Unrealized Concepts - Volume 6 - Tropicana Field Renovation

In 2010, after the the Rays failed to get financing for the Major League Downtown stadium project, a local group called the ABC Coalition commissioned a feasibility study toward renovating Tropicana Field. These drawings are the result.


One study looked at the possibility of removal of the current fabric roof and replacing it with a retractable dome. This would have allowed for open air during sunny days, natural grass, and no more catwalks. It was a particularly expensive plan and was not pursued.


The next three photos show how a renovated park would look with the current roof. This would be the view from the first base concourse. Currently, the Trop's lower concourses are "closed". The renovations would allow for an open concourse like most newer parks have. Also, if you look to the outfield in the picture, the study proposed opening up the back wall and allowing views of the outside world.


This would be the view of the seating behind home plate. The press box would be moved to where upper level seating is now and suites/clubs made out of the lower level. It actually looks alot like the area behind the plate at Citi Field.


Finally, here's a view from behind home plate. Its cool to be able to see beyond the fences, but honestly there's not much to see in that part of St. Petersburg. Plus you still have the ugly roof and catwalks. It wasn't clear if natural grass was to be part of this plan.

Ultimately, this was rejected (correctly in my view) by the Rays. The Trop isn't particularly terrible, but it was built in the 1980's and is closer to 70's disasters like Three Rivers and Veterans Stadium than Camden Yards.

A really good book by Jonah Keri, "The Extra 2%", goes through all of the difficulties the Rays face in St. Pete. Its not centrally located to where the population is and most fans need to travel across a bridge to get there. The team would be much better off waiting out the economic situation and trying again on a Tampa project like the Major League Downtown concept from 2008/2009.

Check out all of the renderings of the Trop Renovation project HERE
Check out renderings of the Major League Downtown project HERE

Unrealized Concepts - Volume 5 - Miller Park Concepts

With Miller Park hosting game 2 of the NLCS tonight, I thought it would be cool to look over some unused concepts. There were several different designs, most of which utilized a roof. I don't know alot of the backstory of these, but its still an interesting look at some unused designs.


I actually saw this design a few years before Miller opened. It is very much an homage to Ebbets Field. Even more so than Citi Field which opened years later. This does not seem to incorporate a roof, but is a really nice looking design. Who knows what Citi Field would have become if the Brewers went in this direction.


This design shares alot of similarities to Toronto's Skydome/Rogers Centre and newer retractable parks like Safeco Field and Minute Maid Park. The stadium bowl is similar to Toronto while a one direction roof is much like Seattle and Houston.


With this design, we move closer to Miller Park's final form. A roof that sits above the first and third base lines and retracts together over the playing field. The difference from the final form is the extension of the roof past the stadium bowl.


This last concept reminds me of alot of european soccer venues. The dome is still retractable, but is held up by several large posts. It almost seems like a circus tent.


By the time construction commenced, the Brewers had settled on this final form. Miller really is a nice stadium with a great atmosphere. The park is known for its festive tailgate scene and when the team is playing well (like 2011) they fill the building. The large window walls behind the first and third base upper decks let in a lot of natural light, so even if the dome is closed it doesn't seem like a tomb.

Check out the full page of unrealized Miller Concepts: HERE

Check out the pre-open Miller renderings: HERE

Unrealized Concepts - Volume 4 - Yankee Stadium Renovation (1998)

In 1998, just at the beginning of the current Yankees run, there were many ideas floated for a new ballpark. Most alternatives involved the Yanks leaving the Bronx to either Manhattan (their home for their first 22 years) or the New Jersey Meadowlands. This proposal was different in that it not only kept the team in the Bronx, but in Yankee Stadium.



The plan was floated by the Bronx Boro President Fernando Ferrer. It involved reintroducing many of the Stadium's classic features including the Frieze above the upper deck and the exterior facade.



