DETROIT – The former site of Tiger Stadium on the corner of Michigan Avenue and Trumbull has been long overdue for a facelift.
The Detroit Police Athletic League will celebrate the re-opening of Tiger Stadium this weekend as its new headquarters and playing field.
Tiger Stadium closed after the 1999 season when the team moved to Comerica Park. It was demolished back in 2009.
The new facility, "The Corner Ballpark," will open on Saturday with a ribbon cutting ceremony open to the public at 10 a.m.
“This is a very exciting time for Detroit PAL and the city of Detroit,” said Tim Richey, CEO of Detroit PAL. “With the help of our generous donors, we have been able to build a new home for PAL and our 14,000 girls and boys. This new stadium is a statement to PAL’s commitment to the sports and programs we offer and the youth of Detroit.”
Fundraising for the development plans began in 2016, after the Detroit Economic Development Corp. approved a memorandum of understanding, granting PAL rights to the 9.5 acre field. In two years, PAL secured over $20 million in donor gifts to construct the 8,500 sq. foot headquarters and banquet hall, and build a state-of-the-art baseball field, which maintained the original dimensions of the former field.
Naming sponsors of the new stadium include:
- Adient – Stadium naming rights
- Meijer – Field of Dreams naming rights
The ribbon cutting ceremony will begin on the field at 10 a.m. Saturday and will be featuring speeches from PAL supporters and community leaders, including Richey, Mayor Mike Duggan, Chief James Craig and former Senator Carl Levin. Guests will be able to tour the new facility and field, enjoy family-friendly activities, and watch baseball games between local Metro Detroit high school teams.
Celebrations for the new stadium will also take place on Friday, March 23 with the unveiling of the new donor wall, designed by Erik and Israel Nordin of the Detroit Design Center and the Michigan Sports Legacy Conservancy at 8:30 a.m. and an invite-only MVP dinner, celebrating PAL supporters that evening.