meddle** · June-10-11, 01:31 PM

a day until the bridge company starts to rebuild

Starts? How about until it's completed? And how about they up the ante and hold Matty in the Pokey for the same duration?

bartock · June-10-11, 02:01 PM

Reading that article, it is astonishing that the Bridge Company is still making noise about what the original designs for construction were. That's been irrelevant for a year and half now, based on the Court's order. And Prentis Edwards lets Reginald Turner [[former President of the State Bar of Michigan, by the way, making those disingenuous arguments for the billionaire) do it!

**Autoracks** · June-10-11, 02:21 PM

they should wait until he replaces the windows on the MCS.

**Meddle** · June-10-11, 03:12 PM

they should wait until he replaces the windows on the MCS.

What does A have to do with B ?

**NorthofNormal** · June-10-11, 03:14 PM

they should wait until he replaces the windows on the MCS.

I took that as, "Matty Maroun is a cartoon villian; halting progress on the MCS windows is the least of what he's prepared to do to get his way."

**Relayer76** · June-10-11, 10:44 PM

Why does a private company own an international bridge. Shouldn't it be owned by the fed or state government for all the people/businesses of the country?

**Wesley Mouch** · June-10-11, 11:04 PM

Originally Posted by Relayer76

Why does a private company own an international bridge. Shouldn't it be owned by the fed or state government for all the people/businesses of the country?

It was built privately, and he bought it.

That said, of course the public should either buy the bridge, or build this resource for the citizens. Its perverse that this is a profit-making operation. Its sad that money can hold sway over so many public officials.

**econ expat** · June-10-11, 11:39 PM

[QUOTE=Relayer76;251141]Why does a private company own an international bridge. Shouldn't it be owned by the fed or state government for all the people/businesses of the country?[/QUOTE

Warren Buffet owned the bridge for several years, then sold it to a 'local' investor - Maroun.

**fryar** · June-10-11, 11:46 PM

Hip Hip...

ferntruth · June-11-11, 06:34 PM

Do we really need a second bridge? I've been seeing a lot of commercials lately that seem to say that we don't.

**walkerpub** · June-11-11, 08:49 PM

all of sudden, lot sof construction activity at the plaza

**GOAT** · June-11-11, 08:58 PM

walkerpub, meet you at the Pour House?

What ever Maroun says MUST be true! He is a very innocent man you know. Poor guy.

**Lowell** · June-11-11, 09:13 PM

The least the judge can do is figure out the loss of money in terms of depreciation, loss of use, bond interest and any other factors that delay of opening the gateway has cost. Then slap interest, penalties and fines on top of that. Oh, yeah court costs too. Why does his his I'm-too-big-to-bring-down insolence remind me of Kwame back in this heyday?

**walkerpub** · June-13-11, 08:37 AM

Goatman- come to Walkerville and we can meet at The Kildare House

**kraig** · June-13-11, 09:07 AM

Originally Posted by Lowell

The least the judge can do is figure out the loss of money in terms of depreciation, loss of use, bond interest and any other factors that delay of opening the gateway has cost. Then slap interest, penalties and fines on top of that. Oh, yeah court costs too. Why does his his I'm-too-big-to-bring-down insolence remind me of Kwame back in this heyday?

As far as those, there are none. Nothing that the Bridge Company's done has stopped MDOT from doing what it needed to do. The best MDOT can hope for are punitive damages. Getting compensatory, nominal or liquidated damages is a serious longshot.

**1KielsonDrive** · June-14-11, 12:58 AM

Originally Posted by Relayer76

Why does a private company own an international bridge. Shouldn't it be owned by the fed or state government for all the people/businesses of the country?

Absolutely YES!

**CLAUDE G** · June-14-11, 02:26 AM

#1 Judge Prentis is an idiot.

#2 Does the state really expect the Ambassador bridge owners to pay a 100K per day fine?

If they the state or whoever wants to show Maroun that they are serious, then shut the Bridge down to prevent them from collecting tolls.

It would be a major inconvince to all the people who depend on the bridge, as they would have to cross at the Blue Water Bridge or use the tunnel, but would get the point accross.

As long as there is 1 Bridge in Detroit, Maroun is not going to pay.

**gencinjay** · June-14-11, 12:57 PM

No they don't really expect them to pay the fine. They expect him to start honoring the agreement. Closing the bridge would hurt too many other parties that aren't involved in the argument. The fine will hurt only Maroun's interests.

**Richard** · June-14-11, 01:14 PM

The fine would be simple to pay,figure out how many vehicles cross each day divide the $100k and add it to a toll increase. Smoke and mirrors.

**BillyBBrew** · June-15-11, 12:04 AM

I've always wondered why they can't just order the duty free store closed until he complies. It is part of what was improperly built and has been ordered to be torn down. Why would he do anything as long as he's raking in the cash from the Duty Free. Cut off that money supply and you might see some compliance. He certainly isn't helping his case for twinning his own bridge either.