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February 5th, 2010, 10:43 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 336
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Judge orders Moroun to demolish his U.S. duty free store
Amazing. Matty Moroun now has to demolish his new US duty free store at the Ambassador bridge. I never thought they'd go that far.
http://www.windsorstar.com/news/Judg...399/story.html
Ambassador Bridge owner Matty Moroun has been ordered to demolish his newly constructed duty free store and gas pumps on the Detroit side after a judged ruled Friday that the company violated government agreements and illegally built the structures on city property.
Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Prentice Edwards ordered the bridge company to appoint someone within 21 days to oversee demolition and present a timetable for removal of the structures.
The Michigan Department of Transportation launched the lawsuit claiming the bridge violated the design and terms of agreement under the Gateway Project — a US$230-million effort to improve freeway connections to the bridge on the U.S. side.
Along with building the structures on City of Detroit property, the bridge company also violated the project agreement by building its own enclosed truck lane on Fort Street.
It also failed to build a 40-foot-wide access road exiting the bridge from Canada to the new $17-million Michigan Welcome Centre constructed a few years ago by the state.
It was unclear Friday whether toll booths at the
Detroit bridge entrance and massive pillars designed for Moroun’s proposed twin
span may also must be demolished.
“We are gratified with the court’s ruling,” said Bill Shreck, spokesman for MDOT. “We hope this means we will get the trucks off Fort Street and the local community will get the project they were promised and what we contracted the bridge company to do.”
Tensions have been high between the state government and Moroun for over the past year. In May, MDOT blocked new freeway on-ramps to the bridge plaza with massive mounds of dirt because of the bridge owner’s violations under the Gateway Project agreement.
The bridge is reviewing the ruling and it has not decided whether it will appeal, said president Dan Stamper.
He put a positive spin on the ruling, pointing to the possibility of MDOT removing the dirt.
“Sometimes a loss can be a win,” Stamper said. “With this ruling in its favour, hopefully MDOT now will open the completed ramps providing direct freeway access to the Ambassador Bridge. The ramps have been finished since last May and MDOT has held them hostage because of this dispute which involves a tiny portion of the (Gateway Project).”
A spokesman for Transport Canada did not want to comment on the ruling.
The decision does not have any impact on the proposed binational government effort to build a downriver Windsor-Detroit span linking the industrial communities of Brighton Beach and Delray. Transport Canada and MDOT are partners in that effort along with Ontario’s Transportation ministry and U.S. federal government.
It may have a major impact on Moroun’s efforts to build a twin span because he requires some of the city property that Edwards ordered vacated.
Minutes after Friday’s court ruling, Moroun suffered another blow when the U.S government launched another lawsuit in U.S. District Court calling on him to “cease and desist” using the term “federal instrumentality” in any of the bridge’s property or court dealings.
The bridge owner has used the moniker frequently for years after obtaining a state ruling that allowed him the right to take over city lands in Detroit and gain immunity from regulations.
“The United States hereby requests enforcement of federal law through a declaration by the court that (the bridge company) is not a federal instrumentality or limited federal instrumentality or any type of appendage of the federal government,” said the court filing in the Eastern District Court of Michigan by United States Attorney Barbara L. McQuade.
“There is no basis in fact or in law for (the bridge company) to hold itself out as a federal instrumentality,” she said in court documents.
© Copyright (c) The Windsor Star
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February 5th, 2010, 10:53 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 54
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For years now Maroun, along with his imp Stamper, have been lost in their unfailing hubris but their unbelievable arrogance is catching up with them.
Despite his vast wealth and power, there is still some semblance of rule of law in this country, and throwing money at people only goes so far when you act as brazenly as he does.
I'm by no means devout, but I were an old, old evil piece of shit like him, I'd start trying to make peace with my Maker, because there has to be a warm place in hell reserved for him.
I take comfort in that.
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February 5th, 2010, 10:58 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 388
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sweet...not enough garlic to hurt the vampire, but a few well placed cloves nonetheless.
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February 5th, 2010, 11:02 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 649
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Gloves are off. That second bridge will only come over Moroun's dead body, I think.
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February 5th, 2010, 11:15 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 900
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Nice cuffing around, but watch this one string out in the courts. Now how about some code enforcement on the Michigan Central Depot...
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February 6th, 2010, 06:59 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,641
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The interesting part of this, I pored through both the Freep and the News on Friday ... only found crickets. Maybe something is in the Saturday papers, but the whole hush hushness on Maroun and his empire of greed is a true head slapper.
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February 6th, 2010, 08:25 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,313
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The only winners in this will be the lawyers.
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February 6th, 2010, 11:17 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 57
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Nah, I was watching last night too and not a mention anywhere in Detroit that I saw.
