DETROIT -- The City Council on Friday authorized a public-private partnership to take control of Tiger Stadium with the option of tearing down the historic ballpark.

On a 5-4 vote, the council gave the Detroit Economic Development Corp. the authority to demolish the park.

The decision ends years of debate over what to do with the stadium, which housed the Detroit Tigers for more than 80 years.

Legendary Tiger broadcaster Ernie Harwell was applauded as he walked up to the microphone at the council meeting.

"The old stadium has stood there like the house by the side of the road for a long, long time now," Harwell told the council. "There's been a lot of going back and forth, a lot of bitterness and acrimony. We want to try to eliminate that and move on. We've had some ideas. Mr. Spicer has studied this situation and we think there are viable solutions."

He was referring to his lawyer, Gary Spicer. Spicer said a music museum could help bring in private developer dollars that could help preserve parts of the old stadium.

Two weeks ago, Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick proposed one of his visions for the historic ballpark--a flourishing retail and residential zone.

The City Council has denied all the former proposals submitted.