Who killed Tiger Stadium?

[jmlowman]

You don't need to convince me. I've already ordered one off the first link that you mentioned.

Lots of memories, as a kid, of going to the ball game 2-3 times each summer with my dad. We'd hit the White Castle on the way in.

[mogo]

Originally Posted by Jwo85

I blame the people who left it up instead of tearing it down the first year it was unoccupied. Yes I remember going to opening days at Tiger Stadium when I was kid and yes I remember watching Cecil Fielder hit home runs over the roof and Yes I also remember the away team hitting tons of home runs out into the stands do to the short distance sending the Tigers back to the locker rooms with a "L."

I don't remember ever hearing on ESPN of huge uproars or riots for Yankee stadium being torn down which serves more history to baseball then Tiger Stadium ever did.

I fall in this category. Tiger Stadium served its purpose for almost 90 years. I prefer to remember the good times, rather than watch it decay before my eyes. Aside from this personal opinion is one very realistic problem...we don't have enough money to keep a rotting building standing just so we can reminisce as we drive past it.

[Bluefly]

You all might want to look at the bigger picture. Ever since the industrial economy gave way to the information economy and moved westward, there aren't too many wealthy people making investments in Detroit. Yes, rich people make investments to make money, but I think Illitch really cares about making Detroit better and he's done a lot.

I think the city's stronger for a newer stadium anchoring the entertainment district and helping to concentrate resources. Nostalgia can only go so far. Time to move on.

[constantly gardening]

You all might want to look at the bigger picture. Ever since the industrial economy gave way to the information economy and moved westward, there aren't too many wealthy people making investments in Detroit. Yes, rich people make investments to make money, but I think Illitch really cares about making Detroit better and he's done a lot.

I think the city's stronger for a newer stadium anchoring the entertainment district and helping to concentrate resources. Nostalgia can only go so far. Time to move on.

Your vague talk of big pictures, economics and wealthy people making investments in Detroit doesn't make sense to me. If there is a big picture that we are missing please enlighten us. This is a simple matter. The owner of the team and the stadium, who is extremely wealthy, moved the team to benefit himself. The "entertainment district" is called Illitch Town. The city is stronger by taking the economic engine out of Corktown? The city is stronger because all of the family owned for generations small business around Tiger Stadium failed? The city is stronger because a certain billionaire bought up a downtown area at a bargain rate, leveled historic buildings and then raised his own property value by moving the Tigers there? The city is stronger because of Johnny Rockets? Don't say "we" don't have the money. Certain people have the money to preserve Tiger Stadium personally. The rest of us could easily pool our resources if we valued our history but we shouldn't have too. We may not own the franchise but it is our money that makes it worth owning. If you can pay a player 20 million a year, you can cough up 25 million as a tax right off to preserve the place that so much history happened. Move on? I moved on 10 years ago. This isn't about being stuck in the past. Its about accountability. Those that don't learn history are doomed to repeat it.

[Bluefly]

The point is that if Illitch didn't refurbish the likes of the Fox Theatre and such, who would have? What other wealthy people are making the necessary private sector investments to make Detroit a destination? We shouldn't bite one of the few hands still feeding the city.

Your vitriol of wealthy people is palpable, but they can make stuff happen. And, yes, having stadiums more central to downtown is of far greater value than out in Corktown to the overall city. It's now part of the fabric of a resurgent area. Just look at what happened to DC when the Verizon Center was built downtown on top of transit. Turned the whole area around.

Tiger Stadium was dated. It had bad site lines from a lot seats. I'm glad you have good memories, but professional sports is big business. Stadiums are built and razed all the time in the name of making money. Teams are moved to different markets to increase profits. You can't blame them for making decisions that are profitable and I, honestly, don't see what value there would be in paying for the upkeep of an empty building with a bunch of seats looking down on a grass field no one uses.

I like the new stadium a lot better, anyway, but then I don't have as much emotional attachment to the old one so perhaps I'm free to be a little more pragmatic about it.

