Ambassador Bridge Owner Moroun and aide Stamper Jailed

**Scottathew** · January-13-12, 04:03 PM

Originally Posted by professorscott

Not only that, but nobody wants to prosecute anybody. MDOT just wants to get the project [bad word] finished.

^The essence of the issue^

Hitting him with fines doesn't matter, because he's that stinking rich. It hasn't worked and won't work.

Although I would still be 100% for the state taking away his land\bridge if he doesn't comply.

**old guy** · January-13-12, 04:05 PM

I guess he is still in jail. Honestly, that amazes me. I know the judge said it was until the work was finished, but I didn't think he'd spend more than a few hours.

**yupislyr** · January-13-12, 04:34 PM

Originally Posted by bartock

...and it's a good thing it was killed. That would have only raised something like $70 million, and turned over all tolls to Canada on some decades-long mega-lease. At the time, Kwame was selling it as a way of balancing the City's budget while covering up the fact that the City was running $200 million-plus in the red. If it had gone through, how much of that $70 million would have actually made it into the City's coffers is anyone's guess. Detroit is better off with it as is.

It's better than the other outcome, Moroun gaining control of Detroit's half of the tunnel too, as it was widely believed he was trying to do. The Windsor option only came about in a bid to keep it in public hands.

**Scottathew** · January-13-12, 06:23 PM

http://www.freep.com/article/2012011...text|FRONTPAGE

Moroun, Stamper out of jail pending expedited appeal hearing coming in February.

The Appeals Court this evening granted attorneys' motion

to free Moroun and his aide Dan Stamper from jail pending an appeal of Wayne County Circuit Judge Prentis Edwards’ order Thursday incarcerating the two men.

Edit: Corrected story link

**mcsdetroitfriend** · January-13-12, 06:59 PM

Like the warden said he's 84 with a heart condition, the city doesn't need him keeling over on them in their custody, what good would that do them? The food thing is a little nice I'm sure the jail kitchen could've cooked up something that would've been heart healthy, but i'm also sure that the city did NOT foot the bill for the clubs food or the delivery

Originally Posted by 48091

http://www.detroityes.com/mb/showthr...920#post296920

Moroun, Stamper out of jail pending expedited appeal hearing coming in February.

**mikefmich** · January-13-12, 07:03 PM

Originally Posted by mcsdetroitfriend

Like the warden said he's 84 with a heart condition, the city doesn't need him keeling over on them in their custody, what good would that do them? The food thing is a little nice I'm sure the jail kitchen could've cooked up something that would've been heart healthy, but i'm also sure that the city did NOT foot the bill for the clubs food or the delivery

Isn't Detroit's problem. If the King of Hubris would follow a legitimate court order, like most citizens do, he wouldn't have been there in the first place. I was hoping he would sit in there for at least week....if not longer. Now the little ...... will return to doing what he does best on this whole matter. Nothing

**DetroitHabitater** · January-13-12, 07:14 PM

America is no doubt the finest country in the world.

*sarcasm*

**Wesley Mouch** · January-13-12, 08:50 PM

Originally Posted by 48091

Hitting him with fines doesn't matter, because he's that stinking rich. It hasn't worked and won't work.

Although I would still be 100% for the state taking away his land\bridge if he doesn't comply.

Which is what the 2nd bridge is intended to do. If you can't beat him, join him.

**detroitsgwenivere** · January-13-12, 10:43 PM

For those of you who don't think much of the environmental impact of these trucks running up and down our residential streets, consider having to wipe up black shit from the contents of your house 2-3 times a week, if you want to keep your windows open in the summer I mean. That's what my neighbors and I must do to keep from breathing in more of the crap that is coming from these trucks idling outside of our homes.

Don't get me wrong, we live by 3 major freeways and chose to deal with that when we moved here. But damn, is it asking to much to get a little relief from this shit? Or how about the conditions of our residental streets? Rosa parks has been repaved twice in three years for cryin out loud. How many other Detroit streets are fortunate enough to receive the same "treatment"?

