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72-712: The complex mainly consists of Progressive Field , a 34,830-seat baseball park that serves as home of the Cleveland Guardians of Major League Baseball , and Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse , a 19,432-seat arena primarily the home of the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association . In addition, the complex includes a transitional space known as Gateway Plaza and the Gateway East parking garage. Gateway

144-472: A ballot initiative for the $ 150 million dome stadium went down in defeat by a 2-1 margin. In 1985, another dome called Hexatron, a six-sided structure with a retractable roof designed by local architect Robert Corna, was proposed but never left the drafting table. The proposed funding for Hexatron would be a sin tax on alcohol and cigarettes in Cuyahoga County , an idea floated by a young member of

216-429: A city council finance committee meeting and stated, "should the vote [on Issue 2] be a negative one, we may find ourselves confronting a subject we want to avoid." These factors helped drive a large turnout, as 49.6% of registered voters cast ballots. On May 8, 1990, Issue 2 passed by a slim 51% margin (198,390-185,209). A month later, Mayor White and Commissioner Hagan created Gateway Economic Development Corporation ,

288-666: A climbing wall, a mini field where children can practice sliding and fielding, a batting cage, as well as large windows where adults can watch the game from the Kids Clubhouse. On January 15, 2012, the park hosted its first ice hockey game, a match between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Michigan Wolverines , the first outdoor college hockey game in Ohio. Progressive Field is occasionally used as

360-409: A concert venue. It was first used for a concert on August 12, 1995 during its second season of use, when Jimmy Buffett played at the ballpark as part of his Domino College Tour. The panels set on the outfield grass to hold the stage, however, caused visible damage to the playing surface, leading Indians owner Richard Jacobs to ban concerts at the facility. Concerts returned to the ballpark in 2011 when

432-409: A corkscrew-shaped wind turbine from Cleveland State University above the southeast corner of the ballpark in late March 2012, the first major league team to do so. The corkscrew–shaped wind turbine was successful in generating more electricity than individual turbines and was originally scheduled to be tested for two years, but had to be removed in late March 2013 because of cracks that had developed in

504-505: A non-profit organization, and installed Chema as its executive director. Both venues were completed in 1994. Todd Greathouse is the current executive director of the Gateway Economic Development Corporation. 41°29′47″N 81°41′13″W  /  41.49639°N 81.68694°W  / 41.49639; -81.68694 Progressive Field Progressive Field is a baseball stadium in

576-491: A picnic area behind the center field fence into "Heritage Park", which features 27 plaques honoring the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame and 38 bricks, representing the team's most memorable moments. There is also a memorial plaque commemorating Ray Chapman which was originally installed at League Park . This area is shielded by plantings so it does not interfere with the batter's eye . The Indians installed

648-500: Is along the third base line and the visitors' dugout is located along the first base line. When the ballpark was built, it contained 121 luxury boxes . A remodel and renovation between the 2014 and 2015 seasons removed six of them for a new total of 115, the second most in Major League Baseball. The ballpark features several eateries from which spectators can watch the game. A glass-enclosed multilevel restaurant named

720-637: Is roughly bounded by East 9th Street to the east, Huron Road to the north, Ontario Street to the west, and Carnegie Avenue to the south, and forms the basis of the larger Gateway District of downtown Cleveland. The two facilities are connected to Tower City Center and the RTA Rapid Transit system via an underground walkway. Progressive Field was completed first, opening on April 4, 1994, as Jacobs Field. It cost approximately $ 175 million to build, of which $ 91 million, or 52%, came from Indians owner Richard Jacobs . The remaining $ 84 million, or 48%,

792-689: The 1997 MLB All-Star Game Fan Fest were held in Gateway Plaza. The complex was built with two parking garages, which can hold a combined 3,300 cars. On the north end of the complex is the Jack Parking Garage, previously the Gateway North garage. It is a rectangular-shaped structure, with its main entrance on Ontario Street and another two on High Street. Originally, a third floor enclosed walkway above Huron Road connected its southeast corner to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, but this

