Dan Gilbert’s $1-billion sale of his Greektown Casino is fueling speculation he’s angling to own a Major League Baseball franchise, specifically the Detroit Tigers.
But there are at least three problems: The Ilitch family repeatedly says the Tigers are not for sale, despite the team's disappointing, 98-loss records in each of the past two seasons. Second, Gilbert’s interests in casino gaming through his Jack Entertainment LLC preclude him from owning any team under current MLB rules.
And third: it's not true, according to a ranking source close to the situation. Gilbert and Christopher Ilitch, president of the Tigers and CEO of the family-controlled Ilitch Holdings Inc.