comericapark

Tenant: Detroit Tigers (AL)
Opened: April 11, 2000 (against the Seattle Mariners)
Surface: Grass
Capacity: 40,000
Architect: HOK Sport (Kansas City); SHG Inc. (Detroit)
Construction: Hunt-Turner-White (a group consisting of firms Huber, Hunt & Nichols Inc., Turner Construction Inc. and White Construction Co.)
Owner: Detroit-Wayne County Stadium Authority
Cost: $300 million
Public financing: $115 million, or 38 percent, from 2 percent rental-car tax and 1 percent hotel tax, and money from Indian casino revenue
Private financing: $185 million, or 62 percent, from Tigers owner Mike Ilitch
Location: Home plate (N by NW), Montcalm; 1st base/right field (W by SW), Whitherell; center field (S by SE), Adams; 3rd base/left field (E by NE), Brush.
Dimensions: Left field: 346 feet; left-center: 402 feet; center field: 422 feet; right-center: 379 feet; right field: 330 feet; foul territory: small.

Located in downtown Detroit, Comerica Park promises to play a major part in the revitalization of the struggling city. The $360 million ballpark has old fashioned touches, like brick and steel construction and assymetrical dimensions. However, there are many modern aspects, like a sunken playing field, rides for the kids, state-of-the-art facilities and one of the largest scoreboards in sports. The park could also eventually have a retractable roof.

Other features:
-The center-field flagpole is in play, like at Tiger Stadium.
-The bullpens are beyond the outfield fences.
-When the Tigers hit a homerun, the two tigers atop the scoreboard roar and the fountain in centerfield shoots water in the air.
-Seats are 19-inches wide, and seats in the "club" section are cushioned.
-No player has to wait in line to take a shower. The clubhouses are large, but not too large.
-There are indoor pitching and batting practice tunnels.
-There are four to six "family" bathrooms where mom and dad can take their kids in together. These bathrooms have diaper changing areas, too. The regular restrooms have parity between men and women.
-The right field wall is higher than the wall in left.