Poor Matty...

**Vic01** · November-12-13, 05:41 AM

WASHINGTON – A lawyer for Ambassador Bridge owner Manuel [[Matty) Moroun claims the Canadian government is trying to run the historic Detroit River span out of business and that it would have been “madness” for the original owners to build it if they had believed the U.S. or Canada would later try to strip them of their exclusive franchise.
“This is not just commercial activity: It is predatory activity, specifically designed to destroy [[Moroun’s) business,” attorney Hamish P.M. Hume argued in a filing late last week in U.S. District Court in Washington.

http://www.freep.com/article/2013111...ridge-business

**canuck** · November-12-13, 07:17 AM

Matty is marooned, surrounded on all sides by evildoing pirates.

**motz** · November-12-13, 08:55 AM

I love the title of the article on Deadline Detroit, "Matty Moroun Wants Government To Protect Him From The Government". Pretty much sums it up real well, he has absolutely no interest in anything except keeping his monopoly.

**Scottathew** · November-12-13, 10:11 AM

Matty is scum. He contributes very, very little to this area. Detroit and Windsor hate him for the same reasons, he buys up properties and then lets them fall into a state of total disrepair, make no investments, and allows it all to rot.

**bailey** · November-12-13, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by 48307

Matty is scum. He contributes very, very little to this area. Detroit and Windsor hate him for the same reasons, he buys up properties and then lets them fall into a state of total disrepair, make no investments, and allows it all to rot.

Just think if he had been a good corporate citizen for the last 20-30 years or so. I mean it's not like his children, grandchildren, or great grandchildren will ever have to worry about money... but imagine the multi-generational bridge monopoly he could have had if he'd just played nice.

Frankly I do wonder what will become of the Ambassador once the more convenient and likely cheaper and faster second span is up and running.

**motz** · November-12-13, 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by bailey

Just think if he had been a good corporate citizen for the last 20-30 years or so. I mean it's not like his children, grandchildren, or great grandchildren will ever have to worry about money... but imagine the multi-generational bridge monopoly he could have had if he'd just played nice.

Frankly I do wonder what will become of the Ambassador once the more convenient and likely cheaper and faster second span is up and running.

I think you make a very good point about being a good corporate citizen. So many companies and business owners seem to neglect exactly how much they can benefit from being good corporate citizens. Imagine if Matty rehabbed his buildings by City Airport and created the infrastructure to make City Airport into a truly valuable asset, imagine if he fixed up the train station and was actually using it for anything. He seems to forget that reinvestment of his owns funds + good will towards those around you means he might've had his second span, and maybe more. Oh, and probably more money too.

**Honky Tonk** · November-12-13, 11:37 AM

Originally Posted by 48307

Matty is scum. He contributes very, very little to this area. Detroit and Windsor hate him for the same reasons, he buys up properties and then lets them fall into a state of total disrepair, make no investments, and allows it all to rot.

BS, There are lit snowflakes hanging on the wooden windows of the MCS.....

**professorscott** · November-12-13, 12:01 PM

It was the Metro Times a few years back, sadly I can't remember the author, who referred to Mr. Maroun as the "worst corporate citizen ever". The things he has done in and to Detroit are so abysmal and shocking that when I describe them to out-of-towners, they're sure I'm making them up.

I'm playing a sad tune for him on the world's smallest violin; after all, the Professor is not completely without empathy, and almost nobody is purely evil. Even Bond villians were nice to their pets, for instance. There's probably some good in everybody, just sometimes it's hard to tease out what it is.

**Meddle** · November-12-13, 12:33 PM

I still say the two countries should seize the bridge under Eminent Domain in the interests of security.

**professorscott** · November-12-13, 02:37 PM

Originally Posted by Meddle

I still say the two countries should seize the bridge under Eminent Domain in the interests of security.

Eminent domain does not allow you to "seize" anything whatever. It allows you to purchase from someone who does not wish to sell. Mr. Maroun and his attorneys are very adept at drawing out court proceedings; no matter what price was proposed they would label it unfair and file suit.

