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We armed an intern with a tape recorder and set him loose on downtown Detroit the other day with two questions: 1) What do people think about the loss of Tiger Stadium? 2) What is the tight economy doing to summer plans. Here’s some of what he heard.
Steve, 24, marketing and public relations
Metro Times: How do you feel about the old Tiger Stadium being torn down?
Steve: Actually, they should tear it down. They should replace it with something else.
MT: Like what?
Steve: Some sort of retail development over there, I think, would be a good fit. We need something else to bring people downtown. Like a retail mall, something like that. Corktown’s a nice area, but it needs more, it needs to get more people down there seeing as there are some good things already down there.
MT: Do you have different plans for the summer since the economic downturn or are they pretty much the same
Steve: Mostly, the same, sticking around here more, probably gonna take advantage more of the free stuff that’s happening downtown, more so than usual, the festivals and different stuff like that.
Leah, 24, customer service representative
MT: What are your plans for the summer?
Leah: Plans for the summer, I’m going to redo my apartment and enroll in school.
MT: Have any of your plans change with the economic downturn?
Leah: Yeah, they have changed. I think I was supposed to go on two vacations this summer, but I’m not doing that anymore.
Dae Andre, 29, banker, financial advisor
MT: How do you feel about the tearing down of the old Tiger Stadium?
Dae Andre: Mixed reviews, man. I mean, it’s a historic site, but at the same time I think it was neglected. I think it wasn’t brought up to its potential, you know, they didn’t put the money back into it. Obviously, they built a new site, which has its benefits. You’re bringing more attractions to the center of downtown Detroit. I think it’s just, it’s kind of bad ’cause that was a historical landmark, you know, for the city. I like the new stadium; it’s just the fact that you have so much history tied in with the original Tiger Stadium.
MT: And what are your plans for the summer?
Dae Andre: You know what? House hunting, man. Just trying to get this, get a nice yard. I have a condo, no yard so I’m just looking for a yard.
MT: So do you feel any of your summer plans have been changed by the economic downturn?
Dae Andre: You know what? Yeah, because I probably wouldn’t be house hunting, I’d probably stay in my condo, but seeing as how, you know, there is a downturn, I’m fortunate enough to be in a good position so it’s a perfect time to buy.
Darius, 17, Frederick Douglass College Prep High School student
MT: How do you feel about the old Tiger Stadium being torn down?
Darius: Now, you know what? I don’t agree with that because I feel like that’s a building full of history and they’re tearing it down. They keep tearing down all these historic buildings around, there’s not going to be nothing left. You got to have some type of class here.
MT: So what are your plans for the summer?
Darius: Basically, I’m going to take summer courses to be on advanced placement. Like when I get back to school, I want to take neurophysics. So, basically, take summer courses to prepare me for that, and after that, nothing.
MT: Where are you taking summer courses?
Darius: I’m taking two classes at Cass Tech and I’m taking three at WC3.
MT: Have any of your plans been changed because of the economic downturn?
Darius: Well, supposedly, our robotics team was supposed to go to Florida, but since the little economic thingy, what you said, I don’t know. It’s like funding for our team was taken down, so we were not able to do anything now, so we have to reprogram our team and find new sponsors.
Bridget, Wayne County Wellness Coordinator
MT: How do you feel about the old Tiger Stadium being torn down?
Bridget: It’s in my back yard and all I’m going to see is a casino. So, I mean, I will say this, it was old and messed-up, but at least the conservancy had a plan. There is no plan, it’s another lot. So, I don’t understand the rush, I don’t know why they had to run, there’s nothing happened. There’s no one who’s gonna do anything with it in the immediate future.
MT: So your biggest concern is that after they torn it down, they didn’t have a plan?
Bridget: They had somebody who had a plan and instead of listening to it, they just had their own agenda for whatever reason and just sort of tore it down, and they’re in the process of tearing it down now.
MT: On another note, what are your plans for the summer?
Bridget: I am going to be playing with my new grandbaby, my granddaughter, and enjoying Detroit.
MT: So have any of your summer plans been affected by the economic downturn?
Bridget: Sure, oh, yeah, I’m not going far. Just do thing close by and very creatively.
Edward, 47, security guard
MT: Do you have any plans for the summer?
Edward: Watch a lot of football.
MT: Have any of your plans changed because of the economy or anything?
Edward: A little bit, you’ve got to work a little bit more now, you know, so it takes away from your free time. You’ve got to pick up extra jobs, stuff like that, to help make ends meet, and there’s a lot of different advantages with Barack helping with small businesses.
Interviews transcribed and compiled by Stennett NyekaNyeka.
