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Unrealized Stadiums


raysox

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This is where this should go, yes?

 

Got a team that says their stadium is bad and they just cant get over the hump of taxpayers payin for a new one? Post it here! There is a really cool website on stadium digest that has concept baseball stadiums, on varying degrees on how close they got to reality. http://www.stadiumpage.com/concepts/

 

Just to start, around the turn of the millennium, the Red Sox wanted to build a stadium to replace Fenway. That's part of the reason they hosted the 1999 All Star Game.

 

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One idea that the Reds had before Great American Ballpark was to simply renovate Riverfront Stadium. This would have involved adding a brick exterior, chopping out a large section of the outfield (larger than what was chopped out for GABP's construction), and rotating the field.

 

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I love threads like this.  Here are a few.

 

The Brooklyn Dome --

 

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What could have been in Baltimore . . . 

 

Memorial Stadium remodeled --

 

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Multi-purpose but not a donut (and a little like Citizens Bank Park to me with the octagon shape) --

 

bal-oriole-park-at-camden-yards-renderin

 

A little closer to the final product, but still very New Comiskeyesque --

 

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That kind of reminds me of the intended home of the Lehigh Valley Black Diamonds in Easton, PA.  This is as far as the construction went . . . and it has since been torn down.

 

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Back in 1998, at the peak of Steinbrenner's demands for a new stadium on the west side (over Hudson Yards), Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer released this renovation proposal for the old Yankee Stadium:

 

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An NY Times article from September 1998 has more information.

 

Obviously, the Yankees never considered the plan for a second, being dead-set on a new stadium (preferably on the west side). The renovation plan was largely forgotten about by late 2001, when Giuliani struck a deal for a new stadium in the Bronx (which accomplished Ferrer's overarching goal of keeping the team in the Bronx).

 

While the enclosed second deck is downright hideous (though I bet that design would've been quickly changed), the ballpark overall looks better than either the renovated Yankee Stadium or the new Yankee Stadium. Faithful to the original, while providing enough modern amenities to make the ballpark financially viable. This would've been the forerunner to the eventual Fenway and Wrigley renovations, had it occurred.

 

Another thing that wound up never coming to fruition was the proposed "Yankee Village" around the Stadium. The Metro-North station and new parking garage became a reality, but the renovated subway station, shops and restaurants, improved highway infrastructure, water taxis, and waterfront park did not. The city did wind up building a new shopping complex at the Bronx Terminal Market, but it's completely isolated from both the Stadium and the neighborhood. A shame that so little attention was paid to the neighborhood when the new stadium was built.

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Another proposed ballpark renovation plan that never came to fruition, though this one was more detailed and well-known. The Cochrane Plan for renovating Tiger Stadium, which would've included expanded concourses, luxury suites atop the roof, ADA-compliant ramps, and some potential column removals:

 

http://sabr-detroit.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/CochranePlanDrawings.pdf

 

While I really liked Comerica Park when visiting, I do wish this one came true as well. I would have loved to have seen Tiger Stadium in person, and for the history and legacy of that ballpark to be preserved.

 

You can probably tell, I'm a bit of a preservationist when it comes to old ballparks and stadiums (at least ones with history and character). I've been to 25 major league ballparks, and absolutely loved the experience of both Fenway and Wrigley (as well as the old Yankee Stadium) - I wish more of those gems could have been preserved and restored.

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2 hours ago, the admiral said:

The spooky unfinished Arco Arena ballpark is my favorite:

 

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"We think that this structure comes from the late 1900s, early 2000s, but we're not sure. We know there was an activity that was played all across this region called baseball, and most seating arrangements were set up like this, but were we're not sure about the rules of the game. We think there were mounds and plates involved, and obviously a ball, but not much makes sense. I guess us humans in 4976 will never know... " 

 

"And those who know Your Name put their trust in You, for You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You." Psalms 9:10

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3 hours ago, the admiral said:

The spooky unfinished Arco Arena ballpark is my favorite:

 

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Wasn't also the plan was to have the Raiders move there such a shame that never happened 

http://i.imgur.com/4gh4ZhB.png http://i.imgur.com/DmN6VqA.png

http://boards.sportslogos.net/topic/103365-star-based-championship-signatures-by-request/

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There's been a few ballpark concepts for the Meadowlands, or nearby, over time:

 

An incredibly grainy concept that resembles Kauffman Stadium from 1971 (or so) when the Meadowlands Sports Complex was first proposed. Also note what appears to be a roof on the football stadium (obviously that never made it into the final Giants Stadium design). Presumably the idea of baseball stadium died a fast death when New Jersey wasn't able to get the Yankees, or another team from outside the Tri-State Area, to relocate (Mets wouldn't have been a candidate given that Shea was still new):

 

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Then in 1989, another Meadowlands proposal was bandied about as a Yankee Stadium replacement:

 

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(Obviously renderings of two different designs - I have an intuition that the top design may have been a bit later, perhaps in the mid-90s or so.)

 

On top of those, there were supposedly discussions in 1986 about the Yankees building a ballpark in Lyndhurst, spearheaded by Devils owner (and Yankees minority investor) John McMullen: http://archive.northjersey.com/story-archives/source-george-steinbrenner-almost-moved-yankees-to-lyndhurst-in-80s-1.1244613

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6 minutes ago, Dalcowboyfan92 said:

Concept for a 1970s Pontiac twosome with the Lions and Tigers, with a (rather ridiculous) "floating roof" that would go over either stadium when it was in use.

 

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Kansas City proposed the same thing. I think it's awesome! Stops games from being delayed while providing a 100% outdoor environment when it's nice. 

 

I think it's brilliant. 

"The views expressed here are mine and do not reflect the official opinion of my employer or the organization through which the Internet was accessed."

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6 minutes ago, BringBackTheVet said:

 

Kansas City proposed the same thing. I think it's awesome! Stops games from being delayed while providing a 100% outdoor environment when it's nice. 

 

I think it's brilliant. 

 

I'll agree with you on that; I think this kind of idea was way too ahead of its time, IMO.

 

I also like these concepts for a place called the "Trillium Dome"; which would've been the home for the Blue Jays (had the SkyDome not happened). The logo emblazoned on the dome reminds me of a logo of a race of individuals we'd have seen from Star Trek.

 

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