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Tiger Stadium

Comerica Park

Detroit, Michigan

Tenant: Detroit Tigers (AL 2000-present)
Groundbreaking: October 29, 1997
1st American League Game: April 11, 2000
Surface: Natural Grass

Architect: HOK Sport; SHG Inc. (Detroit)
Construction: Hunt-Turner-White
Cost: $300 million
Private financing: $185 million from Tigers owner Mike Ilitch
Public financing: $115 million from 2 percent rental-car tax and 1 percent hotel tax, and money from Indian casino revenue
Owner: Wayne County Stadium Authority
Seating capacity: 40,000 (2000); 40,120 (2005)

Playing Field Dimensions:
LF foul line: 345 ft.
LF alley: 395 ft. (2000); 370 ft. (2003)
Deepest Left-center behind flagpole: 432 ft. (2000-2002)
Center field: 420 ft.
RF alley: 365 ft.
RF foul line: 330 ft.

Outfield Fences: 8 ft. except in right-center where it's 11 ft.

Hosted World Series: Never
Hosted All-Star Game: 2005

A carousel. A ferris wheel. A mammoth water feature in center field that can be choreographed to any music. a decade-by-decade pedestrian museum enveloping the main concourse. But wait, there is also a field with a game being played as well. These are but a few examples of what Comerica Park introduced to fans visiting downtown Detroit in the summer of 2000.

Comerica Park itself is built around the configuration of the playing field. All planning efforts established fan sight lines as the highest priority. The surrounding "outbuildings," however, conform to the property boundaries of Montcalm, Witherell, Adams, and Brush Streets.

As one enters these boundaries, Comerica Park appears rooted at the center of an urban village, a village that includes shops, restaurants, offices, and other attractions. Eight, two- and three-story buildings of varying sizes and heights make up this village of outbuildings which houses many of the service facilities surrounding the park. Roughly 70,000 square feet of retail space is included and another 36,000 square feet is dedicated to Tigers offices. The result is a landscape that blends into the surrounding street life. And with no upper deck outfield seats, no ballpark offers a better view of a downtown skyline than Comerica Park.

Memorable moments: 2005 All Star Game. In the Home Run Derby, the Phillies' Bobby Abreu smacked a record 24 home runs in Round 1 and totaled 41 on the night to smash the single-Derby record. The following night, The Orioles' Miguel Tejada homered and had two RBIs and was named MVP while Ichiro and Mark Teixeira also drove in a pair of runs to lead the American League to a 7-5 victory over the National League in the All-Star Game in Detroit. The AL increased its unbeaten streak to nine.

The Good: Lots of fan-friendly features, great center field views and a unique design make Comerica a jewel.
The Bad: As with other new parks, the upper deck is a LOT farther away from the action than it needs to be. HOK's motto remains, "Supporting Posts or extended cantilevers are evil" Our response - Horseradish!
The Ugly: It's not Tiger Stadium

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Detroit Tigers
2100 Woodward Ave.
Detroit, MI. 48201
(313) 962-4000

2005 Ticket prices

On-Deck Circle $ 60
Tiger Den $ 60
Terrace $ 35
Infield Box $ 35
Club Seats $ 25
Outfield Box $ 25
Upper Box $ 20
Pavilion $15
RF Grandstand $15
Mezzanine $15
Upper Reserved $12
Pepsi Bleachers $ 8
Skyline $ 5

Seating Chart

Purchase Tickets

Radio: WXYT 1270 AM
TV: FSND, WKBD-50

In-park dining choices: "Brushfire Grill" barbecue area and the Big Cat Food Court.

Concession items include hot dogs, smoked sausage, kielbasa, Coney and Chicago style hot dogs, Italian sausage, frozen daiquiris, handmade pretzels, Little Caesars pizza, gyros, catfish sandwiches, baked potatoes, fresh squeezed lemonade, elephant ears and ice cream.

Detroit Dining Guide - Best Bets

Directions & Parking

Ballpark/Tour Vacation Packages

NOTES, FACTS AND FEATURES

Comerica Park features a main scoreboard larger than any other facility in existence.

And old-time, out-of-town scoreboard is placed at field level within the wall in right-center field, and a Pitch Information board alerts fans to the speed of each pitch thrown in the game.

A 50-foot Ferris wheel features cars shaped like baseballs that can seat up to five passengers and is wheelchair accessible.

The Tiger Den is the first of its kind in baseball. Located at the upper rows of the lower bowl, it resembles the fashionable boxes at old-time sporting venues with moveable chairs.

An ornate carousel, featuring 30 hand-painted tigers and two chariots, is located at the base of the food court behind the first base area. The ride is fully wheelchair-accessible.

The centerfield wall features a fountain that produces a "liquid fireworks" display. It is synchronized to music and changing lights and is used to celebrate home runs and other in-game moments.

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Left-center field in 2001. Note the retired numbers with corresponding statues (Ty Cobb played before numbers were used). Also note the flagpole in the field of play, as it was in Tiger Stadium. Following the 2002 season the left field fence was moved in 20 feet, thus removing the flagpole as an obsticle for outfielders.

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