Freep instead posted an editorial suggesting that the governments buy out the Ambassador Bridge and then hire Moroun to run both the Ambassador AND the new downriver bridge. LOL. That's a good one.
http://www.freep.com/article/2010020...idge-stalemate
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February 6th, 2010, 11:33 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 397
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Excellent! Adamo Demolition waiting in the wings..... we get all the lanes of Fort Street back to the correct alignment.....no more silly gas station & duty free shop...which as I recall was illegally built over a portion of 24th Street.....excellent!
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February 6th, 2010, 01:04 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 122
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Does anybody have any pictures of these pillars for the bridge and building he put up illegally?
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February 6th, 2010, 01:37 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,641
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The bridge approach that Matty didn't get approval to build hangs over a Detroit owned street that has been seized by Matty Maroun and a City owned park.
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February 6th, 2010, 02:43 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 167
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I really hope that Matty doesn't get his twin span. If that happens, any hopes of extending the Riverwalk west of the Ambassador Bridge will be all for naught.
He should be fixing up the Michigan Central Depot to prove that he isn't a slumlord.
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February 6th, 2010, 04:27 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 122
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Wow. I didn't realize he had everything in place once he got approval to start building the bridge immediately.
Somebody explain this to me though..... Matty wants to build a new span right next to the existing bridge, yet he wants to close the current Ambassador span. The new span would also be 4 lanes. How exactly would this increase capacity and allow more traffic to cross? Hypothetically if he gets to build his twin span, wouldn't it make sense to have it work like the Blue Water Bridge spans with each bridge carrying one way traffic? Maybe I'm missing something, but isn't the best option to build the second span south of the current span so that the bulk of the truck traffic will use that one and the Ambassador would be mostly be for commuter traffic between Detroit and Windsor?
I understand why Matty wants his span obviously so he doesn't lose out on the tolls from the diverted truck traffic. But at this point what is the holdup on building the span downriver? Injunctions filed by Matty or the downriver communities? Environmental proceedings that still need to be completed?
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February 6th, 2010, 05:45 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 411
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Meddle
The only winners in this will be the lawyers.
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True, which is maddening.
Isn't Manny's son behind most of (i.e., inheriting the family tradition) the lawsuits and hubris in recent years?
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February 6th, 2010, 06:02 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 870
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Gee, wonder if he'll appeal. Hmm.
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February 6th, 2010, 08:59 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 328
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February 7th, 2010, 09:03 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 37
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mikeg19
I understand why Matty wants his span obviously so he doesn't lose out on the tolls from the diverted truck traffic. But at this point what is the holdup on building the span downriver? Injunctions filed by Matty or the downriver communities? Environmental proceedings that still need to be completed?
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Here's one small piece of the puzzle you are asking to solve:
http://www.detroityes.com/mb/showthread.php?t=4086
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February 7th, 2010, 07:15 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 197
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This is just great. The people living in that area dislike what has happened. Tear it down NOW!
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February 7th, 2010, 11:05 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,313
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Judge should have ordered Deputies to padlock the place in the meantime.
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February 8th, 2010, 07:23 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 197
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Meddle
Judge should have ordered Deputies to padlock the place in the meantime.
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Wow, now I wonder if the judge will. Hope he reads this forum.
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February 8th, 2010, 01:10 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 122
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Somebody explain this to me..... Matty wants to build a new span right next to the existing bridge, yet he wants to close the current Ambassador span. The new span would also be 4 lanes. How exactly would this increase capacity and allow more traffic to cross if your just replacing 4 lanes with 4 new lanes? Hypothetically if he gets to build his twin span, wouldn't it make sense to have it work like the Blue Water Bridge spans with each bridge carrying one way traffic? Maybe I'm missing something, but isn't the best option to build the second span south of the current span so that the bulk of the truck traffic will use that one and the Ambassador would be mostly be for commuter traffic between Detroit and Windsor?
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February 8th, 2010, 02:01 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 147
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I'm shocked at that pic of the approach bridge already built! WTF?
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February 8th, 2010, 07:24 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 222
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I'm surprised some of you didn't know about the pillared span that was already built. It's been there for about 2 years or more. Everyone one I drive by it is shocked and angered by this guys blatant disregard for the law and the community he operates in. His vacant hulk of a train station is like a slap in the face of everyone in the neighborhood who's trying to make this a safe and clean place to live. So many people here work tirelessly to make the area desirable to families and newcomers. I hope they tear all of his shit down...