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864-673: The 1997 season , it became one of the few facilities in baseball history to host the MLB All-Star Game and games of the World Series in the same season. The stadium has hosted games of the World Series three times in 1995, 1997, and 2016. The Cleveland Guardians, known then as the Cleveland Indians, previously played home games at Cleveland Stadium , which they shared with the Cleveland Browns of

936-498: The National Basketball Association , and two parking garages. Construction started in January 1992, and by May of that year, the concrete construction had been poured. In June 1992, Mel Harder , who pitched the opening game at Cleveland Stadium in 1932, and contemporary stars Charles Nagy and Sandy Alomar Jr. , executed the ceremonial first pitch at the site of the new ballpark before construction began. The installation of seating

1008-505: The National Football League . The Indians first played at the stadium, which seated around 78,000 people for baseball, for the 1932 and 1933 seasons, but returned to smaller League Park for most games in 1934. From 1937 to 1946, they played weekend and holiday games at Cleveland Stadium, and eventually night games and other dates where larger crowds were expected, moving to the stadium full-time in 1947. Cleveland Stadium

1080-579: The Ohio House of Representatives named Jeff Jacobs , the son of the future Indians owner Richard Jacobs. Still, Cleveland Mayor George Voinovich and Governor Celeste pushed forward to create the Greater Cleveland Dome Stadium Corporation, borrowing $ 22 million from banks and the state of Ohio. Cleveland Tomorrow, a group of top executives from Cleveland's biggest firms, launched a development fund to further

1152-661: The Pittsburgh Pirates . The first official game was held April 4. U.S. President Bill Clinton threw out the ceremonial first pitch, and the Indians defeated the Seattle Mariners 4–3 in 11 innings in front of a crowd of 41,459 people. The ballpark was the first new major sporting facility to open in Cleveland since Cleveland Arena opened in 1937. During that inaugural and strike-shortened 1994 season ,

1224-657: The Seattle Mariners and Games 3, 4, and 5 of the 1995 World Series against the Atlanta Braves . Two years later, Jacobs Field hosted its first All-Star Game and the first All Star Game in Cleveland since 1981. Later that year, the Indians hosted Games 3, 4, and 5 of the 1997 World Series against the Florida Marlins . It was the tenth time in Major League history the All-Star Game and games of

1296-482: The downtown area of Cleveland, Ohio , United States. It is the ballpark of the Cleveland Guardians of Major League Baseball and, together with Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse , is part of the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex . It was ranked as MLB's best ballpark in a 2008 Sports Illustrated fan opinion poll. The ballpark opened as Jacobs Field in 1994 to replace Cleveland Stadium , which

1368-536: The "Frozen Mile" was installed around the warning track, the "Batterhorn" was a snow tubing hill on the bleachers and other events were staged around the field and home run porch. "Snow Days" returned on November 25, 2011, and closed on January 16, 2012. The Batterhorn was moved to the Toyota Home Run porch and the Frozen Mile was rerouted. The park also added the "Frozen Diamond", an ice rink covering

1440-520: The "Terrace Club" is located along the left field foul line on the suite level. Spectators need a valid game ticket and a pass to enter into the Terrace Club. On non-game days it is used for private and corporate events, such as business meetings, parties and weddings. A new children's play area named "Kids Clubhouse", located on the mezzanine level, opened in May 2012. It includes arts and crafts areas,

1512-661: The 1983 professional boxing match between Michael Dokes and Gerrie Coetzee ; and the 1985 MISL All Star Game. It was also the site of the March 24, 1975 boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Chuck Wepner , which in part inspired the movie Rocky . The Coliseum was a regular concert venue, with its first event being a concert by Frank Sinatra . The first rock concert at the Richfield Coliseum, in October 1974, featured Stevie Wonder in October 1974. The last concert

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1584-596: The Coliseum's construction, believing that its location in northern Summit County south of Cleveland near the confluence of the Ohio Turnpike and Interstates 77 and 271 was ideally suited given the growth of urban sprawl . The Coliseum was built in Richfield to draw fans from both of Northeast Ohio 's major cities, as nearly five million Ohioans lived within less than an hour's drive (in good weather) from

