Full Breakdown
MLB Abandons Grand Teton National Park Game Proposal Amid Conservation Pushback
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: League Ends Evaluation of Grand Teton Site
On September 26, the *Washington Post* reported that Major League Baseball (MLB) had approached the White House about staging a one-day regular-season game inside Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming. Subsequent correspondence revealed that MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred sent letters to Teton County officials and U.S. Sen. By early October, MLB confirmed that the proposal had been abandoned.
Background & Context
Grand Tenton National Park spans 310,000 acres (125,500 hectares) and supports grizzly bears, bison, osprey, elk and other wildlife. The park is a major tourist draw and, like many U.S. parks, faces staffing cuts and overcrowding. MLB has a recent history of “destination” games—Field of Dreams in Iowa, the Little League Classic at Bristol Motor Speedway, and a 2024 game at Rickwood Field—intended to bring baseball to non-traditional venues.
Official Statements & Responses
- A White House spokesperson confirmed that MLB inquired about the possibility of a park game but emphasized that no National Park Service (NPS) permits have been issued and that the request was not a presidential directive.
Criticism & Opposition
- David Kelly, an Angels fan from Los Angeles, wrote, “Keep America’s pastime in our baseball parks, not in our national parks.”
- Mike Gierau, Democratic state senator for Jackson, described the proposal as “abhorrent” and contrary to the park’s “undeveloped and scenic values.”
Data & Statistics
- Grand Teton’s 310,000-acre footprint includes a commercial airport (the busiest in Wyoming) and extensive flat bottomlands suitable for a temporary field.
- A typical MLB “special-event” stadium occupies roughly four acres for the field and up to 25 acres for a full complex; a full parking and support area would require hundreds of additional acres.
- MLB’s recent neutral-site games have drawn crowds ranging from 10,000 to 30,000 spectators, but no comparable event has ever been held within a federally protected national-park boundary.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on whether NPS officials actively scouted sites. No permit applications have been publicly filed, and MLB has not released an environmental-impact assessment, leaving the feasibility of construction and wildlife protection unverified.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I believe this track record demonstrates the care in which we approach these events and alleviate any concern that MLB would pursue a project that could damage or diminish a National Park,” — Robert Manfred, commissioner
- “Since the story was reported, it has become clear the local community does not want us to continue evaluating Grand Teton National Park as a potential site,” — Robert Manfred, commissioner
- “It's also not being driven by the Department of Interior.” — Luther Propst, who serves on the Teton County Board of Commissioners
- “Grand Teton National Park is about wild America, wildlife, opportunity for solitude, not for more amusement,” — Luther Propst, who serves on the Teton County Board of Commissioners
- “Keep America’s pastime in our baseball parks, not in our national parks,” — David Kelly
- “America’s national parks are already in a league of their own,” — Aaron Weiss, executive director at the Center for Western Priorities