Is Comerica Park finally......replacing the beloved Tiger Stadium? Comerica Park sits on the northern edge of downtown, a few blocks from Greektown and bordered by the Fisher and Chrysler freeways... not really a bad location- despite what the Detroit-bashers would like you to think.
During the playoffs and World Series of 2006, Comerica Park was just jumping... Hockeytown, Chelli's, all those other places were packed and people were just having a great time, enjoying the city... people were coming back downtown for the first time in ages. Maybe that's what they had in mind when they built the ballpark here! - Maybe they're smarter than we thought!
Walk around the place... the Tiger motif is staggering... they glare at you with white eyes and baseballs clenched between their jaws... very...very... scary... but still distinctive. Outside the right and right-centerfield walls, you can see into Comerica Park from the street... not a bad view and many saw the World Series for free from those "seats" ... the famous statues of Tiger legends Cobb, Gehringer, Greenberg, Newhouser, Kaline and Horton are also visible! One of Comerica Park's cool things are the kiosks, each of which celebrate a decade of Detroit Tiger History... cool stuff like pictures, equipment, articles about all the guys we know and love- a crash course in Tiger history, ...but OBVIOUSLY, not as good as this one! There's a lot of other good stuff- the Big Cat Court is a food joint with just about anything you could want... for a price (A beer will run you eight dollars). The (in)famous Merry-Go-Round sits there, but it's good that these things don't detract from the game at all... they're basically hidden, but available to the more casual fans. ...and down the third base line, there's another big food area filled with the usual "ballmall" concessions and souvenirs... some neat things, though, The outfield is also pretty slick... again a bunch of food and souvenir things in left, but the statues occupy left-center and center fields... and they're a big attraction... people taking pictures, reading the plaques, telling their kids about these guys... I think we need one of our buddy Stormin' Norman , don't you?
Comerica Park's upper deck concourse is pretty generic... although there is another souvenir store and a very nice bar where you can herf a cigar and enjoy a pre game drink, BUT ... if you look down from the first base side to the south straight down Elizabeth Street, you can jusssst make out
Walking out to the field, it's an entirely different feeling than the old park... everything is wide open... downtown is visible through centerfield and it creates a nice effect... but the field is enormous... no bandbox here. Comerica Park's left field fence was brought in a couple of years ago and the bullpens moved into that area... centerfield is still a long poke, just like in the old days... it's the same flagpole as has been used in Detroit for mucho years, even though it's now out-of-play with the fences being moved in. The upper deck sits much further back than we're used to... but ...and also the statues from the inside are impressive.. with the retired names and numbers on the wall facing the field... you just can't escape that Detroit Tiger History (.com?)
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... and there's a lot going on right down there... The Ford Theatre...Greektown... Ford Field... Casinos... Bars, restaurants...plenty of parking (well usually)...it's an area on the way back. Don't let the bashers get to you- it's perfectly safe and there's a lot to do.
The main gate on the first base side is also pretty cool- big tribute to Ernie Harwell right out front and the recessed entryway pulls you into the park.
are the Beer Hall-- bars, cigar club(!!!)... the (in)famous Ferris Wheel twirls around down there- get your tickets!?!
with no posts in the lower to support it- the price you pay... and the section down the right field line sits a little lower than the rest of the upper deck and creates a little visual interest.
All in all, Comerica Park is starting to grow on people- and it took a little while. With the success the Tigers had last year, and with a very rosy outlook, the place should be packed for just about every game- expect over THREE MILLION fans to pay their way into the park, so get yer tickets now!