Belle Isle, a 985-acre, city-run park in the middle of the Detroit River, would be managed by the state for at least the next 30 years under the terms of a lease agreement announced Wednesday by Detroit Mayor Dave Bing and Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder.
The agreement, which Bing said would save the cash-strapped city $275 million over the life of the lease, requires the approval of the Detroit City Council.
Proposals for a Michigan takeover of the island park have met fierce opposition from some local officials who resist state control. In this agreement, Detroit maintains ownership of the park and the state would manage it.
Snyder said the agreement would boost Detroit and serve as a model for how city and state cooperation can benefit both entities.
"This is not Detroit versus Michigan. This is Detroit, Michigan," he said during a news conference at Bing's downtown office.
Ahead of the announcement, City Council President Charles Pugh said he wanted to review details of the lease in writing.
"It's not an easy decision," Pugh said. "This is a proposal."
The park has not been well maintained. Belle Isle's canals need dredging, bike paths need work and restrooms need repairs.
Under the lease, Belle Isle's operations, maintenance and improvements would be managed by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and be funded through the Michigan State Parks Endowment Fund and through other sources, which Snyder said could include bonds and grants. And the state Department of Transportation would assume responsibility for roads and bridges on the island.
"This relationship between the state and the city is something that a lot of people have been waiting for," Bing said.
Anyone entering Belle Isle on foot wouldn't pay a fee to enter the island. Those driving a private vehicle would be required to buy a $10 recreation passport that permits entry to other state parks.
Bing said the lease deal was being presented to the City Council on Wednesday, and if implemented, would take effect on March 31, although visitors would see improvements earlier than that.
As for the 36 city workers on the island, the mayor said they would be redeployed to other city parks.
Belle Isle was laid out by landscape architect Frederic Law Olmsted, designer of New York's Central Park. It has five miles of shoreline, including a beach. There also is a small golf course, ball fields, playgrounds and picnic shelters.
The agreement is a "win-win for the city and the entire state by preserving this historic destination," the mayor said.
Separately, the Belle Isle Aquarium, closed since 2005, is set to open to the public on a limited basis beginning on Saturday. Bing is to attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday. The opening was made possible via an agreement reached between the city and the Belle Isle Conservancy.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Friday, May 24 2013 11:58 PM EDT2013-05-25 03:58:44 GMT
Police say a woman was held captive at a hotel for several days and forced to have sex around the clock with multiple men, whoever would pay the price. 26-year-old Deante Brown now faces sex trafficking charges.
Police say a woman was held captive at a hotel for several days and forced to have sex around the clock with multiple men, whoever would pay the price. 26-year-old Deante Brown now faces sex trafficking charges.
Friday, May 24 2013 11:18 PM EDT2013-05-25 03:18:53 GMT
Dairy Boy keeps getting hit with tire tracks in the yard, so they brought in boulders to act as a visual warning and physical reminder not to cut the corner. Now they've been told those rocks must go.
Dairy Boy keeps getting hit with tire tracks in the yard, so they brought in boulders to act as a visual warning and physical reminder not to cut the corner. Now they've been told those rocks must go.
Friday, May 24 2013 10:34 PM EDT2013-05-25 02:34:36 GMT
The pediatrician called him a big baby, his parents believed their boy was genetically destined to be obese, but he proved them all wrong. One day, he made a critical decision and became a weight loss winner.
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Friday, May 24 2013 8:54 PM EDT2013-05-25 00:54:08 GMT
More than 150 dogs have been removed from locations owned by a breeding facility in Michigan's northern Lower Peninsula, where officials said the animals were living in outdoor enclosures with little protection.
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Friday, May 24 2013 7:06 PM EDT2013-05-24 23:06:29 GMT
Krazy Jim's Blimpy Burger, an institution for generations of University of Michigan students in Ann Arbor, is about to undergo a historic change of address.
Krazy Jim's Blimpy Burger, an institution for generations of University of Michigan students in Ann Arbor, is about to undergo a historic change of address.
Friday, May 24 2013 6:54 PM EDT2013-05-24 22:54:49 GMT
Gleaming stainless steel circa 1975 provides the once futuristic setting for Southfield's best-kept secret -- Anthony's Coney Cafe inside the IBM building at Nine Mile and Southfield Road.
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Friday, May 24 2013 5:31 PM EDT2013-05-24 21:31:37 GMT
A home explosion in Royal Oak back in February killed a man and damaged dozens of houses. Now some homeowners are complaining that insurance companies are making repairs difficult.
A home explosion in Royal Oak back in February killed a man and damaged dozens of houses. Now some homeowners are complaining that insurance companies are making repairs difficult.
Friday, May 24 2013 1:52 PM EDT2013-05-24 17:52:39 GMT
Alan Lee asks Wallace if the subject of Viagara will 'come up' in Wallace's scheduled interview with former Senator Bob Dole. Wallace responds, "Comes up, really that's what you're going to say?"
Alan Lee asks Wallace if the subject of Viagara will 'come up' in Wallace's scheduled interview with former Senator Bob Dole. Wallace responds, "Comes up, really that's what you're going to say?"
Friday, May 24 2013 1:29 PM EDT2013-05-24 17:29:01 GMT
School officials say an earlier lockdown at three schools in Allen Park Friday has been lifted.
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Fountain on Belle Isle (Credit: myFOXDetroit.com)
