As per an architectural rendering shown to the city officials, the upgraded stadium would feature a $15 million concourse in right field that would allow fans to circle the stadium, a $15 million extended grandstand in left field, two new clubhouses, and 500 to 600 new seats at a stadium that now seats 9,200.
The concourse in the new design will allow fans to see the game from anywhere in the stadium except behind the centre field scoreboard. The concession areas and restrooms will be more spread out, allowing additional space inside the stadium. The current metal grandstand overlooking left field will be removed and replaced with 3,800 shaded seats that would be an extension of the existing main grandstand. A reconstructed press box with 10 extra work stations and an additional radio booth is planned.
Joker Marchant Stadium will undergo a 360-degree expansion of its seating areas, preserving the 16-foot grass berm. Seats will be extended along base lines and will wrap around the outfield perimeter, all connected through a free-flowing walkway. Third-base bleachers will be demolished and replaced with lower-altitude seats facing the infield.
Tigertown’s adjacent facilities will be more dramatically changed. A new, segmented clubhouse accommodating big-league and minor-league players will be built. A vastly expanded weight room will serve 280 players. Training and rehabilitation facilities, including “soft-tissue” underwater therapy, will permit the Tigers to maintain a 12-month rehabilitation centre in Lakeland servicing the entire organisation.
At least one of the five practice fields at Tigertown will be converted from natural grass to synthetic turf. It will allow an outdoor training option during spring’s rainy season, as well as from November through January. Indoor batting cages now stationed beyond the right-field wall will be rebuilt at the four-field practice quadrant which will include a potential “Pepsi Porch”-style party area in right field. The left-field berm’s back side will be home to tiered seating and an expansive bar/restaurant facility.
An estimate of $20-$30 million was given previously for the upgrade with the concourse pushing the cost higher. As per new plans, the state is expected to pay $20 million toward the project. The city is currently engaged in negotiations with the county’s sports marketing program, with city officials hoping the county will contribute up to $15 million. The city and Tigers would each pay $2.5 million.
The Tigers have trained in Lakeland for 77 years. The city’s current contract with the team ends in 2016.