**Hypestyles** · January-13-12, 11:27 PM

who oversees the appeals court? are these appointed positions or did they campaign for them?

...I wonder will the ramp construction get continuously delayed again in these appeal hearings...

**Brian1979** · January-14-12, 06:57 PM

I heard they were released from jail and have another hearing sometime in early February and if nothing has been done by then they go right back to jail. I hope this dirty asshole has to spend months in jail and rots while he's there.

**Wesley Mouch** · January-14-12, 07:02 PM

Originally Posted by Hypestyles

who oversees the appeals court? are these appointed positions or did they campaign for them?

...I wonder will the ramp construction get continuously delayed again in these appeal hearings...

Matty seems to act like the North Koreans or Iran -- do absolutely nothing except at the critical moments. Then do something dramatic [[backhoe and pile of dirt, start restoring MCS) but don't stick with it. Just do enough to co-op your enemies. He's quite brilliant.

Wouldn't you spend a few days in jail for a million or two each year.

I also think that at his age, its probably the best amusement money can buy! Collect one politican, collect them all -- oh, and judges to. God they're stupid. But oh so much fun to play with.

**Brian1979** · January-14-12, 07:05 PM

Originally Posted by Meddle

Is the Tunnel privately owned?

I can't remember.

It's jointly owned by the cities of Detroit and Windsor.

**Magnatomicflux** · January-15-12, 02:54 PM

Wait a second........no, tell me he's not.....

Heh, sorry. I couldn't find a bigger picture of Mr Magoo that I liked.

**Detroit Stylin** · January-15-12, 03:03 PM

Lmbao.....

**Wesley Mouch** · January-16-12, 09:20 PM

Any sightings of work to comply with the order -- now that Matty and Dan are no longer 'in charge'?

**Brian1979** · January-16-12, 10:58 PM

Do the fences across W. Jefferson have anything to do with the cables from the bridge cutting across Jefferson on the bottom of the bridge?

**Wingnatic** · March-08-12, 05:40 PM

DETROIT - A judge has ordered the company that controls the Ambassador Bridge to surrender control of its portion of a project on the U.S. side of the international crossing to the Michigan Department of Transportation.
Wayne County Judge Prentis Edwards ordered Thursday that an account be set up to fund the work. A next court hearing is March 22.
The Detroit International Bridge Co. has said it's making progress on its share of the $230 million Gateway Project and pledged to complete the work.
In January, Edwards put 84-year-old billionaire Manuel "Matty" Moroun and his top executive, Dan Stamper, in jail for contempt of court for failing to follow orders on the project, which includes connecting the bridge with Canada to area interstates. They were released by the Michigan appeals court.
Moroun made a brief appearance at Thursday's hearing, but was excused to attend a funeral.
Moroun's company must put $16 million into the account for the work, which is still expected to take months to complete.

**Wesley Mouch** · March-09-12, 10:51 AM

Originally Posted by Wingnatic

DETROIT - A judge has ordered the company that controls the Ambassador Bridge to surrender control of its portion of a project on the U.S. side of the international crossing to the Michigan Department of Transportation.
Wayne County Judge Prentis Edwards ordered Thursday that an account be set up to fund the work. A next court hearing is March 22.
The Detroit International Bridge Co. has said it's making progress on its share of the $230 million Gateway Project and pledged to complete the work.
In January, Edwards put 84-year-old billionaire Manuel "Matty" Moroun and his top executive, Dan Stamper, in jail for contempt of court for failing to follow orders on the project, which includes connecting the bridge with Canada to area interstates. They were released by the Michigan appeals court.
Moroun made a brief appearance at Thursday's hearing, but was excused to attend a funeral.
Moroun's company must put $16 million into the account for the work, which is still expected to take months to complete.