1656-584: The Coliseum. While the arena's location hindered attendance somewhat, the Cavaliers' average attendance was over 18,000 per game each of the last two seasons at the Coliseum. In a 2012 interview with ESPN 's Bill Simmons , basketball great Larry Bird said that it was his favorite arena to play in. The Coliseum was the site of Bird's final game in the NBA. The Force also drew well at Richfield: 20,174 attended when Cleveland took on Minnesota on April 6, 1986, still

1728-570: The Guardians, then known as the Cleveland Indians, had shared with the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League . Since 2008, the facility has been named for Progressive Corporation , which purchased naming rights for $ 58 million over 16 years. The previous name came from team owners Richard and David Jacobs , who had acquired naming rights when the facility opened. The ballpark is still often referred to as "The Jake" based on its original name. The ballpark and arena are funded mainly by

1800-735: The Indians finished 35–16 at home, which included an 18-game home winning streak. The ballpark hosted playoff games for the first time in 1995 as the Indians ended a 41-year playoff drought. The first playoff game was on October 3, a 5–4 win in 11 innings over the Boston Red Sox in Game 1 of the American League Division Series . Jacobs Field also played host to Games 3, 4, and 5 of the American League Championship Series against

1872-595: The Indians hosted the Indians Music Festival, which featured Brad Paisley and Blake Shelton . Three years later, in 2014, Jason Aldean played at Progressive Field as part of his Burn It Down Tour , a performance that drew 40,516 fans and included Florida Georgia Line , Miranda Lambert , and Tyler Farr . In 2017, the ballpark hosted two concerts on consecutive nights, with Billy Joel performing on July 14 as part of Billy Joel in Concert , followed

1944-558: The World Series were played in the same facility in the same season, and the first time since 1977. The longest home run in ballpark history was hit by Jim Thome on July 3, 1999, measured at 511 feet (156 m) to center field. During the eighth inning of Game 2 of the 2007 American League Division Series against the New York Yankees on October 5, a swarm of insects believed to be midges from Lake Erie , enveloped

2016-504: The arena footprint and surrounding parking areas were allowed to be returned to woodland as part of the Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area, now Cuyahoga Valley National Park . Two years later it was noted that the site appeared to have no trace of the former building, although a widened section of Route 303 , as well as the remains of the parking lot entrance, reveal its location. The site

2088-414: The ballpark above Larry Doby Way. Originally there was an additional walkway over Larry Doby Way to the ballpark, but it was removed in 2014 during renovations to Progressive Field. The Gateway East Garage main entrance is on Huron Road, with a season-ticket holders entrance at East 6th and Bolivar and another at East 7th and Bolivar. It is managed by Standard Parking. The Gateway complex had its genesis in

2160-549: The ballpark's annual repairs, funded by taxpayers, have been more than $ 18 million per year. The ballpark was designed by Populous , which was then a division of Hellmuth, Obata and Kassabaum (HOK) known as HOK Sport. HOK designed it as the second retro-style and first retro-modern ballpark , with asymmetrical fences of varying heights, a smaller upper deck, and stepped tiers. It is similar to HOK's Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, which opened two years earlier and

2232-526: The capacity, peaking at 45,569 in 2010. As of 2022, the official seating capacity is listed at 34,830 people, making it the smallest MLB stadium by total maximum capacity, though additional fans can be accommodated through standing room areas and temporary seating. Since moving to Progressive Field, the Indians/Guardians have won 12 Central Division titles, three American League pennants and have hosted playoff games in 13 different seasons. In

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2304-400: The casino. The garage is still available for events at Gateway, though is managed by the casino. In between Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse and Progressive Field is the Gateway East garage, an L-shaped structure with two elevated walkways. A third floor enclosed walkway above East 6th Street connects on its western side to the arena, while an open walkway on the south side of the garage connects to

2376-418: The cavernous environment. As a result, the Indians began pressing for a new stadium. Plans for a new stadium first began in 1984 when Cuyahoga County voters defeated a property tax for building a 100% publicly funded domed stadium, which would have been shared by the Indians and Browns. Later that year, committee leaders met to re-evaluate these plans, and a location was later agreed upon. The eventual site of

