19 years ago in Metro Times: Wayne County announces it is ready to demolish the 80-year-old Tiger Stadium and replace it with a $200 million state-of-the-art ballpark (which would eventually be called Comerica Park). After almost 20 years of dithering and flip-flopping, Tiger Stadium's demolition would not begin until 2006, and was not completed until last year. The destruction of the historic landmark was used as a powerful image in Eminem's video for "Beautiful," and HBO's "Hung," set in Detroit, has recently announced plans to shoot on the vacant lot. What was happening: Morrissey at Meadowbrook Music Festival, Kansas at Harpo's.
14 years ago in Metro Times: An ongoing debate concerning Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) Canada's request to dump 750 million gallons of waste water into the St. Clair River ends, with authorities promising to come to a final decision in September. ICI's lawyer, Roger Cotton, assured everyone that the waste would be completely safe, and the dumping would not affect communities downriver. Now, as oil continues to surge into the Gulf of Mexico, the St. Clair River is still listed as an environmental area of concern. What was happening: Blue Oyster Cult and the Dave Matthews Band at Pine Knob.
9 years ago in Metro Times: With mayor Dennis Archer leaving office, MT asks several community leaders throughout Detroit what qualities the next mayor should possess. Heaster Wheeler, executive director of the Detroit NAACP, says the next mayor should "have some personal depth and a strong sense of compassion," while Nasser Beydoun, executive director of the American-Arab Chamber of Commerce, says, "The next mayor can either take the city to new height or take it to new lows." Six months later, Kwame Malik Kilpatrick takes office. Six years later, his qualities have forced him from office and landed him in prison. What was happening: Prince at Joe Louis Arena, Depeche Mode at DTE Energy Music Theatre, Little Feat at the Magic Bag.
