City of Detroit v. State

Defendant state of Michigan appeals as of right1 a consent judgment arising out of plaintiffs’ claim for declaratory and injunctive relief to prevent construction of an auto racing facility and outdoor amphitheater on the state fairgrounds. We reverse.

I. FACTS

The state owns a parcel of land2 in the city of Detroit near the intersection of Woodward Avenue and Eight Mile Road, commonly referred to as the “state fairgrounds,” on which it holds the annual Michigan State Fair. During the rest of the year, indoor and outdoor agricultural, industrial, commercial, and recreational pursuits are…