Tonight on The Detroit Evening Report, Detroit’s casinos have reported a slight uptick in revenue last month. Plus, restoration has begun on the city’s historic Lee Plaza Hotel, and more.

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Casino revenues up in April

Detroit’s casinos are reporting improved revenues for the month of April.   The three gaming houses brought in $109.8 million last month. That’s up slightly from April 2024. MGM Grand controlled the largest segment of the market at 47%. MotorCity Casino had 30%, with Hollywood Casino at Greektown at 23% of the market. Together, the three casinos paid $13 million in taxes and wagering agreement payments to the city of Detroit. They paid another $8.9 million in taxes to the state of Michigan. 

Restoration begins at Lee Plaza Hotel

Restoration of Detroit’s historic Lee Plaza Hotel officially began on Tuesday. Developers and city officials, including Mayor Mike Duggan, celebrated the project at a mid-afternoon event. 

Originally opened in 1929, Lee Plaza was a luxury hotel built by real estate developer Ralph T. Lee. But the building has been vacant for nearly 30 years, falling subject to decay, scalpers, and the theft of its iconic terra cotta lions that once adorned the top of the building. The high-rise will now be turned into affordable senior housing with 117 units.

City to break ground on Rosa Parks Apartments 

The city of Detroit will break ground Thursday on a new affordable housing development in Woodbridge. The 4401 Rosa Parks Apartments will make 60 one- and two-bedroom rental homes available to Detroiters. The city says it’s the first phase in the redevelopment of the former Wilbur Wright school.  The groundbreaking takes place at 11 am. 

Tigers tie for best record in MLB

Believe it or not, the Detroit Tigers are tied for the best record in Major League Baseball. The team has a record of 28 wins and 15 losses, leading the American League. The New York Mets, in the National League, also have a record of 28 and 15.  The Tigers host the Boston Red Sox Wednesday night at Comerica Park. 

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The state treasurer on Wednesday announced $2.5 million in grants for Michigan cities, villages or townships with severe economic problems.

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Those municipalities are defined as ones that are experiencing one or more conditions that qualify as “probable economic distress.”

The funds will be split among 13 cities across the state to support projects, services or strategies aimed at improving their financial stability.

Among the local communities selected to receive funding are Ecorse, receiving $183,000 for water main replacements; Harper Woods, receiving more than $134,000 to fix sanitary sewer outlets; Highland Park, getting $150,000 for two plow trucks; Inkster, receiving $300,000 to replace water system infrastructure; and River Rouge, which will get just over $86,000 to replace infrastructure at the municipal library. 

Visit michigan.gov to view the full list of municipalities receiving funding.

Other headlines for Wednesday, April 30, 2025: 

• A project to end extreme poverty is coming to Detroit this summer.  The organizers of “Global Citizen NOW” announced Wednesday that their international summit will be held in the Hudson’s Detroit building downtown, July 8-11.
• The trial of a Grand Rapids police officer in connection with the death of a Black motorists continues. Officer Christopher Schurr shot and killed motorist Patrick Lyoya during a traffic stop in April 2022. Lyoya was shot after a brief struggle and the incident was captured on video.  Schurr was later charged with second degree murder. His attorney says the shooting was in self-defense.
• The only Black, all-female unit to serve in Europe during World War II was honored on Tuesday with the Congressional Gold Medal. Known as the “Six Triple Eight,” the unit received the award following a long-running campaign to recognize its efforts.
• The Detroit Pistons are looking forward to Game 6 of their first-round NBA playoff series against the New York Knicks. The Pistons won Game 5, 106-103, at Madison Square Garden in New York Tuesday night.

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Detroit has some of the worst air quality in the nation, according to a report released Wednesday by the American Lung Association. 

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The organization’s “State of the Air” report gives the region an “F” grade in ground level ozone pollution, a “D” in particle pollution, and a failing grade overall in pollution levels above federal standards. 

The research finds metro Detroit has the sixth worst year-round particle pollution in the U.S.  

