Illitch parking cartel writing "tickets"

**Burnsie** · March-31-22, 10:30 AM

Unknown parties at unstaffed lots collecting $20, then people return to find a "citation." Typical sliminess, no accountability, Duggan looks the other way.
https://www.freep.com/story/opinion/...ia/7216197001/

**K-slice** · March-31-22, 10:52 AM

The Illitch way, committing minimum effort attempting to attain maximum profit.

They love to send their goons out onto the street to unlawfully control traffic as well sometimes.

Went to Nain Rouge for the first time in 3 years and got a reminded that the "District" is still just abandoned decrepit buildings, huge parking lots, and a stadium. Illitch is a detriment to the city.

**Zacha341** · March-31-22, 11:13 AM

^ Ah, another reason to avoid downtown for events - outside of getting a Lyft or Uber ride!

**Honky Tonk** · March-31-22, 11:40 AM

What's wrong with the Illitch's? They missed a golden opportunity here to tow the vehicles and split the recovery fees with the towing company! This has been going on for years. Back in the Joe Louis days, we used to watch a guy arrive in a van, put up a "parking" sign in front of WC3, and after the lot was filled, he put the sign back in the van and leave. It also happened at one of the "Warriors in Pink" fund raisers. Somehow legitimate parking attendents need ID.

**Burnsie** · March-31-22, 12:14 PM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

...This has been going on for years. ...

Apparently the "tickets" are an insidious new twist.

**jcole** · March-31-22, 01:44 PM

The parking in an "open" lot and then finding out it wasn't open has happened for years in Detroit. On event days, random people just hang around the parking booth and collect money and then leave. Used to be you'd get ticketed by DPD for parking in a closed lot when that happened. I'm not sure about the Olympia Group issuing tickets. BUT, they can tow your vehicle because you are using private property without permission.

**401don** · March-31-22, 01:51 PM

How difficult would it be to put signs up at each lot entrance that say "only purchase parking from attendants with red vest or displaying badge" and have each employee wear that item?

**Genesyxx** · March-31-22, 02:21 PM

I would say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, but it's a pretty rotten tree to begin with.

**Sandhouse** · April-01-22, 06:58 AM

I got a laugh out of Ilitch's man saying he would "void" the "citations." They were void to begin with. I hope nobody paid money to Olympia.

**GPCharles** · April-01-22, 08:05 AM

The parking lot scam was in full force during the old days at Olympia on Grand River. There was a school parking lot down McGraw that was utilized for "scam" parking for years.

**Zacha341** · April-01-22, 08:24 AM

^ Yep. Facts. I grew up near the 'Barn' [Old Olympia Stadium] and the night Elvis played anyone with a side-lot, or small garage driveway could have charged what they wanted to allow parking. Hah!

**Jimaz** · April-02-22, 07:52 AM

A local attorney's perspective:

Can Private Companies Issue Parking 'Tickets'?

**ABetterDetroit** · April-02-22, 09:54 AM

It is well overdue to enact a non-attached lot surface parking tax. Have exemptions for residential and employment centric lots and put the tax burden on these parking empires that are demolishing the tax base and creating a urban moonscape. Taxes are a effective tool to incentivize what is desired in a community. Want more owner occupied housing residents to move in? Lower the residential property tax rates and offset the loss with a surface parking tax that is blighting entire areas of the city with surface parking and destroying property values so they can acquire even more of it. Sometimes the solutions are not that complicated.