[font=Verdana]The last hope to save Tiger Stadium may have come too late, and city officials could soon decide to demolish it.[/font]

[font=Verdana]Southfield[/font][font=Verdana] mortgage banker Harry Glanz toured the landmark with city officials March 31. He said the walk-through bolstered his 11th-hour plan to scale back the stadium to 15,000 seats and use it for youth sports, shopping and conventions.[/font]

[font=Verdana]But [/font][font=Verdana]Detroit[/font][font=Verdana]'s chief of development, the man who ultimately could recommend razing what some consider hallowed ground, said the tour proved nothing.[/font]

[font=Verdana]"He has no proposal," said George Jackson, chief operating officer of the Detroit Economic Growth Corp. "Here we have people grandstanding in the public and the media, criticizing the city. When you talk to them, they have no proposals, just ideas. I can't make a plan based on ideas."[/font]

[font=Verdana]Glanz said he's no glory hound. The co-founder of Capital Mortgage Funding said he only wants a fair shot -- four to six months -- to study and submit a redevelopment plan.[/font]

[font=Verdana]Time and patience, however, appear to be running out at City Hall for the century-old jewel that's remained vacant and slowly deteriorating since the Tigers moved to Comerica Park in 2000.[/font]

[font=Verdana]Established in the mid-1990s from a ticket surcharge, a $2.5 million fund for maintenance and security ran out last week. That created a newfound sense of urgency for the cash-strapped city that has paid Tigers owner Mike Ilitch $400,000 for upkeep at the old park.[/font]

[font=Verdana]Fans and preservationists have lambasted [/font][font=Verdana]Jackson[/font][font=Verdana], claiming he repeatedly ignored viable plans to reuse the park. [/font][font=Verdana]Jackson[/font][font=Verdana] said he has never seen any and now believes its best use is as a building site.[/font]

[font=Verdana]In years past, the city has tried to market the stadium to retail developers at [/font][font=Verdana]Las Vegas[/font][font=Verdana]' mammoth International Council of Shopping Centers convention. Officials are skipping this year's event in May, citing the city's $160 million-$190 million deficit.[/font]

[font=Verdana]"I deal in reality," [/font][font=Verdana]Jackson[/font][font=Verdana] said. "I'll listen to people and hear them out. I've heard some ideas, some plans to put Little League in there, but I have never heard from financiers, pension funds or bankers."[/font]

[font=Verdana]Glanz acknowledged his bid comes late, but said he never dreamed the city would raze the stadium. He's forming a group of 12 investors willing to pay the stadium's security and upkeep costs while they devise a plan.[/font]

[font=Verdana]"It just seems to me the city is quick to jump the gun and tear it down," Glanz said. "My desire isn't to call the city out and say they're tough to work with. Why don't we work together?"[/font]

[font=Verdana]Jackson[/font][font=Verdana] wouldn't put a timetable on a decision about demolition, but acknowledged, "We're at a point when we have to make a decision soon and it won't be based on something with no substance."[/font]

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[font=Verdana]Source: The [/font][font=Verdana]Detroit[/font][font=Verdana] News[/font]