These majestic ballparks of yesteryear bring a twinkle to the eye of the nostalgic baseball fan who imagines walking through their steel-and-concrete structures as millions did during their prime. But the daydream yields to the reality that these classic venues were long ago abandoned, left to rot and eventually razed to extinction.
Not all is lost.
In Detroit, Tiger Stadium—built in 1912, upgraded numerous times, and deserted by the Tigers after 1999—still stands. Nothing has been done to it since the Tigers left. No upgrades. No maintenance. No demolition. Nothing.
Like a derelict structure degrading on borrowed time, Tiger Stadium sits patiently while its fate is debated. Its only inhabitants these days are the ghosts of Ty Cobb, Harry Heilmann, Hank Greenberg and Denny McLain. And maybe a security guard or two.
With the Tigers now doing business from Comerica Park, the nostalgic baseball fan closes his eyes and now also dreams of sitting in Tiger Stadium and watching the magic come alive in front of him.
It’s still there.
Let’s save it.
The local powers that be are currently in a state of paralysis regarding Tiger Stadium’s future. They’re inclined to ultimately tear it down, though there’s no ruling philosophy on what should be built in its place. Rumors on that subject vary from condos to retail to a law enforcement campus. But overall, continued political inaction and bureaucracy has delayed a potential death knell and left the ballpark’s future in limbo.
On the flip side of the politicos are folks like Michigan & Trumbull, a grass roots organization committed to saving “The Corner” and restoring it either in whole or in truncated form. It’s a noble thought but a kneejerk one as well; in the mind of the typical government bureaucrat, it’s a proposal too simplistic, too unrealistic, and asking to be rejected.
So that leaves us with this idea: Gentrify the ballpark.
No proposal to save Tiger Stadium will be given the time of day unless it somehow accrues piles of revenue for the City of Detroit and ignites redevelopment in the surrounding area. Just as a new ballpark often attracts surrounding businesses and upscale housing, a reincarnated Tiger Stadium will have to do something similar. But it just can’t be another ballpark. Detroit already has Comerica Park.
As modern-day ballparks like Comerica have essentially become cities upon themselves, so can a revived Tiger Stadium.
Here’s all the elements that add up to a workable—and profitable—solution that strikes a happy medium between politicians addicted to city revenue and preservationists who abhor demolition:
Museum. Preserve and restore sections of the ballpark such as the clubhouse, the dugout and the press box, and make them come alive with museum-like precision.
Retail. Retrofit the concourse area and other sections of the ballpark—even append onto it—and attract various shopping establishments that will appeal to both locals and tourists. The purists will cringe, but money talks, and revenue is essential for a renewed Tiger Stadium.
Office space. Why not. Ameriquest Field in Arlington has it. And besides, what other office development in spiritually vacant downtown Detroit can boast of a cool factor?
Housing. Remember when Elwood Blues falsely claimed his address as Wrigley Field? Detroit residents could actually move into “The Corner” condos and proudly list Tiger Stadium as their home.
Resort. Like folks who vacation at golf resorts because the course is right there, attract visitors to Tiger Stadium, have them stay in an upscale hotel built into the structure, and throw in a fantasy camp package that would appeal to different age groups.
Interactivity. Tear out seating in a few select areas of the ballpark and turn them into open-air restaurants, gyms and Internet cafes, among other sorts of establishments.
Recreation. Restore the playing field and allow its use for little leaguers, weekend warriors and major league old-timer affairs. You too can get the chance to hit the light tower above right field, as Reggie Jackson did in the 1971 All-Star Game.
Year-round appeal. You might ask, how could you attract baseball nuts to Tiger Stadium in the dead of winter? You probably wont. And forget about a roof; the cost of that alone will send the entire ballpark renewal proposal from the city councilperson’s desk straight into the trash can faster than you can say Ernie Harwell. A Tiger Stadium dependent on non-stop revenue can’t skip a beat when it’s 20 degrees and snowing. It must transcend baseball as a brand. So cover the turf with Detroit’s largest skating rink during the winter.
With most or all of these ideas realized, Tiger Stadium can become the anchor for an overall redevelopment mission in the immediate neighborhood. A gentrified ballpark will not by itself establish a healthy pocket of urban renewal. Build around it, and they’re more likely to come.
Even if Detroit politicians have the foresight to get progressive and aggressive on reviving Tiger Stadium, one major roadblock remains: Mike Ilitch. The last thing the modern-day Lord of the Tigers wants is to have Comerica Park’s thunder stolen away by a hip, polished-up antiquity. So he wants The Corner to stay just the way it is. And he’s got the power to do it. Per the agreement to build Comerica Park, Ilitch is given $500,000 annually from the city to maintain Tiger Stadium. But a recent investigative report by Detroit television station WXYZ suggests he has pocketed most of that money, leaving the 93-year old facility to rot. So it appears that a born-again Tiger Stadium will have to come equipped with a handsome bone thrown at Ilitch in the name of shared profits.
Most abandoned ballparks are eventually brought down in the name of progress, but that’s a foreign word in Detroit, a depressed cavity of a city since the 1968 riots. Mike Krukow, the former pitcher now providing color commentary for the San Francisco Giants, witnessed that players from visiting teams stay in their hotels when faced with downtime in Detroit, as opposed to other cities that are buzzing with an active, rejuvenated lifestyle.
The Motor City needs to get its groove back. Maybe a reincarnated Tiger Stadium can provide just the spark. And then, the nostalgic baseball fan can see the past come alive without having to close his eyes.