The
Detroit Tigers needed to replace the beloved
Tiger Stadium. So on October 29, 1997 they broke ground on Comerica Park. It was supposed to revitalize the downtown area of
Detroit and eventually, the
Detroit Lions would build
Ford Field next door.
The hardest part of building the new stadium might have been dealing with the anger of fans that wanted to keep old Tiger Stadium. After it was announced the Tigers would build a new stadium, many citizens groups sprang up, trying to keep the Tigers in
Tiger Stadium. But they all failed, and in April of 2000, Comerica Park opened.
As soon as the new stadium opened, it was immediately awash in controversy. Many players complained of the vast size of the outfields, and the length from home plate to the fences.
Comerica Park is not just a place to go watch a
baseball game. It is a place for the
family to go, and spend the day. There is a baseball-themed
Ferris wheel for the children to ride and in centerfield, there is a water fountain, with streams that can be synchronized to music. When a Tiger hits a home run, the "liquid fireworks" shoot off. There are also many specialty concessions for every fan's appetite. The scoreboard in left field is the largest scoreboard in the world.
The original price tag for the stadium was set at $300 million. But estimates are it came in at closer to $500 million. The stadium can seat 40,000 for a baseball game.
Dimensions of the field are as follows:
Left field: 346 feet
Left-center: 402 feet
Center field: 422 feet
Right- center: 379 feet
Right field: 330 feet