The legal spat between Mackinac Island and the private equity firm that has purchased both local ferry boat companies has been taken up a notch.

Its lawsuit claims the city of Mackinac Island's council in September passed a resolution to reject the proposal and said the "recent purchase of all the ferry boat companies by one company presents the city with a monopoly situation, a situation the city has never faced before."

At the heart of the suit is the ferry operators’ claim that Mackinac Island “unilaterally declared that a monopoly exists for ferry services to and from Mackinac Island,” and disputes that the city can then set its own fares, the lawsuit states.

Shepler's and Mackinac Island Ferry Company have filed a lawsuit against the Mackinac Island City Council, claiming it has no right to freeze ferry rates and control parking fees