They are throwing a big party in the Bronx this week, giving Yankee Stadium its final All-Star showcase. The shame of it is that there is no reason to say goodbye.

Some fans have a problem saying farewell to their heroes of the diamond or the gridiron. I have trouble saying so long to a stadium that has no need to undergo the wrecking ball.

Yes, a magnificent suite-filled palace will be opening right next door next April, I understand that. But Yankee Stadium has been one of this nation’s grandest sports facilities for 85 years.

It needs updating, not destroying.

I realize that I am fortunate, even for someone in this business, to have seen games take place in the most storied structures in the four major sports.

I saw the last hockey game played in Montreal’s Forum. I saw Larry Bird hit threes in Boston Garden. I have seen Brett Favre throw touchdown passes in Lambeau Field.

But Yankee Stadium is more special than all of those, I guess, because I went there as a child. The others I saw only as an adult.

I saw Roger Maris hit a home run against Baltimore early in the 1961 season. I didn’t know he was about to break Babe Ruth’s season record.

As a kid, I saw Mickey Mantle hit a home run there. Joe Pepitone, too. At the 2001 World Series, I shivered for three nights in the right field auxiliary press box as the nation found itself cheering not just for the Yankees but the city of New York trying to rally from 9-11.

Yankee Stadium may lack the charm of Fenway Park or Wrigley Field. All it has to make up for that are those 26 World Series flags flapping in the breeze.

No stadium comes close to having hosted as many memorable sports moments.

Notre Dame coach Knute Rockne gave his “win one for the Gipper” halftime speech to his players in a game against Army in 1928. And there was, of course, the Lou Gehrig “luckiest man” speech.

The sad thing is that while there was a time when the Yankees struggled to draw fans and people were scared to venture into that neighborhood, those days are long gone. The Yankees draw four million fans a season.

Of course, they can make more money in their new palace, but this team has been very profitable even with a payroll in excess of $200 million.

Even at 85 years old, Yankee Stadium is thriving. It’s got a lot more seats than Fenway or Wrigley, two ballparks that both pre-date Yankee Stadium.

Derek Jeter has joked about the stuff that he is going to steal from Yankee Stadium. At least he has an appreciation that there is a history we have all shared as players or fans, and it’s about to be lost.

Forever.

I know that the new place will have many similar features. It’s even going to be called Yankee Stadium. The real Yankee Stadium will be turned into a park.

So I guess you can still walk around in the grass where Ruth and DiMaggio and Mantle roamed the outfield.

But when you walk into the new stadium, you won’t feel the history.

So, like Jeter, I guess everyone should just grab it while you can. Call it whatever you want, but that giant thing with 51 luxury boxes going up across 161st Street isn’t Yankee Stadium.