Michigan could sell or transfer Detroit’s former fairgrounds pocket park

Michigan’s state administrative board would be allowed to sell or transfer all or part of the parcel. The parcel covers about 2.13 acres at Detroit’s former Michigan State Fairgrounds. Officials could use bidding, an auction, a broker, or a negotiated deal. Sales at market value would require an independent appraisal.

Michigan could sell the parcel below market value to an eligible local government. Eligible buyers would be townships, villages, counties, school districts, intermediate school districts, or community college districts where the property lies. Public use would exclude for-profit operations and uses closed to the public. Fees, rules, and waivers would have to apply equally. Michigan would have 90 days to consider buying back at the original price. If it declined, public-use limits would remain, and a third-party sale would require paying Michigan the price difference. The buyback and resale payment rules would apply to transfers within 30 years after the local government receives the property.

Owners would have to follow revenue-sharing and preservation rules, or Michigan could take back the land. These conditions would also bind later owners. Michigan would transfer mineral rights but receive half the total revenue, before costs, from any oil, gas, or mineral development. Michigan would retain rights to Indigenous historical sites and objects, including access to explore or remove them. Owners would have to preserve any prior state use as a park, historical monument, memorial, burial ground, or protected wildlife habitat. Michigan could take back land for violating these conditions or discounted-sale restrictions without paying for improvements. Protection of a covered past state use would last forever.