  Tigersfan9 Member Username: Tigersfan9 Post Number: 170 Registered: 03-2005 |
Board votes to demolish Tiger Stadium Louis Aguilar / The Detroit News DETROIT -- All of Tiger Stadium should be demolished, the board of the Economic Development Corp. voted this morning. The EDC, a branch of the quasi-public Detroit Economic Growth Corp., voted today to request Detroit City Council approval to demolish the entire stadium after finding that preserving a portion of the ballpark would not be feasible. The letter to be sent to the council states that the group has met several times with the nonprofit organization attempting to save the baseball diamond, dugout area and 3,000 seats. "Unfortunately, the Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy has not been able to demonstrate any commitments of funding for construction and operation or a feasible plan to obtain such commitments," the letter states. The group was given an Aug. 1 extension by Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick recently, but the EDC board noted that the council will be on recess during that time, which prompted its vote today. http://www.detnews.com/apps/pb cs.dll/article?AID=/20080715/M ETRO/807150403 | ||
Professorjackson Member Username: Professorjackson Post Number: 27 Registered: 02-2006 |
August 1 comes earlier and earlier every year. My original guess was they would say saving some of the stadium was architecturally impossible, or the demolition team would "accidentally" go too far. This seems a lot easier, I suppose. | ||
Jmarx Member Username: Jmarx Post Number: 75 Registered: 01-2005 |
Yeah, I had assumed they'd eventually find a way to knock down the entire structure. Wonder how close the conservancy group has gotten to securing the required funding... | ||
Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan Post Number: 6117 Registered: 10-2003 |
Looks like no one was under any illusion that they'd find some way to bring the whole thing down. I was also assuming that like the Madison-Lenox, someone would 'accidentially' start knocking down the part that was to be saved. | ||
Jmarx Member Username: Jmarx Post Number: 76 Registered: 01-2005 |
Would-be Tiger Stadium saviors: Cash is pouring in Louis Aguilar / The Detroit News The group working to save part of Tiger Stadium says it raised $200,000 in the few hours after The Detroit News broke the story the city was being asked to OK demolition of the entire historic ballpark. The nonprofit Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy said Tuesday afternoon it had raised $200,000 for its preservation effort as soon as supporters heard the city's Economic Development Corp. voted Tuesday morning to ask the Detroit City Council to approve plans to turn the entire stadium to scrap. The EDC, a branch of the quasi-public Detroit Economic Growth Corp., said that after meeting with the nonprofit, it found the group's plan for preserving a portion of the ballpark was not feasible. Hall of Fame broadcaster Ernie Harwell said the nonprofit hopes to raise $400,000 during the next few days and prove it has another $2 million secured for the first phase of an attempt to save the old Tiger Stadium baseball diamond, dugout area, 3,000 seats and build a 20,000-square-foot museum to house Harwell's collection of memorabilia. "It's a sacred place and were going to do everything we can," Harwell said Tuesday afternoon. The letter the EDC is sending to the City Council states that EDC staff members have met several times with the nonprofit group. "Unfortunately, the Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy has not been able to demonstrate any commitments of funding for construction and operation or a feasible plan to obtain such commitments," the EDC's letter states. The group was given an Aug. 1 extension by Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, but the EDC board noted the council will be on recess during that time, which prompted its vote Tuesday. Partial demolition of the stadium began last week. The ballpark has been empty and moldering since the Tigers left for Comerica Park after the 1999 season. Since than, at least a dozen ideas to rescue the stadium have struck out. If the nonprofit fails, all of the stadium will be demolished and much of it sold for scrap; the price of iron, copper and steel are high at the moment. The city still owns the stadium property and, after demolition, will seek development proposals for the land. The nonprofit is racing to prove it can raise $12 million to $15 million for its partial preservation effort. The group's most recent plan rests on the ability of U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Detroit, to secure about $15 million from the federal 2009 budget. Levin has requested the money, and the request is in the appropriations committee. Link: http://www.detnews.com/apps/pb cs.dll/article?AID=/20080715/S PORTS0104/807150439 | ||