[mogo]

Originally Posted by constantly gardening

Your vague talk of big pictures, economics and wealthy people making investments in Detroit doesn't make sense to me. If there is a big picture that we are missing please enlighten us. This is a simple matter. The owner of the team and the stadium, who is extremely wealthy, moved the team to benefit himself. The "entertainment district" is called Illitch Town. The city is stronger by taking the economic engine out of Corktown? The city is stronger because all of the family owned for generations small business around Tiger Stadium failed? The city is stronger because a certain billionaire bought up a downtown area at a bargain rate, leveled historic buildings and then raised his own property value by moving the Tigers there? The city is stronger because of Johnny Rockets? Don't say "we" don't have the money. Certain people have the money to preserve Tiger Stadium personally. The rest of us could easily pool our resources if we valued our history but we shouldn't have too. We may not own the franchise but it is our money that makes it worth owning. If you can pay a player 20 million a year, you can cough up 25 million as a tax right off to preserve the place that so much history happened. Move on? I moved on 10 years ago. This isn't about being stuck in the past. Its about accountability. Those that don't learn history are doomed to repeat it.

Let's start from the premise that all of us want what is best for the City of Detroit. I say that as an OC resident who feels that when Detroit gains, the whole region gains, and I enjoy any opportunity I can to visit Detroit. But, I don't see how attacking the business community, especially Mike Illitch, makes any sense. Illitch isn't obligated to spend a dime in Detroit if he doesn't want to. As a business man, whose goal is naturally profit, it makes sense for the stadium to be downtown where there is an effective revitilization effort underway, and where people feel more and more safe as they come back to visit. He could have accomplished the same thing by placing Comerica Park next to the Palace in Auburn Hills, but he chose Detroit.

I think the City is as lucky to have Mike Illitch as Mike Illitch is to have cheap land in what may very well become a revitalized city. How would our city look and feel if he moved out?

[constantly gardening]

Let's start from the premise that all of us want what is best for the City of Detroit. I say that as an OC resident who feels that when Detroit gains, the whole region gains, and I enjoy any opportunity I can to visit Detroit.

The thread is "who killed Tiger Stadium". That is where we started from.

But, I don't see how attacking the business community, especially Mike Illitch, makes any sense.

Nobody is attacking the business community or Mike. Again, the thread is "who killed Tiger Stadium." We are attempting to establish who is most responsible for the destruction of Tiger Stadium.

How would our city look and feel if he moved out?

With all do respect to him, our city could be better or it could be worse. Someone would fill the void, for better or worse is impossible to know. This man is not some type of wizard. He is a guy that sells mediocre pizza and won the small business lottery. If you want to speculate on whether the city would be better or worse without certain individuals I encourage you to start a thread. This thread is about accountability for the destruction of Tiger Stadium.

[mogo]

Originally Posted by constantly gardening

The thread is "who killed Tiger Stadium". That is where we started from.

Nobody is attacking the business community or Mike. Again, the thread is "who killed Tiger Stadium." We are attempting to establish who is most responsible for the destruction of Tiger Stadium.

With all do respect to him, our city could be better or it could be worse. Someone would fill the void, for better or worse is impossible to know. This man is not some type of wizard. He is a guy that sells mediocre pizza and won the small business lottery. If you want to speculate on whether the city would be better or worse without certain individuals I encourage you to start a thread. This thread is about accountability for the destruction of Tiger Stadium.

How silly of me for misunderstanding your rant. I thought you were talking about Illitch and asked for further explanation of the bigger picture:

Originally Posted by constantly gardening

Your vague talk of big pictures, economics and wealthy people making investments in Detroit doesn't make sense to me. If there is a big picture that we are missing please enlighten us. This is a simple matter. The owner of the team and the stadium, who is extremely wealthy, moved the team to benefit himself

[constantly gardening]

How silly of me for misunderstanding your rant. I thought you were talking about Illitch and asked for further explanation of the bigger picture:

Silly of you indeed. Next time please read in context. Also please don't confuse cliche statements that can be easily disproved or are irrelevant with "further explanation of the bigger picture." Responding specifically to your undeveloped ideas is not a rant.

[YAZ]

I don't know whose fault it was, but y'all brought back some fine memories for me. When you walked in, the grass seemed so green. I mean REALLY green. While there were some obstructed views, I learned real quick to purchase a "good" seat.

The upper deck in right field was quite unique, eh?

My first game in Tiger Stadium was a win against those pesky Red Sox. I think it was a Friday night game.

My last game there was 1999; a loss to the Mariners on a Thursday night.

Caught the Tigers out here in Phoenix last year. It just wasn't the same. I don't like indoor baseball.