Dream Ballpark

[Knick9]

I hope you're not too busy...

...never mind on this.

[tycobbpark]

This is a ballpark I designed about 13 years ago as a possible replacement for Tiger Stadium. Of course, I would never want to see it replaced, but now that debate is over. Here is a link to a picture of a model I have built thus far http://www.jpldesigngroup.com/tycobb_01.jpg. I haven't worked on it in a while since Comerica Park has already replace Tiger Stadium making the inspiration to finis this model hard to find.

SIZE
Tyrus Raymond Cobb Park measures 140 feet from ground level to the top of the roof canopy. see side view of seating diagram


SEATING
The overall seating capacity of Tyrus Raymond Cobb Park will be in the vicinity of 50,000 seats on four seating levels including two suite levels. All of the seats in the ballpark are angled towards home plate as the seating bowl cranks in towards the field down both the left and right field lines to provide better sightliness.

The actual seats are green plastic chairs measuring from 18-22 inches in width. Most of the seats in the ballpark will contain cup holders. Like Comerica Park, Tyrus Raymond Cobb Park will include cast iron tigers on the isle seats.

There are four levels of seating in the ballpark: lower deck, lower suites, upper suites, and upper deck.

Lower Deck: This level is approached from ground 24 feet above street level. The floors will be orange with blue squares featuring the Olde English D in the center to remind you that this is the home of the Detroit Tigers. This is a premium seating area with wider seats (22) as well as individual waitress/waiter service in foul territory. This level will also have access to the Tiger Museum and all parking garages.

Lower and Upper Suite Levels: This two-tiered seating area will stretch from foul pole to foul pole in foul territory. From first to third, the lower level of the suite levels will be designated for the media, both broadcast and print, as well as ballpark operations during game time.

Bleachers: The bleacher seating is located in right field in front of the plaza area. The bleacher seats are comprised of some of the actual bench seating from the general admission areas from Tiger Stadium.

Wheelchair Seating: There are in excess of 500 spaces for wheelchairs in Tyrus Raymond Cobb Park, and they are located throughout the ballpark in all seating areas. In addition, spaces have been included to allow fans in wheelchairs to sit with friends or family members. There is also access to specially designed restrooms, ticket windows, and concession stands.

CONSTRUCTION
The interior of the ballpark consists of four levels:

Service Level: A below ground service level extends the entire park. This can be accessed from street level, which is also 24 feet below ground level. It houses the clubhouses, maintenance, and concession storage. Concession storage includes central refrigeration units, beverage tanks. Mechanical access to air, plumbing, and electrical is also done from this level, as well as vehicle access to the field from center left field. In addition to the Tigers' and visitors' clubhouses, there are weight rooms and batting tunnels for both teams. An auxiliary clubhouse area will also been constructed for special events.

Main Concourse: The massive main concourse, serving the lower deck, runs in a square around the park and contains the entrance gates and ramps to the upper levels. Iron gates have been used to close the lower arches. This is also the level where the Olde English D's will be located on the floor.

Lower and Upper Suite Level Concourses : This level stretches around the seating bowl and provides direct access to the lower and upper suite levels.

Upper Concourse: Again, this level runs the perimiter of the park with the exception of the plaza area and provides access to the upper deck. The average slope of the upper deck is approximately 30 degrees.

Structure: The Exterior of the Ballpark is all brick.

The structural type above grade in Tyrus Raymond Cobb Park is exposed structural steel, painted "Evergreen Green". The lower deck seating is cast-in-place brick, and the club and upper deck seating are structural pre-cast concrete risers. A steel roof canopy runs the entire length of the upper deck and comes out as far as the luxury suites.

Access: The entrances to Tyrus Raymond Cobb Park are located on the east, west, and north sides of the park. Four ramps and eight escalators serve all levels.

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
Design Architect: James P. Lundeen of Detroit, Michigan

SCOREBOARDS
The scoreboard system in The Ballpark was designed and manufactured by Daktronics, Inc. of Brookings, South Dakota. The equipment is operated by a network of control computers designed to produce the most comprehensive statistics package and animation.

The system includes the following: Main scoreboard: Located in the right field park will include a full color Sony Jumbotron video board, measuring 24 by 32 feet which provides high quality video highlights and animation.

Message Board: Located in the right field park area will provide information such as statistics, pitch count and speed, birthdays, and group recognition.

Manual scoreboard: The right field scoreboard area located in the wall will contain the out of town scores within a 130' by 12' board.

CONCESSIONAIRE/FOOD AND BEVERAGE
Quite a number of restaraunts, not yet decided, including a Friday's Frontrow Grill, and the Batter's Eye Restaraunt will be located throughout the park.

