A proposal to hold a Major League Baseball (MLB) game inside a national park is receiving backlash from locals and conservationists.
On ۲۶ September, the Washington Post reported that MLB reached out to the White House about staging a one-day game at the Grand Teton national park in Wyoming. Teton county describes itself as a “a year-round resort community” and sits within the Jackson Hole valley. It’s also a habitat for grizzly bears, osprey, bison and more.
News of the MLB’s outreach to the federal government quickly sparked concern about the impact that erecting a field and the infrastructure to hold spectators could have on the natural landscape and habitat of scores of wildlife who call the ۳۱۰,۰۰۰-acre (۱۲۵,۵۰۰-hectare) park home.
The outrage over the possible MLB game comes as national parks across the US struggle under funding cuts, staffing shortages and consistent overcrowding.
A Teton county commissioner, Luther Propst, described the idea of hosting a baseball game at the park as an “incomprehensible and deeply unwelcome notion” that he will work to stop.
“We all love baseball but neither [the Grand Teton national park] nor any other national park is an appropriate venue. This is a national issue, and completely contrary to the history and mission of our national parks set aside for preservation, contemplation of the beauty of nature, and wildlife habitat,” his post read.
The National Wildlife Federation echoed these concerns in a Facebook post of its own.
“Our national parks exist to protect wildlife, preserve breathtaking landscapes and give families a chance to connect with nature – not to host corporate sporting events,” the non-profit posted on Monday. “Let’s keep our national parks wild.”
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In a statement to the Guardian, a White House spokesperson said that it was approached by the MLB about the possibility of hosting the game but the National Park Service had not granted any permits to do so and the game is not a White House directive.
Neither MLB nor the National Park Service immediately responded to the Guardian’s request for comment.