Urbanoutdoors Member Username: Urbanoutdoors Post Number: 989 Registered: 11-2005 |
So a vacant lot is more viable than preserving part of history, this city never ceases to amaze me. The demolition plan only got passed because it was a corktown plan, and this is what corktown wanted.... I doubt corktown just wants to see a vacant lot. I know I don't as a corktown resident. I hope that the harwell foundation can come up with the funds but I have a feeling the plan was to level it from day one but no one had the balls to say it. | ||
Sean_of_detroit Member Username: Sean_of_detroit Post Number: 1158 Registered: 03-2008 |
Do you think it will be an empty lot, or do you think someone has their eye on that land (probably for something unrealistic, which may make it end up as a vacant lot either way)? | ||
Rhymeswithrawk Member Username: Rhymeswithrawk Post Number: 1316 Registered: 11-2005 |
It's Detroit. It'll be an overgrown lot. And I'm a Detroiter, not a suburbanite saying this. | ||
Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan Post Number: 6119 Registered: 10-2003 |
I'll be sad if the group isn't able to raise the money in time, which would be a damned shame seeing as how many wealthy people there are in this metro, but it's not as if the city did not give folks the time to put up the money. Sure, this is sad, but I'm tired of seeing people smack their foreheads as if saving the stadium is such an obvious thing. If it were so obvious then it wouldn't be like pulling teeth trying to get money for preservation. I really don't think the city is asking for too much. It's not as if the city closed the gates at the beginning of this millennium and gave all those who loved the stadium 24 hours to come up with the cash. I say if anyone is to blame, blame the wealthy owner of the stadium. | ||
Eric Member Username: Eric Post Number: 1167 Registered: 11-2004 |
The city has always said that even if all of the stadium goes that the field will be preserved. So I don't why people keep spewing this overgrown lot BS Lmichgan I agree that city has been pretty accommodating. Hell the city just weeks ago gave them another extension to raise the money, but the city is being painted as the villain. I sure soon we'll hear people spouting off how Mike Ilitch and city conspired to ensure that the money couldn't raised. BTW stadium is owned by the city (Message edited by eric on July 16, 2008) | ||
Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan Post Number: 6121 Registered: 10-2003 |
Eric, yes, the field always seems to have been part of the plan, but you can't deny that in recent years the talk has also revolved around including at least the preservation of the corner. And, even with all that I've said, until there is something in writing saying that anything (including the field) will be saved, I won't believe it. Yeah, I had a brain fart. Yes, the city owns the stadium, Mike owns the team. | ||
Urbanoutdoors Member Username: Urbanoutdoors Post Number: 990 Registered: 11-2005 |
It is just so ironic to me that the whole reason they voted on this at the end of july is because they wanted progress to be made at the corner so it wouldn't be neglected any longer because they said it was an eye sore. Although there were a group of us petitioning council to wait because we found it quite erie that the city finally backed a plan when it had rejected so many before it. the difference was that this plan gave the opportunity for the city to remain in control and to have partial to full demolition of the stadium as options depending on fundraising efforts. I testified in front of council because I didn't want to see it become a vacant lot and felt with how the city council voted that was a definite option. From every person I have talked to in my community even if they wanted the stadium gone they wanted it gone with a firm plan in place not just an empty field. It is a shame that this city either allows demolition by neglect or a vacant lot. The last thing Corktown would want is another parking lot! | ||
Spitty Member Username: Spitty Post Number: 688 Registered: 07-2004 |
