Detroit Riverfront Conservancy moves ahead with new park despite embezzlement allegations

Major facets of the landmark $80 million Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park are coming together along Detroit's riverfront after years of planning.

Why it matters: The new leadership of the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy has pledged to finish the park without delay as the nonprofit grapples with the fallout of a $40 million embezzlement scandal that unfolded around Memorial Day.

Zoom in: Some concrete has been poured and more is on the way for a sports structure with basketball courts and gathering space in the 22-acre park.

• The structure features support pillars slanted at slight angles, resembling tree branches.
• It is meant to portray the "hand of God reaching down into the earth and grabbing a piece of earth and pulling it up," according to conservancy spokesman Marc Pasco, who describes the look as industrial-meets-earth.

Between the lines: Ryan Sullivan, announced as the nonprofit's interim CEO in May, has enacted a four-pronged strategy in response to the scandal — the " four Ps ": prosecute, preserve, protect and prosper.

• The park is a central element of the "prosper" piece, representing a major segment of the 5.5-mile stretch of riverfront the conservancy has been connecting since 2003.

Catch up quick: In June, federal prosecutors charged the conservancy's former CFO , William A. Smith, with bank and wire fraud, stemming from allegations he stole tens of millions from the nonprofit over nearly 12 years, draining its cash reserves.

Follow the money: To help finish the park, the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan established a $35 million fund to pay contractors and support new fundraising.

Flashback: Wilson Centennial Park, just west of downtown, had been in stages of planning and development for around seven years when news of the embezzlement broke. Construction started in 2022 .

What they're saying: "There's really going to be nothing like it in the city of Detroit — or in our region, for that matter," Sullivan told Axios in an interview last week. "So it's truly going to be something spectacular for our community and for our region."

The latest: The conservancy is on track to complete the park by next fall on its $80 million budget, he says.

• Work so far has included adding dirt to give the property hilly topography and shaping a future water garden.
• The 5-acre Delta Dental playground is nearly complete, with statuesque animal play structures installed, including a bear-shaped slide, an otter, beaver and fox.

The intrigue: The site's industrial history has made for some fascinating findings during construction, Sullivan says.

• "There's all kinds of artifacts that were found underground … old rail lines, old docks, old roadways, old footings for a highway bridge. It's like unearthing chapters of Detroit's history throughout the job."

What's next: Grass will be planted this fall. Within the next month, workers will begin installing 500 trees across the park.