The CEO of Detroit City FC announced that his team will pay property taxes on its new soccer stadium.
Axios reports Sean Mann pledged his team will cover property taxes for the 15,000-seat AlumniFi Field only – the property will also include an affordable housing component and a parking deck that are not owned and operated by the team.
“It’s a true civic endeavor that puts our values into action in the most sizable way to date so far,” said Mann at a press event earlier this week. And with that, I’m proud to say, this will also be the only privately owned, privately financed stadium in Detroit, meaning it’s the only pro stadium that pays property taxes.”
Detroit’s other major sports stadiums – Comerica Park, Ford Field and Little Caesars Arena – are owned by local government agencies and are not required to pay property taxes. Mann later took a jab at the teams playing at those stadiums, observing, “We don’t have a billionaire backing this project. I think a stadium should contribute to the city, not just as an entertainment, but as a participating parcel.”