According to Barbara Rose Collins, the stadium is racist and a haven for Hollywood vampires, so it should be razed. She has such vision for the future: Councilwoman Barbara-Rose Collins said she supports razing the entire stadium. Collins said she remembers when the Detroit Tigers were one of only two major league teams that refused to sign a black player. "I know there's a lot of nostalgia for it, and people are crying," she said. "I don't have any fond memories of it." Collins also said keeping part of the stadium could impede growth in Corktown, and the remaining portion of the stadium would be useless. "There's no purpose for it, except for a Dracula movie," she said http://freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll /article?AID=/20080716/BUSINES S06/807160401 | ||
Richie Member Username: Richie Post Number: 37 Registered: 08-2007 |
In what year will Detroit become the oldest city without any old buildings? | ||
Richard_bak Member Username: Richard_bak Post Number: 74 Registered: 04-2008 |
At this rate, 2009. The upside: No Dracula movies! | ||
Johnlodge Member Username: Johnlodge Post Number: 7631 Registered: 10-2003 |
quote: UN-BE-LIEVABLE. I guess Tiger Stadium should "hit 8 mile" just like all those charities she voted to stop funding. | ||
401don Member Username: 401don Post Number: 649 Registered: 11-2007 |
I would rather they save the infield only a small portion of the stadium between the dugouts rather than the entire field with no structure. This would allow plenty of room for development and give some historical context to those who had never seen the stadium. That field is huge and nothing would be worse than seeing it unmaintained like the stadium. | ||
Royce Member Username: Royce Post Number: 2691 Registered: 07-2004 |
Barbara Rose Collins is batty.  | ||
Harpernottingham Member Username: Harpernottingham Post Number: 411 Registered: 04-2006 |
According to City Council President Ken Cockrel, there will be no action on Tiger Stadium today. But it IS on the agenda for tomorrow. Barbara-Rose Collins is bringing the measure before the full council for discussion and, POSSIBLY, for a vote. I think we all know how she's going to vote (as well as Reeves). How the rest of the Council lines up remains to be seen. It still strikes me as odd that this vote might take place on July 29, three days before the Aug. 1 deadline that Mayor Kilpatrick gave the OTSC back in June. Here's my analogy: The patient (Tiger Stadium) has been on life support for nearly nine years. In recent months, it's finally shown significant signs of recovery. The OTSC is steadily raising money and gathering momentum; things are finally starting to happen. Meanwhile, just as the patient is sitting up in bed and eating solid foods, the attending physicians appear poised to pull the plug. If they do so, that's nothing short of medical malpractice. And it's an absurd violation of the Hippocratic oath. | ||
Johnlodge Member Username: Johnlodge Post Number: 7852 Registered: 10-2003 |
quote: Hey, can't we just bribe them? I hear they go cheap. | ||
Al_t_publican Member Username: Al_t_publican Post Number: 220 Registered: 06-2004 |
Good bye to an architectural monstrosity. I had plenty of good moments at Tiger Stadium like seeing the famous Lions 1962 Thanksgiving Day game, but the stadium was just too...uber utilitarian. Has there been any talk of putting in a new downtown Amtrak station on that site? | ||
Rhymeswithrawk Member Username: Rhymeswithrawk Post Number: 1356 Registered: 11-2005 |
Amtrak? There? Well, you'd need rails for that, son, and there aren't any over there. Unless, of course, you plan on leveling all of the "architectural monstrosities" in Corktown to extend the line that runs behind Michigan Central Station. And since MCS, which is in the same neighborhood more or less, WAS the Amtrak station until 1988, I'd say no. | ||
401don Member Username: 401don Post Number: 681 Registered: 11-2007 |
Council committee rescinds vote to tear down all of stadium. Next vote in 20 minutes (sarcasm). | ||
Professorjackson Member Username: Professorjackson Post Number: 30 Registered: 02-2006 |
Maybe, just maybe... http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.d ll/article?AID=/20080728/BIZ/8 07280417 | ||
401don Member Username: 401don Post Number: 682 Registered: 11-2007 |
I hope when I'm 90 yrs. old I don't have to put on a suit and tie and go grovel before a bunch of yahoos not fit to tie my shoelaces. | ||
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936 Post Number: 3459 Registered: 01-2005 |
I wish poor old Ernie Harwell would give it up. The joint's coming down, like it or not. | ||
Rhymeswithrawk Member Username: Rhymeswithrawk Post Number: 1359 Registered: 11-2005 |
Said Collins: "PSYCH!•••••••••• | ||
Leland_palmer Member Username: Leland_palmer Post Number: 580 Registered: 08-2004 |
Apparently, it's news to Martha Reeves that demolition has already begun. |
