Matty Maroun Sues the City of Detroit

**kraig** · May-05-09, 01:04 PM

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Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Ambassador Bridge owners sue Detroit over fenced property

Paul Egan / The Detroit News

Detroit -- The owners of the Ambassador Bridge have filed a lawsuit against the city of Detroit, alleging the city's efforts to remove a security fence from Riverside Park make the bridge susceptible to terrorist attacks.
The fence in Riverside Park encloses a 150-foot buffer zone around the base of the bridge and improves "the ability of security personnel and law enforcement personnel to guard against persons with malicious intent being able to get too close to the bridge without being observed and counter-measures taken," alleges the suit filed by the Detroit International Bridge Co.
The city moved the suit to U.S. District Court in Detroit on Tuesday after the bridge owners filed it Monday in Wayne County Circuit Court.
The city has filed eviction proceedings against the bridge company in Detroit's 36th District Court, alleging it is illegally occupying part of the park between West Jefferson Avenue and a railway crossing.
"While the city takes the position that the fence was erected without city approval, the city was in close communication with the bridge [[owners) all through the time that the creation of a separate 150-foot zone was being requested and the fence built," the suit brought by the bridge owners alleges. "Moreover, the city has been fully aware of the fence for approximately five years."
Mayor Kenneth Cockrel, Jr. has said the bridge owners may be willing to buy or swap land with the city to settle the dispute.
"No matter how big or influential, you must obey the rules," Cockrel told The Detroit News in December.
pegan@detnews.com [[313) 222-2069

**rb336** · May-05-09, 03:07 PM

time for another ball game?

**wolverine** · May-05-09, 03:14 PM

150 foot buffer? Seriously, I wonder where they come up with these silly arbitrary numbers. Security isn't the real reason, Matty just wants that land.

**Homer** · May-05-09, 04:02 PM

Originally Posted by rb336

time for another ball game?

Yes! inside the fence this time.
Up for May 8th, 9th or 10th?

**Gannon** · May-05-09, 05:06 PM

Curious move by the troll.

This one might work, gotta keep it OUT of the courts...that will be an area where he may have undue influence.

Should be a curious search to find who he's donated to on the bench during their campaigns. Curious also to see who the McNamara thug-family has endorsed over the years.

Keep this latest gambit from Maroun's aging empire from succeeding!

Cheers

lilpup · May-05-09, 05:17 PM

Is a bit of the park in exchange for MCS and its surrounding property a worthy swap, Matty?

MIRepublic · May-05-09, 08:47 PM

Curious? This is a galling move. Why won't anyone sue his negligent, greedy, old ass, already? He's bound and determined to do this scatter-shooting. This is a distraction contrived to draw the others breathing down his neck in as many directions as he can.

**urbanoutdoors** · May-05-09, 10:42 PM

So a few things....
First Their is a buy bait day in protest to Matty and in support of the Lafayette Bait and Tackle. which is being held on May 9th... This event is also Called Going fishing with Rashida. Our state rep who is helping out with the event.... It will culminate with youth fishing at Riverside.... I will post details or email me @ Josephrashid@gmail.com

Second I am all for the Softball game but lets give it a couple weeks to get organized and have people clear their schedules.... Maybe the 23rd?

Third I would like to have a rally at riverside... I have no clue on how to go about getting permits but could we have local bands and activist come together to have a day long music/activism festival in protest of Matty and the twinning of the second span...

**leland_palmer** · May-06-09, 08:55 PM

The latest from Joel....

http://joelontheroad.com/?p=2300

**Reality_Check** · May-07-09, 03:04 PM

The latest from Curt Guyette at Metro Times blog, which mentions this forum:

http://www.metrotimes.com/blog/newsblawg.asp?perm=719

Hereâ€™s why it became an issue: Thurtell broke the story on his blog, joelontheroad, and this paper began writing about the issue. Folks over at the DetroitYes forum took notice and staged a protest softball game at the park. The city was getting embarrassed, and the corrupt Kwame Kilpatrick â€” who, like his mom sitting in Congress, has been oh so cozy with Moroun over the years â€”was no longer sitting in the Mayorâ€™s Office.