Romulus council approves seven-year tax abatement for hotel at 8500 Wickham Road

The Romulus City Council on Monday approved a commercial facilities exemption application and a seven‑year property tax abatement for Detroit Airport Hotel Limited Partnership at 8500 Wickham Road, voting to allow a phased tax break that the administration says will enable redevelopment of a boarded‑up hotel site.

Councilwoman Elaine Roscoe moved to approve the application; Councilman Wadsworth supported the motion, which the council approved. Later the council approved, on a separate motion by Roscoe seconded by Councilwoman Talley, a seven‑year exemption beginning Jan. 1, 2026 under Public Act 255 of 1978; that motion passed 5–2 (Roscoe, Talley, Wadsworth, Jones and the chair voted yes; Councilwoman Abdo and Councilman Croft voted no).

City officials and several council members said the site has been a recurring drain on city public‑safety resources and that redevelopment would increase tax receipts. “We have 700 calls for service for public safety at this building alone,” the mayor said, citing police and fire responses to the property. Director Kevin Krause, identified in the meeting as the director of community safety and development, described current total tax collections from the property as roughly $36,000 across taxing authorities, with the city’s share about $7,000–$8,000. He said the proposed development and the abatement would raise annual tax revenues to roughly $180,000–$200,000 during the abatement period and more…