VIGIL AND PROTEST, Tiger Stadium 10:30pm, 6/3/2009

[HazenPingree]

I know there is already a thread about TS, but I wanted to make sure this got heard.

Vigil / protest tonight at 10:30 [[6/3/2009)

Please come and bring friends.

At least some media coming at 11pm.

We are afraid the city will attempt a secret demo tonight.

[LodgeDodger]

Andy, I believe in historic preservation, but this is a lost cause. It's a done deal. It's over.

[MIRepublic]

We are afraid the city will attempt a secret demo tonight.

In any other city that would be considered tin-foily, but I do think you have good reason to worry about such a possibility in Detroit. lol I must say, though, that I think describing this as a vigil is a bit much.

[Retroit]

It won't do any good. Tiger Stadium was as good as gone when the decision was made to build Comerica Park [[a foolish idea, in my opinion). It's sad to see our landmarks rot and be demolished one by one, but unfortunately these are the least of Detroit's problems. There really ought to be a vigil/protest every time a violent crime is committed in Detroit and every time a Mayor or Councilperson commits an act of stupidity/corruption.

But, if it will make you feel good, Kumbaya!

[Trumpeteer]

It's not when it's for something you put your heart and soul into like Andy and others have. All I did was contribute some money for a memory and a great visitors site that I love as well.

[Alley]

I saw bits on Channels 2 and 4 11:00 news. It looked like around 50 protesters -including Andy Linn- but no secret demolition crews in sight.

[jt1]

"unfortunately these are the least of Detroit's problems. There really ought to be a vigil/protest every time a violent crime is committed in Detroit and every time a Mayor or Councilperson commits an act of stupidity/corruption."

For once I could not agree with Redetroit more.

[Crumbled_pavement]

It's sad to see our landmarks rot and be demolished one by one, but unfortunately these are the least of Detroit's problems.

As sickening as it is, I actually agree with Retroit on something.

I was driving down Outer Drive north of I-96 today and to see the devastation this area undertook in the last 4 - 5 years is amazing. Literally whole neighborhoods are evaporating overnight and we're only concerned about saving Tiger Stadium. If the city focused on saving the neighborhoods then maybe there would be the population to support keeping Tiger Stadium as a historic landmark.

[MIRepublic]

I saw bits on Channels 2 and 4 11:00 news. It looked like around 50 protesters -including Andy Linn- but no secret demolition crews in sight.

Demolition equipment is already on-site.

[crawford]

Why would someone be against tearing down an abandoned, half-demolished stadium, especially when it has been altered beyond recognition and there is no viable plan for alternative use?

Tear it down, already! What a freaking eyesore!

[DetroitHabitater]

The idea is to restore it to Navin Field, which the remaining portion looks quite a bit like it.

I can see Tiger Stadium from my house and it is anything by an eyesore. If one day I look out my window and see a gravel parking lot or a Wallmart, my eyes would surely feel soreness.

to all the haters, you typed the URL wrong it's http://www.detroitno.com you are looking for, please update your bookmarks.

[Crumbled_pavement]

to all the haters, you typed the URL wrong it's http://www.detroitno.com you are looking for, please update your bookmarks.

You do know that if you click on that link you posted that you end up right back on this site, right?

[urbanoutdoors]

OK, if it is such an eye sore and people want it to come down what is the alternative? A vacant lot.... What good would that do to generate economic growth in corktown...
The OTSC has done quite well in these tough economic times and although I would have loved to save the entire stadium, I feel that this is a viable plan that works within the framework of what we corktowners want in our neighborhood.
We had about 80 people show up to the stadium at 11:00 on a Wednesday night...

I must say thank you to everyone who came out, and appreciate all the help mobilizing people on such short notice.
As a fellow corktown resident I could not agree more with DH.
We want to see this plan through... Corktown is a great area of the city which I am proud to reside in, and once the construction is completed on the Navin Field portion the economic viability of the community will only be that much stronger. To throw away 22 million dollars in redevelopment money makes no sense to me and jumping to conclusions based on how it looks before redevelopment is not the way to base an argument.
Again thanks to all that came out in support.

-Urbanoutdoors

[reddog289]

Good try , I know it has been said before but if things were better the plan might have, maybe even been in action by now.People have their memories and are content with that, Others have visions that would have been great to see relized. All I can say It s Detroit and you will never know what can happen between now and Monday?.The way the place sits, It is one of the strangest sights I have ever seen with the old ballpark.

[Gistok]

Andylinn and Urbanoutdoors, I agree with you... although much of that $22 million is tax and other credits [[such as were used for the Book-Cadillac and Fort Shelby).

