As Tiger Stadium comes down, hearts break, hope remains

People gather every day to watch a little more of Tiger Stadium come down. Even the New York Times came out for the demolition. Though most of Detroit is sad to see the stadium go, there is a chance a portion might be saved and the Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy is at the helm.

Excerpt:

Though saving the whole park is no longer possible, a group called the Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy is working feverishly to preserve the field itself and the corner of the stands behind home plate, a section stretching from one dugout to the other that the demolition companies have vowed not to touch before an Aug. 1 deadline given to the group by the city.

If the effort succeeds, about 5,000 seats will remain, and the field will be home to youth baseball games. Commercial space and room for exhibits paying tribute to the stadium’s history would replace other sections of the stands.

Until recently, the conservancy appeared unlikely to reach its goal of nearly $400,000 to acquire its needed share of the property. But $200,000 suddenly poured in last week, after the former Tiger radio broadcaster Ernie Harwell joined the effort and the city’s economic development board cast a surprise vote in favor of tearing down the entire park, a step that had the effect of lighting a fire under prospective donors.

Read the entire article here.
Enjoy this story? Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.