An interesting feature that was eventually incorporated into the new Yankee Stadium is above. It seems to be quite similar to the "Great Hall" at the new park. Basically a glass wall which extends the concourse out onto what was then Ruppert Plaza.

The plan was never really accepted by the Yankees though. It never really got past the proposal stage. While its a shame the Yankees didn't stay in the original Stadium, at least they are still in the Bronx.

You can see these and more images of this proposal at StadiumPage.com.

Unrealized Concepts - Volume 3 - Labatt Park

Shortly after Jeffery Loria took over the Montreal Expos, plans were announced for a new ballpark in downtown Montreal. For the Expos' entire tenure in Montreal they had played in the "upgraded" Jarry Park and the cavernous Olympic Stadium. The plan called for a unique baseball only stadium. Unlike most of the new parks which opened in the late 90's, the new park would have a steel skin rather than brick.



Oddly, the announcement of the stadium came complete with the park's name Labatt Park. The park would be located within the "downtown" area of Montreal and was slated to have an incredible skyline view.



Unfortunately, the Expos were not able to get a financing deal in place and Labatt Park never came to be. The Expos were sold to MLB in a strange three team transaction where Loria came to own the Marlins and the Marlins owners bought the Red Sox.


Nationals Park

The rest was history. After a few years in Montreal under MLB control, the Expos were moved to Washington D.C. and became the Nationals. Oddly enough, in 2008 the Nationals opened their new ballpark which has a steel exterior which is very similar to the proposed Labatt Park design.

You can see these and more images of Labatt Park at StadiumPage.com.

Unrealized Concepts - Volume 2 - New Fenway Park

In 1999, in order to "stay competitive" the Red Sox announced plans to replace Fenway Park. The dimensions and wall heights were to be the same as the current Fenway but plans called for expansion of seating and additions of luxury areas and suties. From the looks of the design drawings/models that were released it seemed like "Fenway on Steroids". It really brings to mind exactly what their hated rivals, the Yankees, ended up doing in replacing Yankee Stadium.



Also like the new Yankee Stadium, the new Fenway Park was to be located just a short distance from its predecessor. In an attempt to quiet the project's detractors, the Sox plan was to keep portions of the old park like the monster and most of the infield area.



The plan never really gained traction in Boston due to financing issues and the Save Fenway Park movement. It died completely once the new Henry/Lucchino ownership decided to take on a massive renovation of the existing Fenway Park. Eleven years and over 500 sellouts (at the highest ticket prices in the league) later, its clear that the renovation was the right choice. Fenway Park is now nearing its 100th birthday (it was finished in 1912), hopefully it will see another hundred.

You can see these and more images of the New Fenway Park plan at StadiumPage.com.

Unrealized Concepts - Volume 1 - Mets Dome

Back in 1998, before Citi Field's current design was finalized, the Mets plans were to have a ballpark with a retractable roof. The picture above is a later version of the dome plan. This one is more modern with more glass and steel.



This is the original model from 1998. There are many similarities to Citi Field's final design: Ebbets inspired brick arches; rotunda behind home plate; and overhang in right field.



The big difference is the presence of the retractable dome. Since we only get a few rainouts a year in New York, it wasn't entirely necessary. While it would be nice not to have the threat of a delay or rainout, the bad affect on the turf and the "indoor" feeling wouldn't be good.



The big advancement with this design was the retractable field. If you look at Minute Maid field, they seem to have problems keeping the grass green at times. The Mets answer to this was a field that rolled out into the parking lot. This way the field got the light it needed and also was protected from non-baseball events. (basketball, trade shows, concerts etc.)



As it took the Mets almost ten years to get "shovels in the ground" on the project, things changed. The roof was nixed due to cost issues. Without the roof, the rolling field was more or less unnecessary. Although the rolling field concept seems strange, the Arizona Cardinals actually implemented the same concept in their new University of Phoenix Stadium.

You can see more images of the Mets Dome concept at StadiumPage.com.