MLB scraps proposal to play a game in iconic national park

JACKSON, Wyo. — Major League Baseball scrapped a proposal to build a stadium in Grand Teton National Park for a regular-season game amid backlash from local Wyoming leaders and residents.

After the Washington Post first reported the story last week, the mayor of Jackson, a Teton County commissioner, and the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce president sent a letter to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum expressing "strong opposition" to the idea.

Grand Teton is "a protected space dedicated to preserving natural resources, safeguarding wildlife, maintaining ecological integrity, and serving the public and interests through conservation-minded stewardship," they wrote.

Manfred responded in a Thursday letter, saying baseball has "no formal plan" to play a game in the iconic national park.

"We obviously would not bring a game to a community that has concerns about the venue, and will not continue to evaluate Grand Teton National Park as a potential site," he wrote.

The Trump administration said in a statement earlier this week that MLB approached it about the possibility of playing in a national park similar to its Field of Dreams game in Iowa.

"This is not a Presidential directive, nor is it being directed by the White House. It's also not being driven by the Department of Interior," the statement said. "Therefore, this is not a White House or Administration priority."

Locals denounce playing baseball in Grand Teton

Park visitors, local political leaders, conservationists and others denounced the proposal immediately after the story broke.

State Sen. Mike Gierau, D-Jackson, called the plan "abhorrent", adding, "When it comes to epically bad marketing ideas in the American experience, I put it next to New Coke," per Cowboy State Daily.

In his letter, Manfred said his team was doing initial due diligence on many sites and had not reached the stage of soliciting views from the community.

"That said, since the story was first reported, it has become clear the local community does not want us to continue evaluating Grand Teton National Park as a potential site," he wrote.

The commissioner, though, went on to say MLB has made an effort to play games in parts of the country that are not within driving distance of major league ballparks. Games have been staged at Fort Bragg in North Carolina; the site of the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania; the nation's oldest Negro League stadium in Birmingham, Alabama; Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee; and the Field of Dreams in Dyersville, Iowa.

Manfred said the league has been careful to leave the sites better than before it arrived.

"I believe this track record demonstrates the care in which we approach these events and alleviates any concern MLB would pursue a project that could damage or diminish a National Park," he wrote.

Allison Michalski, the Grand Teton senior program manager for advocacy group National Parks Conservation Association, lauded the league's decision, saying in a statement, "There is no need to bring this favorite pastime into conflict with our national parks."

"We are grateful that Major League Baseball heard the roar of the crowd and rightfully recognized that Grand Teton is already a field of dreams, filled with mountains, forests, wild nature and wildlife that attracts millions of dedicated fans each year," she said. "The bases were loaded with opposition, and this news is a grand slam for Teton County communities and the enduring legacy of Grand Teton National Park."

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