What's the date of this? Citation? I thought Matty and Stamper we 'no longer in charge'. Or was that just for the duration of that hearing.

**Scottathew** · March-27-12, 09:42 AM

M-DOT published a video that summarized the entire issue very well.

I'm still so ecstatic that the people actually won against Matty.

**Wesley Mouch** · March-27-12, 10:19 AM

What was the resolution regarding the duty-free shop?

**JBMcB** · March-27-12, 12:26 PM

Originally Posted by 48091

M-DOT published a video that summarized the entire issue very well.

Wow, that's the clearest, most direct piece of communication I've ever seen from MDOT. Nice work, good job on pressuring through all of DIBC's nonsense, and good luck on finishing the gateway project, finally.

Now if they can keep the ball rolling and let us know more than a day ahead of time [[or not at all) when they are going to be closing freeways or ramps, that would be absolutely fantastic.

**Scottathew** · March-27-12, 12:42 PM

Originally Posted by JBMcB

Now if they can keep the ball rolling and let us know more than a day ahead of time [[or not at all) when they are going to be closing freeways or ramps, that would be absolutely fantastic.

LOL, if you're referring to yesterday's NB I-375 to SB I-75 ramp closure, that was for emergency maintenance.

Otherwise, they actually do a very good job. I'm signed up for metro-area closures and M-DOT press releases, it keeps me rather informed of all state-level road construction.

**JBMcB** · March-27-12, 01:40 PM

Originally Posted by 48091

Otherwise, they actually do a very good job. I'm signed up for metro-area closures and M-DOT press releases, it keeps me rather informed of all state-level road construction.

I get the alerts as well. At the start of a project, they are usually pretty diligent. Then, as the summer wears on, they get pretty sloppy. At the tail end of the 696 work near 94 last year, it was nearly completely random when the freeway was open on the weekends. The electronic signs were usually wrong as well.

I remember specifically hearing on 950AM that it was going to be open during the weekend, double checking MDOT's web site, then getting stuck in a sea of gridlock at 10PM on a Saturday night because nobody knew the freeway was closed. I don't even think they were working at the time. There wasn't an accident or anything, either.

**Scottathew** · April-12-12, 11:15 AM

MDOT Press Release

Gateway project awarded - local contractor to start work next week

April 12, 2012 -- The Michigan Department of Transportation [[MDOT) today announced the design-build team of Dan's Excavating/TransSystems has been awarded the contract to complete the Gateway project in southwest Detroit.

In a March 8, 2012 Opinion and Order, Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Prentis Edwards directed the Detroit International Bridge Company [[DIBC) to cede control of their portion of the $230 million Gateway project and ordered MDOT to complete the remaining work. Judge Edwards ordered the DIBC to place $16 million into an account to fund construction by MDOT.

Since the March 8 decision, MDOT has worked diligently to expedite a design-build contract. On April 9, Dan's Excavating of Shelby Township was announced as the low bidder at $9.3 million. Dan's Excavating plans to begin work by Monday, April 16, with all work expected to be completed in October.

The first priority is to construct the two-lane truck route leading from the DIBC plaza to I-75 and I-96. This truck route will remove all inbound commercial traffic from the local streets and take it directly to the freeways. This two-lane truck route, a vital component in the Gateway project design originally agreed upon in 2004, is expected to be completed and open to traffic on May 20. Afterwards, the multi-lane roads within the plaza will be reconfigured, also to meet the original agreed upon design.

Follow Gateway project updates on the project Web site: www.michigan.gov/gateway, on Facebook: www.facebook.com/mdotgateway, and on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mdotgateway.

The design-build construction method accelerates completion by having the preparation of construction plans and construction to occur in tandem. The Design-Build team takes the Agreed Design from the Gateway Agreements and develops the first stage construction level drawings, while at the same time beginning early-stage construction. The team continues to develop the plans for the next stage of work, while construction takes place on previous stage, until the project is complete.