MLB explores possibility of a baseball game inside Grand Teton National Park

GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (KIFI) - A potential Major League Baseball game in Grand Teton National Park is drawing attention — and concern — in Jackson Hole after a report that the MLB has approached the Trump administration about building a baseball park inside the national park.

The Washington Post first reported Saturday that MLB officials contacted the administration about the possibility of hosting a game at a national park, similar to the league's "Field of Dreams" games in Iowa, the "Little League Classic" this year, played inside the Bristol Motor Speedway, and a recent game held at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama, in 2024.

According to the Post, sources familiar with the matter said three potential locations inside Grand Teton National Park had been visited by the Trump administration as possible sites for a baseball park.

The White House, however, said no decision has been made and that the National Park Service has not granted any permits.

In a statement to the Post, the White House said MLB had asked whether it was possible to host a game at a national park, but emphasized the idea is not a White House or administration priority.

The White House also disputed the characterization that a National Park Service official was actively scouting locations for MLB, saying the official was on a broader trip to several national parks and that the MLB visit happened to coincide with his time in Grand Teton. ESPN reports this official as National Park Service deputy director Frank Lands.

Local residents react to MLB baseball pitch

The possibility has already sparked large discussion from some Jackson Hole residents and local officials.

Teton County Commissioner Luther Propst told the Washington Post that the federal government had not sought input from the county. He described a baseball park in Grand Teton as a major departure from the traditional purpose of national parks.

Propst later told KHOL that if a baseball field were to be built inside the park, congressional action and county zoning considerations would also come into play.

Joan Anzelmo, a former Grand Teton National Park superintendent and spokesperson, also told KHOL she believes a baseball facility would be inappropriate for the park.

Even some local baseball supporters expressed reservations. George Cartwright, a Jackson Hole Youth Baseball coach, told KHOL that while the Tetons would provide a picturesque backdrop, he believes a large-scale event could leave a significant environmental footprint on the area's ecosystem.

Conservation groups have raised concerns about the precedent of constructing a sports facility inside a national park.

Betsy Buffington, Northern Rockies regional director for the National Parks Conservation Association, told the Post that Grand Teton is irreplaceable and questioned the appropriateness of putting a baseball stadium there.

The National Parks Conservation Association subsequently issued a statement opposing the idea.

“The Department of Interior should reject this idea and publicly say that there will be no baseball stadium in Grand Teton, now or ever."

Statement by Tiernan Sittenfeld, President and CEO for National Parks Conservation Association

According to the Washington Post, the 2027 MLB schedule is already set, meaning a new specialty game at another location would not take place before 2028.

For now, there is no confirmed MLB game, stadium or permit for Grand Teton National Park.

The issue is expected to receive further attention from local officials as Teton County considers what role, if any, it would have in such a proposal. Teton County Comissioners are expected to discuss the proposal in Monday morning's comissioner meeting.