Comerica Park will undergo a $4M makeover of the right-field Pepsi Porch ahead of Opening Day, "complete with 426 additional seats, a new gathering spot to be called the 416 Bar, and with amenities ranging from posh furniture to a nearly 50-foot-long bank of natural-gas flames," according to Lynn Henning of the DETROIT NEWS. The project, funded by the Tigers and Delaware North, "is geared to a younger, socially motivated fan demographic." It will "boost Comerica Park’s capacity from 41,255 to 41,681." The renovation will feature a "broad seat rearrangement: 180 newly installed, 773 lower bleachers converted to 694 stadium-style seats, as well as 325 additional places that have been added to the Labatt Blue Light Jungle bleacher stands." Of the 180 premium seats introduced, 44 "will be high-top, four-chair configurations." Any ticketholder at Comerica Park, "including standing-room customers, will be free to enter the 10,000-square foot tract." About 8,000 square feet "will be devoted to seats, to the 416 Bar, and to leisure space," while an estimated 2,000 square feet "will be set aside for restroom expansion." Servers "are expected to assist with orders from the 416 Bar, which is sponsored by the spirits company, New Amsterdam." Ticket prices for the 180 new seats "will range from $30-$57 per game, depending upon date, time, opponent, etc" (DETROIT NEWS, 2/14).
A GOOD DEAL FOR ALL: A DETROIT NEWS editorial states while the City Council's transfer of land to the new Red Wings arena development "is certainly a good deal" for team Owner Mike Ilitch, it also is a "good deal" for the city. It is a "welcome economic investment in the city, and will benefit the entire state." The new city council "made the right decision, and did so in a timely fashion, without the acrimonious hearings and debates of the past." This new development "is critical for Detroit and will revitalize a part of the city that has been dormant for far too long" (DETROIT NEWS, 2/14).
