There must be someone with a tremendous amount of political pull behind the scenes in Detroit who wants Tiger Stadium to be completely destroyed. How else to explain the ridiculous letter that was released yesterday by the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC) calling for the entire structure to be demolished weeks before the deadline (set by the city itself) for raising funds for preservation by Ernie Harwell & Co. has been reached?
“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.
Oh really? Or is it that their campaign to raise funds has been frighteningly successful and now the city is trying to sabotage it by killing the surge of hope now felt by Tiger Stadium enthusiasts?
According to Mr. Harwell, over $200,000 has been raised so far and another $15 million in federal funding is being secured by U.S. Senator Carl Levin.
Detroit politics is driven by a perverted version of the Golden Rule: whoever has the gold makes the rules. My guess is that the Ilitch family is frantically pressuring the board members of the DEGC to do away with Tiger Stadium once and for all. There is no other explanation as to why an entity supposedly devoted to “economic development” is behaving as the biggest impediment to economic development at the corner of Michigan & Trumbull.
Within recent months, outsiders have gotten an ugly glimpse inside Detroit politics due to criminal investigations and pending prosecutions. Keep in mind these same thugs and villains are the ones who are making decisions regarding the fate of Tiger Stadium. It should come as no surprise that political corruption is the biggest hurdle facing the preservation of one of America’s most storied ballparks.
If you’d like to help Mr. Harwell save a portion of Tiger Stadium, you can donate online at //www.savetigerstadium.org.
Exterior and interior renderings from the Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy’s
renovation plans for Tiger Stadium.