This moment has been coming for eight years now, the place is even more run-down, and the end appears to be finally near…Tiger Stadium could start to fall within a month.
The demolition contract has been awarded.
“The current plan calls for one corner of the stadium, from dugout to dugout, to be saved for conversion into a community center and museum. A non-profit group based in the Corktown neighborhood called the Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy is working to raise an estimated $15 million to pay for the conversion.”
I had two stints living in Michigan, 1984-1988 and 1997-2004. The first stint is when I started to love baseball and the Tigers. However, I did not attend my first game at Tiger Stadium until 1997 and I also made it to the next to last game there in 1999. Pretty much always chained off in the bleachers. I’ve driven past the site many times over the past eight years when I’ve been in town and it always makes me sad to see the historic old parks in such disrepair. It’ll be sad to see it totally gone, but its better than letting it sit there and rot.
I’m just not sure I want to start tearing it down in the middle of an already rough start to the baseball season….
maybe an Indians jersey was buried in the overgrown weeds of Tiger stadium, and when they demolish it, the curse will be reversed!
The best idea I heard for the corner was keeping the actual corner and making a baseball field for the community and a museum. I guess if that can’t happen, this is the next best thing. I drive by the old park every day… I’m just glad something is happening to it.
The Tigers Memorial Vacant Lot will now honor us with its presence for the next 20 years.