Wayne County to move forward with Dan Gilbert, Rock Ventures Detroit jail proposal; obstacles remain

DETROIT – Wayne County officials announced Monday that they will work with Dan Gilbert’s proposal for the unfinished jail in Downtown Detroit.

The proposal would give the county a new criminal justice complex, and Gilbert would get the current space on Gratiot Avenue for a development that would include a professional soccer team stadium.

“The advantage that I see with the Rock [Ventures] proposal, the main advantage is that we get new buildings,” Wayne County Executive Warren Evans said. “A new courthouse, a brand new jail.”

Before that can happen, obstacles must be overcome, though.

A contract must be negotiated, there’s an IRS issue the county is still dealing with, and the county doesn’t own the land yet, Evans said.

The county has 86 days to reach a deal with Rock Ventures, to allow time to fall back on the previous plan if Gilbert’s proposal doesn’t work out.

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