This article was originally published on www.stadiumjourney.com.

Paul Swaney, a fellow Bleacher Report writer, set off on a mission to compile the baseball stadium experiences of writers in each MLB city. Below is my assignment reviewing the Motor City's home.

Construction

Completed in 2000, Comerica Park ushered the Tigers into the 21st century. A stark contrast from rustic Tiger Stadium, Detroit’s new wide-aisled, well-decorated home features many amusements for both adults and children.

Food & Beverage

Comerica Park offers a fairly wide array of food and beverages. From sushi, to Little Caesar’s Pizza, to baseball’s traditional fare, certain items may be priced a bit high, but most are affordable and the quality is not lacking.

Big Cat Court, behind first base, offers Mexican and Asian food, pizza, ice cream, and drinks. Full pizzas cost a lofty $14.50, but most other meals in this section don’t reach double-digit dollars. The same food price structure exists in the Beer Hall behind third base, where you can also select from 34 different beers.

Unless you’re seated in the infield, food and snack vendors appear sporadically. If you seek a beer vendor, however, you’re primed to see one or two per inning no matter where you’re perched. These cash-only salesman charge $3.75 for hot dogs, $8.25 for a large Labatt’s or Budweiser, and $4.00 for ice cream sandwiches.

Atmosphere

Clawing outside the main entrance, a 15-foot sculpture of a tiger greets those passing by. Comerica Park’s most popular photo opportunity, fans line up by the dozen to snap a picture underneath its foot-long teeth.

As you stroll the main concourse, a blend of aromas and visual displays of Tiger history bombard your senses. Several of baseball’s all-time greats reside in statue form in center field. Ty Cobb, Charlie Gehringer, Hank Greenberg, Willie Horton, Al Kaline, and Hal Newhouser take up permanent residence behind the brick Tigers Wall of Fame – a listing of some of Detroit’s most prominent figures.

Memorabilia displays set apart about every 100 feet between first and third base greet pedestrians, reminding them of teams that came before. Gloves and uniforms of Detroit’s great and not-so-great are contained in see-through cases, installed to educate young and old.

Perhaps the most glaring feature Comerica Park has to offer is not contained within it. Detroit’s picturesque skyline is visible from all fields, most notably on the third base side. This awe-inspiring view of occupied and vacant skyscrapers is reminiscent of the panorama outside a 15-story hotel suite.

A Ferris wheel, carousel, and massive center field water fountain are a few other structures that set Comerica Park apart from others.

Neighborhood

Let’s face it, Detroit does not make national headlines for its safety, but Comerica Park resides in the city’s mythical demilitarized zone. Ample lighting and a strong downtown police presence assure a secure, enjoyable visit, as long as one does not venture outside of established territory.

Unknown even to many locals, Cliff Bell’s at 2030 Park Avenue is a lavish venue where you can eat, drink, or catch a jazz band, just a few blocks from the stadium. With $2 happy hour specials and cocktail specials starting at $5, you can arrange a sophisticated stop that will be kind on your wallet. A Poetry Slam held every Monday welcomes participation from first-timers and veterans alike.

If the jazz bar scene does not pique your interests, don’t fret. Directly across Adams Street from Comerica Park (and Ford Field) rests the Elwood Bar & Grill (300 E. Adams), Detroit’s unofficial pre- and post-game station.

Shifted a few blocks from its original location to allow the construction of Comerica, the Art Deco-style Elwood has thrived since its slight relocation, becoming Detroit’s most congested bar when the Tigers and Lions take the field. Beer prices are moderate and meals are cheap (under $9).

Twenty-five umbrellaed picnic tables line the building, almost one for each different type of beer available (18). Beer tubs and musical performers appear on special occasions, most notably on Opening Day and during playoff runs.

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