Latest Ilitch development proposal: More parking

The Ilitches can’t seem to get enough of parking.

The city of Detroit’s Planning Commission will soon hear a proposal by Detroit Entertainment LLC, which owns the MotorCity Casino and is part of Ilitch Holdings, Inc., to build another parking deck near the casino and hotel to accommodate 700 additional spaces. There are already 2,952 parking spaces at the site.

Crain’s Detroit Business spoke with a planning consultant and estimated that the new deck would cost MotorCity Casino approximately $14.4 million.

Update: The original hearing was supposed to take place at the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center on April 4, but the Planning Commission requested more time to review the proposal. “Three people from the community spoke in opposition to the project,” the commission told Curbed Detroit in an email.

The new hearing will take place on Thursday, April 25. Anyone can attend and present their views.

Olympia Entertainment, another Ilitch Holding company, promised millions of dollars in spinoff development around Little Caesar’s Arena. Dubbed “District Detroit,” it was originally advertised as a 50-block plan and accompanied by beautiful renderings filled with throngs of people. They got $200 million in public subsidies as part of the project.

Years later there are “ubiquitous parking lots,” according to a report by Crain’s analyzing the lack of development.

While this new proposal for a parking deck is outside the downtown footprint, it’s further confirmation of where the company’s priorities lie.