About the Building
Construction of the new Comerica Park, which replaces the old Tiger Stadium, began on October 29, 1997 and was completed in 2000. The first game was held there on April 11 against the Seattle Mariners. The new stadium is part of a plan to revitalize downtown Detroit, including the construction of Ford Field, adjacent to the stadium. The building costs $300 million and is being designed by architectural firms HOK Sport (Kansas City) and SHG Inc. (Detroit). The Comerica is 61.7 percent funded by Tigers owner Mike Ilitch, who is donating $185 million, and the remaining 38.3 percent, or $115 million, in public money through taxes. In December 1998, Comerica Bank agreed to pay $66 million over 30 years for the naming rights to the new stadium. Since its opening, fans have been trying to come up with a nickname for the stadium, with the abbreviation CoPa suggested by many, but this nickname has not gained the agreement of everyone. The stadium is often referred to as Comerica. The first playoff game at Comerica was played on October 6, 2006 against the New York Yankees.
Shortly after it opened, Comerica Park received complaints from players and spectators about its expansive outfield dimensions, which made it a difficult stadium for right-handed power hitters. The vastness of the outfield has spawned the sarcastic nickname Comerica National Park. Several public figures (notably radio announcer Ernie Harwell) have supported these dimensions. Prior to the 2003 MLB season, the left field distance was increased from 395 to 370 feet (120 to 113 meters). Two years later, the bullpens were moved from right field to an empty area in left field, and 950 seats were added for a new capacity of 41,070.
The stadium also has many baseball-themed features, including “Monument Park” (similar to Yankee Stadium) in the center field stands, with statues of former Tigers players, including Ty Cobb, Hank Greenberg, Al Kaline, and Willie Horton.
In 2005, Comerica Park hosted the 76th Major League Baseball All-Star Game, the first to be played in Detroit since 1971.
On October 21, 2006, Comerica Park hosted the first World Series game in its history (Game 1 of the 2006 World Series).
Numerous concerts have been held at Comerica Park such as Eminem (2005), The Rolling Stones (2005), Bruce Springsteen and his E Street Band (2004) and Bon Jovi (2003). The first concert in the stadium was that of Dave Matthews Band in summer 2000. On July 27, 2007, the Comerica hosted a leg of the Warped Tour.
For the 2008 season, 778 seats were added to Comerica Park, bringing the stadium capacity to 41,782.
