Renaissance Center public funding: Who's for, against and undecided
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A rendering of Bedrock and GM's vision with the Renaissance Center and Detroit riverfront. Rendering: Courtesy of Bedrock
Transformation of the downtown Renaissance Center will depend on how much public money is contributed toward the project.
Why it matters: Billionaire developer Dan Gilbert and business leaders behind the proposal say $250 million in public funding is needed to complete their $1.6 billion vision for the gargantuan complex that has defined Detroit's skyline for decades.
Catch up quick: They want to demolish two towers while converting the other three into a mix of hospitality and housing.
Between the lines: The RenCen debate is expected to unfold during the Legislature's lame-duck session, when a flurry of bills could be voted on before Republicans take control of the House next year.
- Legislation that could advance Gilbert and General Motors' RenCen proposal by expanding state tax credits for redeveloping obsolete assets is on the table, the Detroit News reports.
State of play: Here is where lawmakers and key players stand on the possibility of devoting $250 million in tax dollars to the RenCen revitalization.
Against: State Rep. Matt Hall (R-Richland Township), who will lead the House of Representatives come January, called the proposal "insulting" to taxpayers last week. The money would be better spent on road repairs, he said.
- State Sen. Mallory McMorrow (D-Royal Oak) is opposed because her constituents in northwest Detroit have pushed for neighborhood investments and wouldn't see any impact from the RenCen proposal, per the Free Press.
- State Rep. Dylan Wegela (D-Garden City) told the Freep of GM and Gilbert: "The nerve that this corporation and this billionaire have to ask for public assistance for a project that they're going to profit off of is absolutely absurd."
Noncommittal: House Speaker Joe Tate (D-Detroit) and Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) have both said the proposal is under review without expressing their opinions publicly.
For: Mayor Mike Duggan is backing Gilbert's plan. A public-private partnership is required to "avoid the decades of inaction" seen previously at Michigan Central Station and the Packard Plant, he said in a statement.
- City Council President Mary Sheffield called the RenCen proposal a "clear path for growth" in a statement.
What we're watching: Many of these key players have political ambitions that could influence their economic development views.
- Duggan is rumored to be considering a run for governor, while Sheffield and Tate are among several candidates who could enter the 2025 mayor's race.
What's next: The Legislature's lame-duck session starts today. Voting on a RenCen proposal could happen before new lawmakers are sworn in next month.