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · November-12-13, 02:54 PM

I am not a fan of Mr. Maroun, but I find it funny that many people seem to think Matty Maroun is the reason Detroit has problems. A second bridge always could have been [[and soon will be) built, despite his opposition. MCS would be every bit as abandoned and unrenovated if he didn't own it. Heck if the city or county owned MCS, it probably wouldn't have several new windows! His legal filings are annoying, but do not stop any legit projects from going forward. And while I favor NITC, I have no opposition whatsoever to his building a second span [[although he clearly won't build it with NITC going forward). If he wants to plunk down his own money on yet another bridge, great. Yes, I hope one day MCS is repurposed in a useful way. Matty may never do that. He's best more or less ignored. After he dies, I bet his company divests itself of MCS and possibly the bridge. I do hope the bridge stays in private hands. The bridge makes a profit and pays taxes; it will begin to bleed money the day the government takes it over.

**DetroitPlanner** · November-12-13, 03:32 PM

Originally Posted by MikeyinBrooklyn

I am not a fan of Mr. Maroun, but I find it funny that many people seem to think Matty Maroun is the reason Detroit has problems. A second bridge always could have been [[and soon will be) built, despite his opposition. MCS would be every bit as abandoned and unrenovated if he didn't own it. Heck if the city or county owned MCS, it probably wouldn't have several new windows! His legal filings are annoying, but do not stop any legit projects from going forward. And while I favor NITC, I have no opposition whatsoever to his building a second span [[although he clearly won't build it with NITC going forward). If he wants to plunk down his own money on yet another bridge, great. Yes, I hope one day MCS is repurposed in a useful way. Matty may never do that. He's best more or less ignored. After he dies, I bet his company divests itself of MCS and possibly the bridge. I do hope the bridge stays in private hands. The bridge makes a profit and pays taxes; it will begin to bleed money the day the government takes it over.

He has a big issue in building another span in that the MTO or the City of Windsor has said no way. If he wants to change anything on the Detroit side he will need to petition MDOT as he is changing the plan as agreed to in the EIS [[Environmental Impact Statement) which will bring every federal agency from FHWA, Army Corps, EPA, etc to scrutinize his project.

**rb336** · November-12-13, 03:50 PM

Originally Posted by MikeyinBrooklyn

. MCS would be every bit as abandoned and unrenovated if he didn't own it.

You simply can not know that

**jt1** · November-12-13, 04:25 PM

Originally Posted by Vic01

WASHINGTON – A lawyer for Ambassador Bridge owner Manuel [[Matty) Moroun claims the Canadian government is trying to run the historic Detroit River span out of business and that it would have been “madness” for the original owners to build it if they had believed the U.S. or Canada would later try to strip them of their exclusive franchise.
“This is not just commercial activity: It is predatory activity, specifically designed to destroy [[Moroun’s) business,” attorney Hamish P.M. Hume argued in a filing late last week in U.S. District Court in Washington.

http://www.freep.com/article/2013111...ridge-business

I feel so bad for him. Clearly, given the fact that he is being attacked by two countries, the most compassionate thing to do is to put him out of his misery and end this horrible tragedy.

Does anyone have a gun and a bullet to put him out of his misery? Perhaps one for his son as well so he doesn't have to deal with this horrific oppresion?

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · November-12-13, 04:28 PM

Originally Posted by rb336

You simply can not know that

You're right, RB. I couldn't prove it in court. But I have never heard of a person with money or ability to get lots and lots of money even hint that they would plunk $100M into turning MCS into a glittering something or other. And lots and lots and lots of other buildings have been lost that are nearer to viable neighboroods and significantly cheaper and faster to renovate. Matty has never renovated the station. I have never heard of him blocking a plan someone else had to renovate the station.

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · November-12-13, 04:56 PM

DetroitPlanner, I didn't say he'd succeed in getting his own new bridge built. I realize the hurdles are high with getting permits on both sides of the border. I just said that I have no objection to his plans. Windsor won't approve of it with another bridge on the way I am sure. Although, if there was no prospect for the NITC, I bet Windsor would eventually relent on a second Ambassador span. It is much more critical to Southern Ontarian economic well-being to maintain Detroit-Windsor as a first rate border crossing than it is to Detroit or Michigan [[we can trade with most of North America without the bridge, Southern Ontario cannot; that is why Canada is fronting the money for the new bridge). But, Matty's plans for a second span wouldn't bother me if they came true, and it doesn't bother me that they likely will not.

