Venue Detail
Detroit Tigers
Revenues From Sports Venues Pro Facilities Report
January, 2010
Detroit Tigers
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2100 Woodward Ave Detroit, MI 48201 Phone: 313-471-2000 Fax: 313-471-2599 URL: www.detroittigers.com Owner: Mike Ilitch League: Major League Baseball American League, Central
Venue
Comerica Park, 2100 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48201 Owner: Detroit-Wayne County Stadium Authority Managed by: Team Built: 2000 Capacity: 40,000 Permanent concession stands: 29 Concessionaire: Sportservice Suite caterer: Sportservice Soft drink: Pepsi Cola
Naming rights
Sold to: Comerica Bank Price: $66, 000,000 Term: 30 years Expires: 2029
Ticket prices
Season tickets range from $405 to $4,860 Single tickets range from $5.00 to $65.00 2007 average attendance: 37,618 2008 average attendance: 39,539 2009 average attendance: 31,693
Luxury Suites
Quantity: 108 Term: 4 to 7 years Price: $100,000 to $125,000 Seats: 12 to 16 Includes: Tickets. The party suite seats 20 to 30 persons and leases for $2,000 to $3,000 plus food.
Club seats
Quantity: 2,000 Term: 1 to 1 years Price: $4,050 to $4,860 Includes: Parking, in-seat wait service, private lounge.
Financing
In March 1996, Detroit voters approved by a wide margin $40 million in public funds for a new $295 million stadium. Team owner Mike Ilitch provided the bulk of the money for the new stadium, $145 million, with the State of Michigan Strategic Fund contributing $55 million in addition to Detroit's $60 million.
The cost of building Comerica Park and the Lions' adjacent Ford Stadium is nearly $600 million. Originally the price tag was $485 million, but the teams increased their investment in the buildings. Total taxpayer investment was capped at $240 million, not including some infrastructure work. The Tigers added a Ferris wheel, carousel, and water exhibits around the ballpark while the Lions' plan incorporates the warehouse and retail development in the design. Pct. public: 45
Tiger Stadium, one of the oldest ballparks in baseball, closed in 1999 to make way for the new Comerica Park. The Tigers desperately needed the new $295 million downtown Detroit ballpark. Tiger Stadium had only five suites and the Tigers got only a percentage of revenue from parking and concessions.
The new facility, Comerica Park, is an open-air, natural turf ballpark. The suites run across the first and third base lines and include parking. Ten suites are used for game day rentals and can be adjusted to hold 16 to 100 persons. Three suites are for club use and two go to local governments, leaving 93 available for sale. The ballpark features Tiger Den Boxes of 4, 5 and 6 seats each leasing for $19,440 to $24,300.
In 2003, suite prices were rolled back to 2000 levels when the ballpark opened. Two free tickets were given to suite holders for shows at the Fox Theatre, Second City, Cobo Arena and Joe Louis Arena, all of which are controlled by Mike Ilitch, owner of the Tigers. Renewals also earned owners unlimited movies at the Birmingham Palladium cinema.
The ballpark has 102 suites which generate a reported $10 million a year. Between 30 and 40 suites came up for renewal in 2003. The owners have been accustomed to paying a 6 percent increase each year. The new lease returned prices to 2000 levels and reduced annual increases. (Facilities, Financial, MLBTeamAmer, Professional Sports, Venue)