As for the argument about Detroit has more pressing issues to deal with right now... you can use that same argument for every single thread on this forum...

[R8RBOB]

I can understand how troubling it is to see Tiger Stadium disappear but it is time. It is time to say goodbye to the Old Ballpark. The people involved knew that there was a deadline and they could not meet the demands that the DEG put down. The Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy don't have the money. They tried but not everyone is down with pitching in to save a baseball stadium that had 75% removed last year so now the DEG is going back with its original plan to knock down the entire stadium.

IMO.....I think the DEG is acting quickly because the fiscal year is ending June 30th and that the CC and the mayor probably didn't budget in demolition costs for Tiger Stadium in next year's budget so the DEG has to use the remaining money in this fiscal year to finish the demolition of Tiger Stadium......IMO

[rajdet]

Protest photo

[HazenPingree]

The DEGC's claim that the Conservancy did not meet their last deadline is a baldfaced lie. The Conservancy met their last deadline in March.

The DEGC has been tossing out random mini-deadlines left and right, and the Conservancy has met them. The DEGC, no matter what your opinion on the stadium, has been underhanded and unethical. They have lied to the public, and have renigged on their agreements with the conservancy.

The DEGC needs more oversight, they have too much power.

Because Carl Levin isinvolved, I believe it is NOT over yet. This is just Bing's latest test. Will he win my vote? We'll see. Tom Barrow has been extremely supportive of the Conservancy in the past couple of days.

more vision, less demolition.

[kraig]

The DEGC's claim that the Conservancy did not meet their last deadline is a baldfaced lie. The Conservancy met their last deadline in March.

The DEGC has been tossing out random mini-deadlines left and right, and the Conservancy has met them. The DEGC, no matter what your opinion on the stadium, has been underhanded and unethical. They have lied to the public, and have renigged on their agreements with the conservancy.

The DEGC needs more oversight, they have too much power.

Because Carl Levin isinvolved, I believe it is NOT over yet. This is just Bing's latest test. Will he win my vote? We'll see. Tom Barrow has been extremely supportive of the Conservancy in the past couple of days.

more vision, less demolition.

You can't just leave us hanging with that one [[boldfaced lie). This could change my viewpoint in a lot of ways. What happened?

[Burnsie]

Crumbled_pavement wrote, "Literally whole neighborhoods are evaporating overnight...If the city focused on saving the neighborhoods then maybe there would be the population to support keeping Tiger Stadium as a historic landmark."

Why should people continue to live in those neighborhoods? There aren't enough jobs left nearby to support those neighborhoods. Just how is the city supposed to "save" them?

[Crumbled_pavement]

Crumbled_pavement wrote, "Literally whole neighborhoods are evaporating overnight...If the city focused on saving the neighborhoods then maybe there would be the population to support keeping Tiger Stadium as a historic landmark."

Why should people continue to live in those neighborhoods? There aren't enough jobs left nearby to support those neighborhoods. Just how is the city supposed to "save" them?

The same way the city is supposed to save Tiger Stadium.

[lo_to_d]

It's really too bad the DEGC is not willing to work with OTSC to make this a reality. I understand DEGC's pessimism about the lack liquid capital, but the OTSC raised nearly $500,000 cash if I remember correctly. That could have easily refurbished the field, fenced in the rest of the playing field nicely, buttoned up the exposed sides, refurbished the dugouts/stands, and taken down the crappy old fence and chain link. The rest of the stadium does not look bad from the street. Then the OTSC could have marketed the field to baseball/softball leagues and high school championships [[which I believe teams from all over the region would have flocked to) while finishing the rest of the plan. All the while DEGC could put out an RFP for a strip mall along the service drive, and an RFP for an urban development at the corner of Mich and trumbell [[retail on the first floor, apartments above).

Instead the DEGC is going to put out an RFP for the whole site which will get no responses, just the like the 6 they have out right now... And we will have a giant gravel lot for a long time in Corktown. But, in hindsight I think the OTSC made the mistake of not getting the field put back into use in some fashion first thing this spring. That would have helped the plan gain more momentum by real use of the field. I am not for preservation just to look at and not to mention the shitty plywood board up job on the fence just contributes to its perceived blight. Hey DEGC, use the money you have to clean the place up!

[RickBeall]

They should at least let the ground be turned into a park where kids could play ball. Maybe some day.

[rjk]

http://www.freep.com/article/2009060...r+Stadium+plan

This Freep article states that the OTSC didn't meet the March deadline.

If the OTSC met the deadline amount they should forcefully come out and counter GJ assertion.

[jerrytimes]

I hope we keep all of our abandoned useless structures in Detroit. They are so nice.