All fun and no play

First off, Detroit is not a pretty city by any means. I'm sure they have good people and nice attractions, but the last thought in my mind as I drove into the city was, "Boy, this looks like a nice place to raise some kids." The suburbs may be a different story, but my adventure didn't sidetrack out into that part of the city. No, my excursion was simply focused on the new home for the Detroit Tigers -- Comerica Park.\nOn the way to the park my friends and I passed the old Tiger stadium and wondered what might have been visiting that historic park, but we made our way a couple miles north up I-75 to see one of the newest meccas for the national pastime. From the outside of the stadium, it's a beautiful park. The outside design of the stadium is remarkably detailed with concrete Tigers heads with baseballs in their mouths protruding from the walls, and the huge Tigers greeting you as you make your way inside.\nOnce you make it inside the park, you're greeted with a flurry of activity, ranging from hot dog/beer/souvenir vendors and e-mail stations to a carrousel and a Ferris wheel. My friend Matt said this park is a social activity surrounded by a baseball game. He saw this as a positive attribute, but I did not. All of the rides and activities should come secondary to the baseball game, but at Comerica, they forgot that people SHOULD come to see the Tigers play, not the Ferris wheel -- which 50 people got stuck on a few weeks ago, might I add. I guess when your team is so bad, you'll do anything to bring them into the stands.\nWhat the fans should be paying attention to is the beautiful field, scoreboard and seating arrangements that Comerica has provided the Tigers. Another interesting perk is the General Motors Fountain that sits behind centerfield. Every time the Tigers score a run, the fountain sprays a beautiful pattern that flows onto the bushes behind the centerfield wall. \nThe seating at the stadium deserves equal praise, because there are little -- if any -- seats with an obstructed view. While the seating is pushed back away from the field to insure everyone has a clear shot at the ballgame, it does take the crowd somewhat out of the game, because you can't hear them as well. This is the biggest difference between Tigers Stadium and Comerica. At the old stadium, the crowd was on top of the field, making them a part of the game. \nAs for the prices of the food, they aren't any worse than any other sporting event except for the beer. A large beer is more than seven dollars! That's one way to make sure your fans stay sober enough to watch the game -- make sure they're broke by the third cup. It's probably just a precaution to be sure no one falls off the Ferris wheel after the fifth Budweiser.\nOverall, this park is another marvel of technology that has enhanced the national pastime, following in the footsteps of Camden Yards in Baltimore and Jacobs Field in Cleveland. The only difference between those parks and Comerica is the Orioles and Indians have experienced some success since their new parks opened. For the Tigers, that has yet to be seen.