Artificial turf coming to old Tiger Stadium?

[smogboy]

The reasons why people want to preserve the grass field are hardly moronic. In addition to the general arguments about grass vs. artificial turf, the Tiger Stadium field also has a historical element that should not be discounted.

There is a benefit to preserving the historic field that goes beyond a purely utilitarian purpose. Of course, it is much harder to put an exact dollar value on the benefits of historic preservation, but that doesn't mean that there are none, nor does it mean that the advocates for preservation are "moronic."

It would really help the debate to know how much extra it would cost to maintain the grass field. Are we talking about a few thousand dollars extra per year, or would it cost tens of thousands extra per year?

If the additional cost to preserve the field can be raised by preservation-minded individuals and organizations, then it is a win-win situation. If the additional cost to preserve the field is so exorbitant that it makes the whole project unfeasible, then we can all agree that it just wasn't realistic, and accept that artificial turf is the only realistic way to go.

As a baseball fan and a historic preservationist, I would absolutely love to see the grass field preserved. It would be a shame to see it lost for want of a few grand per year. On the other hand, if it will cost an extra $100k+ per year to preserve the grass field, then I would have to agree that it is just not realistic, and the artificial turf should be used.

I think this is exactly the reason I brought up the proposal of having the existing Navin Field Grounds Crew people brought into the discussion. They've done a yeoman's job of taking care of the field for the last few years... on their dime. How would they feel if they were to be brought in PAID to take care of the field now? From what I could tell, those folks did it out of a love and adoration for the old place. Throw in a cash incentive, new equipment and see how they would fare taking care of the grass. Give them some of that high tech turf knowledge from MSU and Comerica Park's crew.

If this is truly a place for the people, why not let some of the people who cared for it the most get a shot at taking care of it again?

[AarunFast]

I think this is exactly the reason I brought up the proposal of having the existing Navin Field Grounds Crew people brought into the discussion. They've done a yeoman's job of taking care of the field for the last few years... on their dime. How would they feel if they were to be brought in PAID to take care of the field now? From what I could tell, those folks did it out of a love and adoration for the old place. Throw in a cash incentive, new equipment and see how they would fare taking care of the grass. Give them some of that high tech turf knowledge from MSU and Comerica Park's crew.

If this is truly a place for the people, why not let some of the people who cared for it the most get a shot at taking care of it again?

I like the sentiment, but those are just some volunteers who made sure the grass didn't get too long. Without significant help [[$$$), they are probably in way over their heads when lots of games are played on that grass. Again, I appreciate what they did, but the grass wasn't exactly the field of dreams...