Advocates Threaten Legal Action Over Football Stadium
Design
By Dave Reynolds, Inclusion Daily Express
November 30,
2006
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN--What's starting out as a war of words could
soon turn into a legal battle over accessible seating at the University of
Michigan's football stadium.
Members of the Michigan Paralyzed Veterans of America are angry that a
$226 million plan for "improving" the stadium would place wheelchair accessible
seating in the very back, top row.
The group points out that the 1991 Americans with Disabilities Act
requires old facilities that are significantly altered or renovated to disperse
accessible seating in different locations throughout the stadium to make them
typical to the general seating.
But university officials say the plan is not a 'renovation': It's a
'repair'.
Representatives of the group said that regardless of what the university
calls the design, it still is discrimination.
"At this point, either the university is going to change it (the plan)
by themselves or we litigate," Richard Bernstein, attorney for the veterans
group, told the Detroit News after meeting with school officials Wednesday.
Related:
"U-M stadium design irks disability groups" (Detroit
News)
http://www.inclusiondaily.com/news/06/red/1130d.htm
"Disabled
vets: Stadium plan violates law" (Michigan Daily)
http://www.inclusiondaily.com/news/06/red/1130e.htm
"After
talks, vets still may sue U-M over football stadium designs" (Detroit
News)
http://www.inclusiondaily.com/news/06/red/1130f.htm
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