The Ballpark Complex: The area surrounding The Ballpark is hoped to be an ongoing developement. The complex will be located at the corner of East Grand and Jefferson Avenues and will feature a Clock tower that plays, Take Me Out to the Ballgame. The Arthur M. Anderson, a 767 foot Great Lakes freighter, the same one that followed the Edmund Fitzgerald in Lake Superior during the storm in 1975 that killed 29 crewmen will be opened as a museum ship to feature Detroit's Great Lakes Shipping heritage. The freighter will also sound its Horn at the start of every game. Next to the Belle Isle Bridge, will be Tiger Pavillion, a mall who's anchor store will be Hudson's Department store, bringing Hudson's back to downtown. The Pavillion will connect to the ballpark over the street and will overlook the river and freighter. The Pavillion will resemble an old Detroit Factory, complete with smokestacks similar to those of the seven sisters and two brothers.

PLAYING FIELD
The playing surface of Tyrus Raymond Cobb Park will be natural grass.

Drainage lines connected to a vacume system are laid every 15 feet over the entire field. The playing surface is then covered by 4-5 inches of pea gravel and 14- 15 inches of sand mixture as the field is expected to have the capacity to drain 9-10 inches of water per hour.

The field's irrigation system allows the entire outfield to be watered by one station, producing 750 gallons per minute or 50,000 gallons per hour.

The tarp for the field is mounted on a hydraulic lift and is stored below ground down the left field line, preventing any sight problems.

CLOSE TO THE ACTION
The proximity of the fans to the action is among the closest in the major leagues. The first rows of seats on the first and third base sides (near side of dugouts) are just 60' from home plate. The distance from the screen behind, the plate to home plate is 60 feet

DUGOUTS AND BULLPENS
Both the first (home) and third (visitors) base dugouts are 70 feet in length. The Tigers' and visitor's bullpens are parallel to the playing field in right center in front plaza area.

FLAG POLE
The 125 foot flag pole from Tiger Stadium will be moved to Tyrus Raymond Cobb Park at Jefferson Avenue and put in the field of play, 418 feet from home plate.

FIELD DIMENSIONS
The outfield dimensions are not symmetrical, a feature common to ballparks constructed in the early 20th century. From home plate to the left field foul pole is 330 feet with an increase to 380 feet in the left field power alley. Straightaway center field measures 420 feet, then moves to the deepest point, 426 feet, approaching right center. The Power alley in right field is just 380 feet.

There is a dramatic decrease in distance in the right field corner as the foul pole sits just 330 feet from home plate. The outfield fences range from 3 feet to 18 feet high. The playing surface is 24 feet below ground level.

[redbuck]

throw in some obstacles like a sand bunker or a little lake like on a golf course, maybe a few trees and random walls sticking out - make it interesting and unique even tho MLB would never allow it.

I have some designs and models of existing parks at http://rogerfweber1.tripod.com/id3.html. I'll add some new ones in the next few days (I have about 50 pics I just haven't had time to upload yet)

[Knick9]

I've recently been on fire trying to think up of new ballpark dimensions. It's quite fun. Take a look. Elvis, if you could make me a picture for any of these, it would be appreciated. Thanks.

Polo Grounds + Chicago Wrigley Field = Wrigley's Polo Grounds

Left Field Foul Line: 270 feet
Left Center Field: 420 feet
Deep Center Field: 460 feet
Deep Right Center Field: 388 feet
Right Center Field: 367 feet
Right Field Foul Line: 354 feet
Backstop: 65 feet
Foul Territory: Mild/Average
Seating Capacity: 42,000
Fences:
LFFL: 10 ft.
LCF: 12 ft.
DCF: exact opening like the Polo Grounds 483 ft. gap
DRCF: 10 ft.
RCF: 7 ft.
RFFL: 6 ft.
------------------------------

Shea Stadium + Crosley Field type quirk = Shea & Crosley's Field
(simply think about Shea but add 2 feet to the foul lines and the corner center fields...)

LFFL: 340 feet
LCF: 370 feet
CF: 380 feet (To make up for the short distance, a 30 foot tall wall will be there to also serve as a scoreboard, like Crosley Field had in left center field)
RCF: 370 feet
RFFL: 340 feet
Backstop: 70 feet
Foul Territory: Small, excluding the backstop
Seating capacity: 42,000
Fences:
LFFL: 6 ft.
LCF: 8 ft.
CF: 30 ft.
RCF: 8 ft.
RFFL: 6 ft.
-------------------------------

Completely random thinking by me...
LFFL: 300 feet
LCF: 375 feet
CF: 400 feet
RCF: 360 feet
RFFL: 360 feet
Backstop: 57 feet
Foul Teritory: Large, excluding the backstop
Seating capacity: 42,000 as usual
Fences:
LFFL: 12 ft.
LCF: 6 ft.
CF: 7 ft.
RCF: 6 ft.
RFFL: 6 ft.
-----------

What do you think?

[Gamingboy]

I've always wondered what the 'average' MLB ballpark would be. But I don't have enough time to average all that, so here's the 'average' AL East ballpark:


Left Field: 320
Left center: 368
CF: 400
Right Center: 377
Right Field: 316

With the backstop being 63 feet behind homeplate.