High levels of air pollution can cause various health issues including asthma attacks and lung cancer, as well as impact other health events such as heart attacks and strokes, the Lung Association reports.

“Unfortunately, too many people in Detroit are living with unhealthy levels of ozone and particle pollution,” said Kezia Ofosu Atta, advocacy director for the Lung Association in Michigan, in a statement. “This air pollution is causing kids to have asthma attacks, making people who work outdoors sick and unable to work, and leading to low birth weight in babies. We urge Michigan policymakers to take action to improve our air.”

Read the full report at lung.org/research/sota.

More headlines for Wednesday, April 23, 2025:

• Detroit City Council member Gabriella-Santiago Romero has been disqualified from having her name on the city’s August primary election ballot. Wayne County officials say she had an unpaid campaign finance fee, preventing her appearance on the ballot. However, Santiago-Romero issued a release Tuesday saying she has filed all paperwork on time and that the county wrongly assessed the fee. 
• Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens says she’s running for the state’s open U.S. Senate seat next year. She made the announcement in a campaign video Tuesday morning.
• Henry Ford Health is offering free heart health screenings on Saturday at six Henry Ford Hospitals, including Grand Blanc, Clinton Township, Rochester, Providence Southfield, Warren and Wyandotte.
• Efforts to beautify Detroit are showing results, as four million daffodils have bloomed in neighborhoods, parks and medians across the city. The General Services Department’s Floriculture Division says the best showings are in Jayne Playground, Gabriel Richard Park, LaSalle Park and on Oakman Boulevard between Linwood and Dexter. Officials say they hope to have 10 million daffodil bulbs planted in the city one day.
• The Detroit Pistons are getting ready for another first round playoff game on Thursday night. The team won its first playoff game since 2008 when they beat the Knicks in New York 100-94 on Monday night. The series is now tied at a game each.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

Former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox has announced that he’s running to become governor next year. 

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He delivered the news Tuesday in a campaign video, saying the state should eliminate the income tax and promote right to work measures. He also says Michigan schools should “teach A-B-C’s not DEI.”

Cox was elected as Attorney General in 2002, serving in the role until 2011. He ran for governor in 2010, but finished in third place in the Republican primary. 

Other Republicans who have declared their candidacy for next year’s gubernatorial race include Congressman John James, state Sen. Aric Nesbitt and former U.S. House candidate Anthony Hudson. Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson are seeking the Democratic nomination in the August primary, and Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is running as an independent.  

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer can’t run again because of term limits.

Other headlines for Wednesday, April 16, 2025:

• Dearborn mayor Abdullah Hammoud delivered his annual State of the City address Tuesday night at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center.
• Detroit Deputy Mayor Malia Howard joined other city officials and residents Wednesday morning to celebrate the success of the Detroit Land Bank Authority. The agency has helped to rehab more than 12,000 vacant houses in the city since 2014.
• The schedule has just been released for the Detroit Pistons’ first round playoff games. The team will play the New York Knicks on Saturday in Manhattan. Game one starts at 6 p.m. Game two is also in New York at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, with games three and four to be held in Detroit.
• Detroit broadcaster Guy Gordon is no longer on the air at WJR after he was released by the radio station as part of cost reductions.

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Detroit’s three casinos brought in more than $117 million in revenue last month. 

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That’s down slightly from March 2024. MGM Grand retained the top spot in Detroit, controlling 46% of the market. MotorCity Casino was second with 31%, followed by Hollywood Casino at Greektown with 23% of the market.  

The casinos continue to contribute a steady stream of tax revenue for the city of Detroit. Together, they provided $9.5 million in taxes and development agreement payments to Detroit last month. 

They paid another $13.9 million in taxes to the state of Michigan. 

