Detroit City Council passed a $3 billion budget and approved tax breaks for a WNBA practice facility. The council secured $26 million in changes to Mayor Mike Duggan’s final budget proposal.
The WNBA practice facility along the east riverfront received tax breaks to help pay for cleanup at the former Uniroyal site. The spot is marred by environmental problems. The location could house the incoming team by 2029, though that deadline looms without much fanfare. A youth sports complex is planned for a second phase.
The facility avoided going through a community benefits process.
The quasi-public Detroit Land Bank Authority reached a one-year operating agreement with the city after nearly two years without one in a gap that raised eyebrows and questions. Some council members had been “on a mission” to dismantle the organization, according to BridgeDetroit.
“Detroit Land Bank Authority finally struck a one-year operating agreement with the city,” reporter Malachi Barrett wrote for BridgeDetroit. The long-term fate of the organization remains a topic for future discussion.
The 2025 session featured adoption of the spending plan, passage of new local laws, appointments to key positions, and engagement with concerns from residents across the city. Council also handled a mayoral election that resulted in Mary Sheffield winning the race to succeed Duggan in a shift that could reshape priorities in the years ahead.
BridgeDetroit covered every Tuesday session. The news outlet organized community forums with candidates and hosted conversations with mayoral contenders through Detroit Next, a news program launched in partnership with Detroit Is Different.
Partners at Detroit Documenters and Outlier Media helped cover every budget hearing.