**Danny** · November-12-13, 06:15 PM

Marty THE MAROON! will have to deal competition. Synder's bridge will be built in couples and looking at Marty's old age will won't live to see it completion. Get with the FREE WORLD TRADE, Marty! You don't get everything that you wish for.

**mcsdetroitfriend** · November-12-13, 10:35 PM

Originally Posted by rb336

You simply can not know that

You can actually, before Matty owned the building there was no fence, the place was wide open and would've been in even worse shape than it is.

**Wingnatic** · November-13-13, 07:58 AM

The Canadian Government , Ontario Provincial Government , and the City Of Windsor does not want another bridge in downtown Windsor . Matty wants his bridge next to the current one . He'll still get the auto traffic , but lose alot of the truck traffic . He owns Central Transport and will probably order his fleet to use his bridge lol

**rb336** · November-13-13, 09:23 AM

Originally Posted by mcsdetroitfriend

You can actually, before Matty owned the building there was no fence, the place was wide open and would've been in even worse shape than it is.

yes, MCS was in decline for a long time BM. Other than erecting fences, Matty has done nothing. There is no way you can tell what would have happened if the sale had been to another entity. There just isn't. could have been better, could have been worse. One wonders WHY he bought it

**Wesley Mouch** · November-13-13, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by MikeyinBrooklyn

I am not a fan of Mr. Maroun, but I find it funny that many people seem to think Matty Maroun is the reason Detroit has problems. A second bridge always could have been [[and soon will be) built, despite his opposition. MCS would be every bit as abandoned and unrenovated if he didn't own it. Heck if the city or county owned MCS, it probably wouldn't have several new windows! His legal filings are annoying, but do not stop any legit projects from going forward. And while I favor NITC, I have no opposition whatsoever to his building a second span [[although he clearly won't build it with NITC going forward). If he wants to plunk down his own money on yet another bridge, great. Yes, I hope one day MCS is repurposed in a useful way. Matty may never do that. He's best more or less ignored. After he dies, I bet his company divests itself of MCS and possibly the bridge. I do hope the bridge stays in private hands. The bridge makes a profit and pays taxes; it will begin to bleed money the day the government takes it over.

I don't recall ever hearing how much in taxes is paid by Matty & Co. Does anyone know?

I agree in general on government operation these days -- but how do you reconcile that the government run Blue Water bridge can be twinned, pay off its bonds, and still charge less than Matty for his beaten up and clearly fully paid for bridge?

I don't mind Matty and his monopoly. But I do mind that he charges monopoly prices.

And I sure do hope he pays a lot in taxes -- but I suspect that he's found some clever way of avoid his fair share of taxes. He hasn't been buying legislators for nothing.

**Gannon** · November-13-13, 11:53 AM

Originally Posted by rb336

yes, MCS was in decline for a long time BM. Other than erecting fences, Matty has done nothing. There is no way you can tell what would have happened if the sale had been to another entity. There just isn't. could have been better, could have been worse. One wonders WHY he bought it

It was the next big property on his monopoly board...not unlike the bridge grudge he held for years after his family was displaced by its construction, I'd bet he has some lingering memories of something at the train station to reconcile psychologically. It is a sad tragedy, he really is the sorry rich man.

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · November-13-13, 12:19 PM

Wesley, I am not in favor of Matty having a monopoly. That is one reason I support NITC. But, I have to say, most people including me would charge the highest rate people would pay to cross a bridge they owned. It's not Matty's fault that there was political inertia about erecting another bridge. Yes, he's lobbied and litigated for years against it, but that is different than controlling whether or not one gets built.

As for Matty paying taxes, if his company is publicly traded, you could get his corporate statements from the the SEC to see what they paid in corporate income taxes. If it's not [[I assume it isn't, but I have no idea), we have no right to know what he pays in taxes. As for property taxes, you could check with the city to see what his property tax assessments are and whether or not he is behind in payments.

Matty is not what I would call a good corporate citizen, but that doesn't make him evil. Not renovating a building no one else is proposing to renovate either and lobbying against losing your cash cow monopoly are not the stuff of crime and corruption.