Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson suggested Monday morning that if consensus cannot be reached on the future of Detroit’s Cobo Hall, the North American International Auto Show could move north of 8 Mile Road to his county.

Patterson said auto show could be moved to the defunct Pontiac Centerville facility that has 1 million square feet of space, Rock Financial Center in Novi or even the Silverdome.  

Monday afternoon, Gov. Jennifer Granholm reiterated her support for keeping the auto show at Cobo, the Detroit Free Press reported. Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano called Patterson a “showboater” and asked “both sides” to stop inflammatory comments about Cobo.

Patterson is considering a run for governor and may announce his intentions later this month.

As for Cobo’s fate, a ruling by Wayne County Judge Isidore Torres is expected any day now on whether Kenneth Cockrel Jr., Detroit’s interim mayor, overstepped his authority by vetoing a city council action to block the transfer.

Should Patterson and Oakland County ever try to sway the NAIS away from Detroit, it would likely cause another firestorm from the city council. Many members of the council consider Patterson as public enemy No. 1.

Councilwoman Barbara-Rose Collins said she would never negotiate with Patterson, because he thinks she is “beneath human being” she said last month.

There would be no love lost from Patterson either, who said the entire council is embarrassing and is “continuing to embarrass the city nationally with their behavior.”