By Jeff Moss
DetroitSportsRag@GMail.com
June 28, 2016

As the Detroit News reported in a thorough article published yesterday, construction began Monday on the grounds of the old Tiger Stadium site which is being transformed into the Detroit Police Athletic League youth sports stadium.

The old home of the Detroit Tigers at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull eventually will house a year-round sports complex not only featuring baseball but other sports like basketball as well. Many Detroit-based corporations and the local Motown sports teams have been instrumental in raising $14 million of the $20 million needed to finish the product.

The project is currently be called “The Willie Horton Field of Dreams” in honor of the former Tiger star who was born in Virginia but raised in the city of Detroit.

The DSR has learned though that the eventual name of facilities will be “The Willie Horton Field of Dreams at Re/Max Stadium.” According to our sources, the nationwide real estate firm has purchased the naming rights to the PAL park for a hefty sum. We do not know the financial terms of the deal but we’ve been told the fee is substantial.

While the Ilitch family made a generous donation of $300,000 towards the project last month, Chris Ilitch has made it perfectly clear to the developers of ReMax Stadium that the name “Tiger Stadium” or “Old Tiger Stadium” would not be permitted due to potential conflict/confusion with the team’s actual home down the street … Comerica Park.

(By the way, these losers who are concerned about either “Tiger Stadium” not being included in the name; corporate sponsorship in general; or the new fields having artificial turf need to GET A LIFE.)

We expect an announcement of the naming rights for the PAL facility will be made in the very near future.

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