Royal Inn Motel Investigation: Why Has This Troubled Michigan Site Remained Open?
By Alexander Ross
The municipal battle against the site escalated dramatically in September 2017. Following an avalanche of resident complaints and police calls, building inspectors and code enforcement officers entered the property to conduct an exhaustive multi-agency audit. What they found triggered an immediate emergency closure order.
Inspectors logged severe, pervasive bedbug infestations, roach colonies behind drywall, exposed electrical wiring, non-functioning plumbing, and structural mold. In multiple units, sewage back-ups had rendered bathrooms unusable. The township building official formally condemned the facility, declaring the property unfit for human habitation and ordering hundreds of occupants to vacate within 48 hours. Moving trucks and emergency county shelters scrambled to handle the displacement as families carrying their belongings in garbage bags lined the pavement along 8 Mile Road.
The closure did not last. Ownership immediately filed for emergency injunctions in Oakland County Circuit Court, challenging the scope of the inspection and arguing that sweeping closures infringed on commercial property rights without adequate cure periods. By agreeing to targeted remediation plans, painting surfaces, replacing contaminated mattresses, and executing pest-control contracts, the ownership group managed to lift full closure orders and resume operations room by room.
Alexander Ross has covered the video game industry for a decade, writing deep dives on game design, esports tournaments, VR developments, and gaming culture.