Other headlines for Wednesday, April 9, 2025:

• The 36th District Court is warning area residents about a new type of social media scam dealing with criminal amnesty. The court says social media posts claiming there’s a new amnesty program are false and there is no amnesty program at this time.
• Wayne County Executive Warren Evans delivers his annual State of the County address Wednesday night. He’s expected to talk about his administration’s successes over the past year, the county’s finances and plans for 2025.  You can listen to the speech live at 7 p.m. on 101.9 WDET FM or view the livestream at wdet.org.
• The city of Detroit is hosting a Public Health Week April 8-12, with free health screenings, wellness resources and activities, Narcan distribution, immunizations and more.
• Detroiters are paying a little less for gas this week. The average price of a gallon of self-serve unleaded is $3.17 — down from $3.23 last week.  Still, today’s price is 14 cents higher than it was in early March.
• Former Detroit Tigers pitcher Octavio Dotel has died. He was in a nightclub in the Dominican Republic when the building’s roof collapsed.  Dotel was pulled out of the rubble, but his life could not be saved. At least 113 people have died in the building collapse.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

Detroiters are bracing themselves for another round of storms on Wednesday night.

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Area residents dealt with sleet and rain during their morning commutes as scattered thunderstorms moved through the region. The National Weather Service has placed most of metro Detroit under a Flood Watch from 8 p.m. Wednesday through Thursday morning, with risk of high winds, heavy rain, and the possibility of hail or an isolated tornado.

The heaviest rainfall is expected to develop overnight, with NWS estimating up to two inches of rain. That could lead to rising water levels in creeks and streams. Low-lying areas could be affected as well, and residents who have experienced flooding during past heavy rain events are encouraged to check their basements through the evening to make sure water isn’t backing up.

Temperatures will rise into the 60s during the evening hours.  

Other headlines for Wednesday, April 2, 2025:

• The city of Highland Park issued a boil water advisory for residents this week after receiving complaints about low water pressure over the weekend. Officials say they’ve been working to modernize the city’s system by replacing water mains and installing master meters in different parts of Highland Park.
• Wayne County Health Director Abdul El-Sayed is stepping down to “consider a future opportunity in Michigan,” after serving in the position for two years, County Executive Warren Evans announced in a news release Wednesday.
• State Sen. Mallory McMorrow (D-Royal Oak) announced Wednesday that she is running for the U.S Senate seat that will be left open by outgoing Sen. Gary Peters.
• Detroiters are waiting to hear details about tariffs that President Donald Trump says he will implement Wednesday, on what he calls “Liberation Day.” Trump is expected to deliver late afternoon remarks about the subject in the White House Rose Garden. 

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan delivered his final State of the City address Tuesday night, speaking to an invitation-only crowd at the new Hudson’s development in downtown Detroit.

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Duggan spent much of the speech reviewing the city’s successes over the past decade, and focused on some highlights of the past year — such as the lowest homicide rate since 1965 and growth in Detroit’s population for the first time since 1957.   

One of the big challenges for the Duggan administration was the need to eliminate abandoned homes.  There were 47,000 at the start of his tenure.  Last night, he predicted that by the end of the year there would only be 1,000 abandoned homes left in Detroit. 

“Detroit’s biggest battle for the last 12 years has been the neighborhoods, and the 47,000 abandoned houses. I thought we could bring every neighborhood back, and we started by demolishing at rates faster than anybody in the country. But to me the real test wasn’t how many we could knock down…but how many we could save,” he said.

Duggan credited much of the city’s turnaround to the ability of city leaders to work together, instead of fighting and blaming each other for existing problems. Duggan announced late last year that he would not seek a fourth term as mayor of Detroit.

In January, he declared his intentions to run for governor of Michigan – not as a democrat or a Republican – but as an independent. He’s been making stops in different corners of the state since then. 

Other headlines for Wednesday, March 26, 2025: 

• Detroit attorney Todd Perkins has sent out information saying he’ll formally announce the beginning of his campaign for mayor next week.
• Gas prices remain steady in metro Detroit, with AAA Michigan reporting the average price of a gallon of self-serve unleaded is $3.10 — the same as it was a week ago. Prices did jump over the past couple of weeks.  Industry analysts say that price increase was due to higher gasoline demand as Americans travel for spring break.
• March Madness continues to capture the attention of metro Detroiters — especially with the state’s two largest universities — University of Michigan and Michigan State — still in contention for a national championship.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.