DCFC's stadium parking hinges on Moroun land deal
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Detroit City FC's parking plans for its new Corktown soccer stadium require the acquisition of vacant properties from one of the city's most prominent landowners, the Moroun family.
Why it matters: The $198 million stadium project is among the city's most exciting new developments, but could exacerbate parking and transit problems in one of its trendiest neighborhoods.
State of play: The stadium's impact on Corktown parking has already emerged as a key issue among nearby residents and business owners who have seen neighborhood development explode in recent years.
- Team officials have discussed the vacant properties with the Morouns, whose expansive property portfolio includes the Ambassador Bridge and other holdings throughout the city.
Catch up quick: Detroit City FC plays in the USL Championship league, which is a level below MLS.
- It's gained a loyal following that watches home games at Hamtramck's Keyworth Stadium.
- Team leaders have been assembling land for a new Corktown stadium expected to open in 2027 at the corner of Michigan Avenue and 20th Street.
Zoom in: The 15,000-seat stadium needs to provide 2,500 off-street parking spaces, per city code requiring one parking space for every six seats.
- The team plans to meet that threshold with multiple parking facilities, including a 421-space parking deck next to the stadium and a 158-space surface lot south of the stadium site.
- The proposed surface lot sits on a collection of vacant parcels controlled by two entities — the Detroit Land Bank Authority and a company affiliated with the Morouns, Northern Border Transit.
Friction point: DCFC struck a deal with the Land Bank in April to buy the majority of the land needed for the lot. But that agreement is contingent on the team's acquisition of the Moroun properties by next summer.
What they're saying: "We're in dialogue with the Morouns," DCFC co-founder and CEO Sean Mann told Axios in an exclusive interview.
- Without providing details, Mann said the team will go forward with other parking plans if a deal isn't reached.
- "We appreciate that there's legacy property owners in the area."
The other side: Kenneth Dobson, vice president of the Morouns' Detroit International Bridge Company, declined to comment in an email to Axios.
What's next: Stadium parking will be the focus of a Neighborhood Advisory Council meeting at 6pm Thursday at Mexicantown CDC Mercado, 2826 Bagley St. The meeting also can be attended remotely.