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February 8th, 2010, 07:44 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,041
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Ya know - through all of this I wonder about the people with the bait shop "Morouned" right in the middle of Manny's mess there. Every time we use the bridge to come home from Detroit, I just feel so sorry for those people and their business. How can they make any money? Those people were done down-right- dirty by Moroun. With all his money he could have bought the guy out. But no, he builds around the place. Rotten, rotten, rotten. There's gotta be a fire in hell designated just for Matty Moroun.
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February 8th, 2010, 08:41 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 863
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mikeg19
Somebody explain this to me..... Matty wants to build a new span right next to the existing bridge, yet he wants to close the current Ambassador span. The new span would also be 4 lanes. How exactly would this increase capacity and allow more traffic to cross if your just replacing 4 lanes with 4 new lanes? Hypothetically if he gets to build his twin span, wouldn't it make sense to have it work like the Blue Water Bridge spans with each bridge carrying one way traffic? Maybe I'm missing something, but isn't the best option to build the second span south of the current span so that the bulk of the truck traffic will use that one and the Ambassador would be mostly be for commuter traffic between Detroit and Windsor?
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The new span will be six lanes. The old span will not be torn down but re-built once the new one opens. Once rebuilt he will use it for 'emergencies' yet the definition of an emergency could be... golly if we use thar capacity we can make more money. As it stands Huron Church cannot handle the traffic that it has now and there are no alternative routes. Therefore going from 4 lanes to 10 lanes is a huge increase in capacity.
Maroun does not want the other bridge built because it would be competition. At one time he wanted to buy the tunnel and run everything ouff the Ambassador Bridge Plaza by constructing a roadway that will connect the two. The only way to do that is to tear down a bunch of stuff and block the waterfront from the citizens.
Last edited by DetroitPlanner; February 8th, 2010 at 08:43 PM.
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February 9th, 2010, 09:49 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,095
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Quote:
Originally Posted by eriedearie
Ya know - through all of this I wonder about the people with the bait shop "Morouned" right in the middle of Manny's mess there. Every time we use the bridge to come home from Detroit, I just feel so sorry for those people and their business. How can they make any money? Those people were done down-right- dirty by Moroun. With all his money he could have bought the guy out. But no, he builds around the place. Rotten, rotten, rotten. There's gotta be a fire in hell designated just for Matty Moroun.
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Story about the bait shop guy:
http://www.detroitblog.org/?p=764
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February 9th, 2010, 01:57 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,041
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Thank you Pam! Wonder if there will be an up-dated story?
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February 9th, 2010, 02:20 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,256
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The owner of the bait shop should sue the DIBC and the M-DOT (state of michigan).
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February 9th, 2010, 02:51 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 2,504
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mikeg19
Does anybody have any pictures of these pillars for the bridge and building he put up illegally?
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I know he contracted pilings on a very hush-hush basis from a GR company. The pictures I have seen haven't shown them actually in place yet.
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March 17th, 2010, 05:32 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 57
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March 17th, 2010, 05:47 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 37
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Hey, thanks for informing us of this, Windsor Star. Do our stellar papers provide us with this information?
No. We get an editorial in the Detroit News about how the DRIC should tuck its tail and completely abandon the downriver span.
Think I'm joking?
http://www.detnews.com/article/20100...er-bridge-plan
Un-be-lievable!
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March 17th, 2010, 10:37 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,256
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Bridge Owner may have to remove Gateway Project work
The dude (one of my all-time favorite movie characters) was just asking about this on another bridge related thread.
http://www.detnews.com/article/20100...y-Project-work
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March 18th, 2010, 12:36 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 176
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The teeth of justice are slowly gnawing on Maroun's ankles.
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March 18th, 2010, 02:00 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,313
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March 18th, 2010, 10:09 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1
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Matty Moroun is a greedy old coot. I'm still angry at him about the old dilapidated train station.
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March 18th, 2010, 10:22 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 127
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jglover126
Matty Moroun is a greedy old coot. I'm still angry at him about the old dilapidated train station.
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You and me both - I think that beautiful old station could have had some amazing potential if he even cared one bit about this city. His arrogance and greed has allowed it to crumble into ruin. So sad.
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March 18th, 2010, 10:57 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 411
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lizaanne
You and me both - I think that beautiful old station could have had some amazing potential if he even cared one bit about this city. His arrogance and greed has allowed it to crumble into ruin. So sad.
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Still remember that State of the City address where Kwame roused a standing ovation for Maroun while announcing that the MCS would be the new police headquarters....
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March 18th, 2010, 12:44 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 127
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bartock
Still remember that State of the City address where Kwame roused a standing ovation for Maroun while announcing that the MCS would be the new police headquarters....
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I nearly cried when I heard that news - I was so excited!! Totally skeptical mind you, but so excited that something could actually happen to that (once) beautiful building.
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