Major League Baseball “will not continue to evaluate Grand Teton National Park as a potential site,” for a game, Commissioner Robert Manfred told local officials in a letter Thursday.

Manfred’s letter was in response to correspondence from Teton County Commission Chair Mark Newcomb, town of Jackson Mayor Arne Jorgensen, Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Rick Howe and Maureen Murphy, clerk of Teton County. They all opposed the idea that MLB pitched to the Trump administration, which became national news after the Washington Post reported on it last weekend.

Grand Teton is “a protected space dedicated to preserving natural resources, safeguarding wildlife, maintaining ecological integrity, and serving the public and interests through conservation minded stewardship,” the Teton County letter of protest said.

Manfred’s response was addressed to the men — Newcomb, Jorgensen and Howe — only.

“We, of course, recognize the important role that Grand Teton National Park plays in the lives of the residents of Jackson Hole and Teton County,” Manfred’s letter reads. “Because of that, I feel compelled to provide some information that has not been publicly reported.”

“MLB has no formal plan to play a game in Grand Teton National Park,” the letter reads. “Our team was conducting initial due diligence on many potential sites when this story was reported, and we had made no decision on the feasibility of staging a game in Grand Teton National Park.”

The commissioner went on to say that special MLB games have been played in a variety of locations and that the league has been “careful to leave the selected sites better than when we arrived.”

“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,” Manfred wrote.

“[S]ince 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,” the letter reads. “We obviously would not bring a game to a community that has concerns about the venue.”

Angus M. Thuermer Jr. is the natural resources reporter for WyoFile. He is a veteran Wyoming reporter and editor with more than 35 years experience in Wyoming. Contact him at angus@wyofile.com or (307)...

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