2448-472: The complex by asking county voters for a 15-year sin tax, styled after the Hexatron plan. The tax, which amounted to 1.9 cents on a can of beer, 1.5 cents per ounce of liquor, and 4.5 cents on a pack of cigarettes, would be a way get suburban county voters to pay for the project. But it required a countywide vote, which added it to the May primary election ballot as "Issue 2" in the hopes that it would pass with

2520-419: The cost falling on taxpayers. Renovations began after the 2023 Major League Baseball season , and are expected to take until after the 2025 season to complete. Progressive Field set a new MLB record between June 12, 1995 and April 4, 2001, in selling out 455 straight games. Demand for tickets was so great that all 81 home games were sold out before opening day in five separate seasons. The Indians retired

2592-481: The current lease on the ballpark was extended. The Guardians extended their lease agreement with the Gateway Economic Development Corporation in August 2008 from 2013 to 2023. The agreement gives the team four five-year renewal options after 2023. As part of the renovations announced in early 2022, the Guardians signed a new lease agreement extending their tenancy to 2036 with an optional 10-year extension. As of 2023,

2664-409: The dome stadium group. The team was a partnership of Cleveland Tomorrow, led by lawyer Tom Chema , and a group of elected officials. The group included newly elected Mayor Michael R. White , newly elevated Cleveland City Council President Jay Westbrook , along with Cuyahoga County Commissioners Tim Hagan , Virgil Brown, Mary Boyle , and Jim Petro . The group hastily coordinated a plan to finance

2736-648: The early 1980s. The city of Cleveland had longed to bring the Cavaliers back to Cleveland since the team left for the Richfield Coliseum in 1974. Moreover, the Browns and Indians were housed in Cleveland Stadium , which was costing the city money in a time when it could ill-afford it. A major-league caliber sporting facility hadn't been built in Cleveland itself since the now-demolished Cleveland Arena opened in 1937. A multipurpose dome would be

2808-426: The following day with an even smaller attendance figure of 8,726. Naming rights were acquired in 1994 by team owner Richard Jacobs , who paid for rights until the end of 2006. The Jacobs Field name gave rise to the nickname "The Jake" for the ballpark. The Indians announced on January 11, 2008, that naming rights to the park had been purchased by Progressive Corporation , a major insurance company headquartered in

2880-414: The infield. The second "season" of Snow Days would be the last, due to low attendance that was at least partially attributed to Cleveland's warmest winter on record, with temperatures of 60 °F (16 °C) on "Snopening Day". All firsts were by the then-Cleveland Indians unless otherwise stated Richfield Coliseum Richfield Coliseum , also known as the Coliseum at Richfield ,

2952-623: The largest regular-season crowd (and the third-largest overall) ever to see an indoor soccer match in the US. The World Wrestling Federation also promoted several notable pay-per-view shows at the arena, including Saturday Night's Main Event VII (taped September 13, 1986); Survivor Series (1987) ; Survivor Series (1988) ; and Survivor Series (1992) Though a large arena at the time of construction, it had only one concourse for both levels, which made for very cramped conditions when attendance

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3024-476: The nearby suburb of Mayfield , for $ 58 million over 16 years through 2024. Removal of the iconic Jacobs Field sign on the front of the building began the morning of January 18, and the replacement sign was installed on March 25. Progressive agreed to pay $ 57.6 million for the naming rights for 16 years. Naming rights for Progressive were extended on April 3, 2024 for an additional 12 years until at least 2036, with an option to extend by 5 years to 2041 if

3096-566: The new home to the Browns and Indians, and would attract the Cavaliers back to Cleveland, according to the original proposal by County Commissioner Vincent Campanella. The concept was modeled after the Pontiac Silverdome , then home to the Detroit Lions . Browns owner Art Modell backed the domed stadium idea, as did Ohio Governor Dick Celeste , however, he did not like funding the project with property taxes. On May 8, 1984,

