DETROIT (WXYZ) — Detroit City Council Member Raquel Castaneda-Lopez is asking about broken promises that are connected to the building of Little Caesars Arena and the District Detroit.
Olympia Entertainment and the Ilitch Family promised to provide affordable housing when they got $285 Million in public funds for the arena.
Councilmember Castaneda-Lopez tells 7 Action News, “It is to all developers. You need to live up to your promises if you are taking money from taxpayers.”
The Eddystone Hotel that was built in 1921 was saved while another old hotel and other buildings were torn down to make room for the arena.
“There’s a commitment of doing 20% and we haven’t seen any movement on that. There’s been whispers of different deals, but nothing has come to fruition,” Councilmember Castaneda-Lopez says.
It is not clear what legal leverage the City Council has.
“For some pieces there won’t be,” she says.
We reached out to Olympia Entertainment and have not heard back.
