This week, the process of laying artificial turf at the former Tiger Stadium site began, a major development for a planned youth sports facility.
The Detroit Police Athletic League (PAL) has been working to develop a youth sports facility on the site. Named for Detroit Tigers great Willie Horton, the Willie Horton Field of Dreams, presented by Meijer will feature 2,500 seats, an event center, and space for PAL’s headquarters.
PAL has been working to raise funds for the $20-million facility, and installation of the new artificial turf is the latest sign of the effort’s progress. More from MLive.com:
Stokas Bieri Real Estate is the leasing agent for retail space but available square-footage and cost is not being released at this time, according to project representatives.
The organization is also attempting to raise money by offering personalized engraved bricks in exchange for donations.
The Detroit Police Athletic League, which operates youth sports leagues, had nearly $6.6 million in 2015 in revenue and $4.5 in assets, according to its 2016 tax filings.
Tiger Stadium originally opened as Navin Field in 1912, and went on to serve as the Tigers’ home through the 1999 season. It stood many years for after the Tigers’ departure–even playing the role of Yankee Stadium in the production of 61*–before being demolished completely in 2009. In early 2017, the superstore store chain Meijer was named the sponsor of the Willie Horton Field of Dreams.
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