Detroit cancels plans to name street after Michael Jackson

The city of Detroit has abandoned plans to rename one of its streets after Michael Jackson.

The Detroit Free Press reported that a ceremony planned for Friday (June 15) for Michael Jackson Avenue has been cancelled.

The award was to be part of the city’s Detroit Music Weekend, with the street in question along a stretch of Randolph Street appropriately in the city’s theatre district.

However, the drama was that Michael’s brothers, the Jackson 5, had got the impression that it was the Jackson 5 who getting the accolade.

However a new ordinance introduced last year prohibits Detroit from naming its streets after groups or organisations.

The brothers grew up in Gary, Indiana, and were signed to Detroit-based Motown Records fifty years ago.

Michael had a number of early solo hits with Motown but his superstar days were with Epic/Sony Music when he had moved to Los Angeles.

The street name has been tabled for the time being until the city works out what to do.

“We’re still working through the process,” council spokesperson Stephen Grady said.

“ The amendment to the ordinance is fairly new, and we’re trying to understand what we can do. We still plan to do something for the Jackson 5.”