In news sure to shock you, it appears one professional team’s stadium deal has some critics. I know, crazy, right? Regardless, the latest stadium legal issue comes out of Detroit, where a lawsuit was filed in a county court seeking to rip up a preliminary agreement for the Detroit Pistons to move to Little Caesar’s Arena in downtown detroit.

The Detroit Free Press reports the lawsuit takes issue with members of the Detroit Downtown Development Authority meeting behind closed doors to review the Pistons arena deal. That closed-door meeting resulted in an approval of the plans, although the lawsuit claims no approval should have been granted without bringing the deal to the public.

The deal was presented to the public, but only in a brief meeting shortly after being reviewed by the DDA. The lawsuit, filed by local activist Robert Davis, claims the DDA took advantage of an opportunity to break down into a smaller committee as an intentional way of remove public dissension from the equation.

Davis’ lawsuit alleges that the DDA “purposely and intentionally divided itself” into the smaller committee to shut out the public from deliberations about the agreement for the Pistons to begin playing at the new Little Caesars Arena next year.

“That’s a problem because whenever a public body creates a committee or subcommittee, that committee or subcommittee becomes a public body subject to the (Open Meetings Act) as well,” Davis said in an interview. “The DDA board simply rubber-stamped the decision that the finance committee made behind closed doors. Government is supposed to be transparent.”

As reported, the Pistons’ move is projected to cost $34.5 million in public money, in addition to the taxpayer money already going toward Little Caesars Arena. It is worth pointing out the Pistons have not officially been given the green light to move downtown, as approval from the Detroit City Council and the NBA must be granted. The NBA will give the OK the move as soon as the city does though, and given the potential for downtown revival and development with moving the Pistons to a new location, it is expected the city council will move forward with the plans.

The lawsuit is not aimed at blocking the Pistons from moving to a new location, however. The lawsuit is more interested in ensuring transparency from the local government before putting millions of city funds to use.

Politics and stadium deals, a tradition unlike any other.

[Detroit Free Press]

About Kevin McGuire

Contributor to Athlon Sports and The Comeback. Previously contributed to NBCSports.com. Host of the Locked On Nittany Lions Podcast. FWAA member and Philadelphia-area resident.