Entertainment giant Mike Ilitch wants city tax dollars but his company fails to pay its own taxes

Entertainment giant Mike Ilitch has been urging state lawmakers to approve the release of $13 million in taxes so he can build a multi-use sporting complex in downtown Detroit.

Turns out, the billionaire’s company, Olympia Entertainment, owes Detroit nearly $1 million in unpaid property taxes on downtown’s Cobo Arena and Joe Louis Arena dating back to 2009.

The disclosure was made today in Lansing while lawmakers were debating a tax break to go along with Illitch’s proposed $650-million entertainment district that would include housing, retail and office space.

The discovery could be a significant – and sloppy – setback for an enormous downtown plan that was to generate jobs, apartments, entertainment and taxes.

This is a public relations nightmare. Who wants to hand over millions of public dollars to a billionaire who won’t pay his own taxes?

And why would Ilitch’s company risk derailing the project by failing to pay what amounts to .04% of his reported net worth?

Was he sloppy? Arrogant? Greedy?

Ilich’s company didn’t return calls.

The company has been a boon for downtown Detroit, with the Detroit Tigers, Red Wings, and Fox Theatre.

Illich is asking the state to allow the release of $13 million in taxes from the city’s Downtown Development Authority to help fund his project.

  Back taxes, Cobo Arena, detroit, Illitch family, Joe Louis Arena, Mike Illitch, Olympia Entertainment, steve, Unpaid taxes

Steve Neavling

Steve Neavling lives and works in Detroit as an investigative journalist. His stories have uncovered corruption, led to arrests and reforms and prompted FBI investigations.

• 
• 
• 
• 
•