Mr. Ilitch - About that arena...

[Jason]

What do you mean by "fan pleasing"?? His stadium is made of brick, has Pewabic Pottery details, and those tigers that some of you love to hate have become a hit among tourists... I've had 8 buses of Europeans that wanted to have their group photos taken in front of it, and really enjoyed it. It's lightyears ahead in character compared to JLA and old Tiger Stadium.

And on the inside, you can watch the game from the ample spacious concession stands. Nice view of downtown towards the outfield, and the fountains are a nice touch.

Funny thing about the "less is more" folks... when I took the tour groups thru "less is more" Lafayette Park... their comments were... that bland look can be found anywhere... they wanted to see something different and interesting....

They wanted to see something different and interesting... like cookie cutter disney land architecture like you can find in every single theme park and tourist trap in the country.

And of course tourists don't appreciate Lafayette Park. Being European doesn't make someone automatically cultured. If you had architects in the tour they'd think that Lafayette Park was great, and they'd shake their heads at Comerica Park.

Comerica Park has no character. It's artificial and fake. Places like Tiger Stadium and the Joe have character because they're authentic. The character flows from that, not kitsch and theming. They're more dignified.


And I don't think I've ever heard of someone using the opinions of tourists to validate ideas about things like authenticity and taste.

[rb336]

essentially, Jason, it's a matter of taste. Your taste is no more objective than anyone else's. Frankly, Tiger Stadium was nothing special. It was no Wrigley Field, it was cramped for anyone over 6', it stank, the previously mentioned obstructed views, etc. The Joe is as bland and dull as a pre-fab warehouse and has similar acoustic characteristics. If those are your ideas of "character," I'll take someone else's any day of the week

[Occurrence]

Frankly, Tiger Stadium was nothing special.

You can't be serious?

[ghettopalmetto]

essentially, Jason, it's a matter of taste. Your taste is no more objective than anyone else's. Frankly, Tiger Stadium was nothing special. It was no Wrigley Field, it was cramped for anyone over 6', it stank, the previously mentioned obstructed views, etc. The Joe is as bland and dull as a pre-fab warehouse and has similar acoustic characteristics. If those are your ideas of "character," I'll take someone else's any day of the week

Things like the smell and cleanliness of Briggs/Tiger Stadium are maintenance issues, not architectural. Sure, it may have been cramped, but so is Fenway if you're over 5'-8". The Corner was subjected to some architecturally deficient additions and renovations over the years, but man, what a terrific place to watch a ballgame.

As for the renderings of the Barclays Center, it [[literally) looks like a steaming pile of dung. I would expect far better in New York.

[iheartthed]

As for the renderings of the Barclays Center, it [[literally) looks like a steaming pile of dung. I would expect far better in New York.

lol.





I don't think it looks too bad. I like that they didn't really have to demolish much of anything to put the stadium in... Especially in a city already as densely packed with buildings as New York. That's called efficient uses of land, Detroit.

[gthomas]

Illitch take notes:

http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/im...1117132550.jpg

[GUSHI]

It's fugly

[canuck]

It's fugly

Fugly is such a nice description of it, and economical too.

[Brian1979]

essentially, Jason, it's a matter of taste. Your taste is no more objective than anyone else's. Frankly, Tiger Stadium was nothing special. It was no Wrigley Field, it was cramped for anyone over 6', it stank, the previously mentioned obstructed views, etc. The Joe is as bland and dull as a pre-fab warehouse and has similar acoustic characteristics. If those are your ideas of "character," I'll take someone else's any day of the week

LMAO I have heard it all now. Tiger Stadium was a much better place to watch a game than Wrigley Field. And you don't think Wrigley is cramped? And trust me Wrigley stinks just as much as Tiger Stadium did, maybe even worse.

Wrigley is a dump.

[Gistok]

They wanted to see something different and interesting... like cookie cutter disney land architecture like you can find in every single theme park and tourist trap in the country.

And of course tourists don't appreciate Lafayette Park. Being European doesn't make someone automatically cultured. If you had architects in the tour they'd think that Lafayette Park was great, and they'd shake their heads at Comerica Park.

Comerica Park has no character. It's artificial and fake. Places like Tiger Stadium and the Joe have character because they're authentic. The character flows from that, not kitsch and theming. They're more dignified.


And I don't think I've ever heard of someone using the opinions of tourists to validate ideas about things like authenticity and taste.

I remember Mark Twain's famous comments....


"Mark Twain on the mind-expanding power of travel

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”
–Mark Twain, The Innocents Abroad [[1869)"

Jason, this is not directed to you... but just something we should all think about.

As for the Disney'esque comments.... what is among the top tourist destinations in the world.... Disney World.

Like I said... it's pointless to discuss the merits of Tiger Stadium and especially JLA... people here will wax poetically at the trough urinals as though they were works of art. I was kinda grossed out by such an arrangement.

Like I said one persons trash, is another persons treasure... that holds true for entertainment venues as well as anything in life. To somehow imply that Comerica Park is kitsch and not worthy of Detroit, while the overexuberance of the Fox Theatre is a place that you take a lady on a fine date... well one cannot quantify why one is one thing and the other is not. There's no rhyme or reason.

As for Europeans [[not just tourists) their microcosm of architecture is much more varied than the USA... and with the next culture only a few miles away [[instead of an ocean away)... I think that their comments bear something a bit more sophisticated than ridicule.

When the movie palaces of the 1920s were built... architectural historians derided them as nothing more than fake fantasylands of architectural "grimmaces".... no different than folks today who dislike what they refer to kitsch of Comerica Park and other places.

Architecture comes in many flavors... if you don't like it... go on the next flavor... I can understand the nostalgic feeling for the loss of Tiger Stadium... it's been discussed here dozens of times... but it's pointless to somehow enhance it as a wonderful work of architecture... when it never was...

And as for The Joe.... I've been to old Olympia... and that was a work of art compared to the windowless Pole Barn along the river that should somehow be revered because of a few extra flags hanging from it.

Mourn the loss of Tiger Stadium.... yes... but The Joe?? Nostalgia is fine... but I don't think that The Joe really qualifies.... There's a difference between "on the cheap" such as JLA, and a quality product, such as The Palace. [[P.S. I'd rather see a combined arena in Detroit that would wow us all.....)