The suit, which also disputes the state's right to reject the bids, was filed in Oakland County Circuit Court. DPG requested a jury trial to sort out the proposed sale.
Gov. Jennifer Granholm, however, says she wants the land to go to Toyota to be the site of a R&D and technical center for the Asian automaker. DPG plans to develop the 690-acre parcel primarily as residential.
A spokesman for state Senate Majority leader Ken Sikkema says the legislature is poised to vote this week on the land sale and likely will transfer the land to Toyota ownership before the lawsuit can be heard.
According to legislation that allowed the state to sell the Washtenaw County site, which once housed a state hospital, the State Administrative Board was required to extract no less than fair market value as determined by an independent appraisal. In May 2003, Terzo & Bologna Inc. set the fair value at $11.9 million. Because Toyota bid less than that threshold, DPG argues it was not a valid bid.
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