(I took the measurements of the dimensions of Fenway, Camden Yards, Yankee Stadium, Skydome and Tropicana from Clem's baseball pages)



I also decided I'd figure out what the average Baltimore Orioles park is from taking the measurements from Clem's 3 Baltimore diagrams (2 Memorial stadium configurations and Camden Yards):

LF: 317
LC: 395
CF: 416
RC: 399
RF: 312

With the backstop 64 feet behind homeplate.

You'd DEFINITELY want to try and pull the ball down the line there....



And finally, the "Average" Yankee Stadium, again from Clem's measurements:

LF: 300
LC: 413
CF: 453
RC: 391
RF: 301

with the backstop 84 feet behind home!

[redbuck]

MLB average measurements:

Left: 331.3
Center: 406.2
Right: 328.4

Average square feet of fair territory: 94,743.73

Elevation: 517.6 ft

[Knick9]

More ideas from me:

Left Field Foul Line, Left Center Field, Center Field, Right Center Field, Right Field Foul Line: 370 feet
fences:
15 feet for all the outfield walls along with Wrigley Field-ilke metal fence tops
backstop: 60 feet
foul territory: Average
capacity: 37,000
-----------------
Left & Right Field Foul Lines: 330 feet
Left & Right Center Field: 410 feet
Center Field: 370 feet
fences: 20 feet high wall in center field
backstop: 65 feet
foul territory: small
capacity: 37,000
------------------

LFFL/RFFL: 330 feet
LCF/RCF/CF: 390 feet
fences: 15 feet for everything
backstop: 75 feet
foul terrtory: average
capacity: 37,000

[Elvis]

More ideas from me:

Left Field Foul Line, Left Center Field, Center Field, Right Center Field, Right Field Foul Line: 370 feet
fences:
15 feet for all the outfield walls along with Wrigley Field-ilke metal fence tops
backstop: 60 feet
foul territory: Average
capacity: 37,000
-----------------

That's a cool idea - having the same dimensions from pole to pole. Why not? Although it would probably have to be at least 390 ft. to be allowed. Aren't little league fields like that?

[Knick9]

Though it is a rule that the dimensions have to be at least this:

Left field Foul Line: 325
Center Field: 400 feet
Right Field Foul Line: 325

The rule can be bended if you make it up with a big fence. The only thing that my ballpark is lacking is center field distance, so I will make it up by putting a 15 feet fence surounding the entire wall padding.

[Knick9]

And finally, my Twins park, a multi-use stadium:

You know what? I like this design. I think this should be capitalized. Here's my new proposal, following the picture above:

Left/Right Field Foul Lines: 305 feet
Left/Right Field Corners (directly behind the foul poles, not stretching out in diagonal): 385 feet
Left/Right Center Field: 373 feet
Center Field: 404 feet
Backstop: 75 feet
Foul Territory: Small, excluding the backstop

Fences:
LFFL to LFC: 31 feet
LCF to CF: 7 feet

Can be compared to:
Polo Grounds
Fenway Park
Astros Field

Averages:
Between Left & Right Foul Lines and Corners: 345 feet
Between Left & Right Corners and Left & Right Center Fields: 379 feet

Capacity: 37,000

Seating formation:

Behind backstop: double decker, 8,000 x 2 seats + 100 seats
Beside Left and Right Fields: 5,000 x 2 seats
Beyond the outfield: 5,000 x 2 seats

I would really like to see this one as a sketch, Elvis. Forget the others for now. :atthepc

[ivylover]

For my dreampark: The outfield walls will just be one wall about 423 ft away

Something along the lines of this:


Capacity: about 43,000

[Knick9]

For my dreampark: The outfield walls will just be one wall about 423 ft away

Something along the lines of this:


Capacity: about 43,000

I just had the same idea, only it was 370 feet. Nice picture, though. I'm impressed.

[ivylover]

I just had the same idea, only it was 370 feet. Nice picture, though. I'm impressed.

haha thanks

[ivylover]

Ok here is my interpretation. I forgot how much time it takes to finish them properly, so for future drawings, I'm not going to be quite so detailed as far as individual seating sections and tunnels - yes I'm lazy.

You didn't say where to put the bulpens, so I left them out...somewhere in the outfield or down the foul lines...also, I wasn't quite sure about the terraced drive-in parking beyond the center field fence.

Dang, I forgot the flagpole and the side-cutaway view!

Sorry...I'll add it to the next one.

Knick9, you're up next...

I wanna see that someday

[RHobbs]

Dream Ballpark

Elvis and Steveox -
The renderings of yours ballpark are both fascinating and interesting; fascinating because of the vastness of the alleys and interesting because of the configuration of the park.

What interests me, however, is what's not illustrated or mentioned and that is the height of the upper deck (minus and plus the light towers) and the declivity of the seating sections....the slant angle of the seats in the lower extremities and the steepness of the upper decks. What ranges would you propose in your drawings and what compliances do you think you'd have to consider? Hope you keep up the good stuff.