3168-493: The next night by Luke Bryan and his Huntin', Fishin' and Lovin' Every Day Tour . On July 30, 2022, Elton John performed before a sold-out crowd at Progressive Field as part of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour. An event called "Snow Days" debuted at Progressive Field in November 2010. The first day, called "Snopening Day", was held on November 26 and the event continued until January 2, 2011. An ice skating track called

3240-463: The normally light turnout. There was heavy advertising both for and against Issue 2. There was also a Major League Baseball lockout in February 1990 over player salaries. It directly threatened weaker teams, such as the Indians, that did not have the cushion of additional revenues from luxury boxes and other stadium amenities. Just days before the vote, baseball commissioner Fay Vincent attended

3312-425: The number 455 in honor of the sellout record. The Boston Red Sox later surpassed this record when Fenway Park recorded 456 straight sellouts on September 9, 2008. The record for the largest attendance at Progressive Field was set in Game 3 of the 1997 ALDS when 45,274 people attended the game. On Saturday, April 2, 2011, the Indians' lowest attendance record was broken with a very small crowd of 9,853, and again

3384-434: The off-season. The team announced the first phase of renovation plans for the ballpark, by then known as Progressive Field, in late 2014, which were completed prior to the start of the 2015 season . The area on either side of the right field gate, previously known as "Gate C", was reconfigured, with a pedestrian bridge and concession buildings removed to open the views of the surrounding neighborhood. The statue of Jim Thome

3456-428: The park except for center field which has one short row of seating in front of the bullpens, and left field which uses bleachers. The bullpens, reconfigured between the 2014 and 2015 seasons, are raised above the playing field, which allows fans to see pitchers warming up. Both bullpens are located adjacent to section 103 behind right-center field, with the Guardians' bullpen closer to the field. The Guardians' dugout

3528-436: The passage of a sin tax in 1990 and both are owned by the Gateway Economic Development Corporation of Greater Cleveland, which is an appointed board of elected officials from the city of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County. When it opened, the listed seating capacity was 42,865 people and between 1995 and 2001 the team sold out 455 consecutive regular-season games. Modifications over the years resulted in several moderate changes to

3600-553: The playing field and are said to resemble oversized toothbrushes. The distinctive light towers were incorporated into a version of the original Jacobs Field logo and the 1997 MLB All-Star Game logo. The park features distinctive dimensions; left and right field are both 325 feet (99 m) from homeplate, but left field has a 19-foot (6 m) high wall, known as the "Little Green Monster ". The center and right field walls are 9 feet (3 m) high. The park features traditional hunter green seats angled at 8-12° on three tiers around

3672-447: The playing field, severely distracting Yankees relief pitcher Joba Chamberlain , which caused him to walk outfielder Grady Sizemore , who later scored the tying run on a wild pitch. The incident became known as the " Bug Game "; however, this was not the first time the insects plagued Jacobs Field. In 2007, the Indians became the first American League team to install solar panels on their stadium. They also spent $ 1.1 million to convert

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3744-469: The project, and acquisition of property began in December 1985. By 1989, the site of the former Central Market, a fruit and vegetable market that dated back to 1856, and other adjacent buildings were razed and made into parking lots. However, there were funding gaps and big disagreements as to who would pay to build the project, along with a change in leadership. In 1990, new leadership took the baton from

3816-482: The right field concourse, the mezzanine deck was reduced by several rows to open the area. The Kid's Clubhouse was made two stories, and adults are now able to view the game from the clubhouse. Seating in the upper deck behind right field and down the first base line was removed and replaced with terraces, available for use by large groups. Additional changes included installation of new concession areas and options, many of which are from Cleveland-area eateries. Prior to

3888-413: The smoke stacks of Cleveland's industrial zone. The ballpark has numerous unique structural features. The field is situated on 12-acre (4.9 ha) of Kentucky Bluegrass . It is illuminated by 19 white vertical light towers; three behind the scoreboard, six behind first base, six behind third base and four in right field, which stand 200 feet (61 m) above street level and 218 feet (66 m) above

3960-491: The stadium, the location of the Central Market, was acquired in December 1985. In April 1986, designs for the new stadium were agreed upon and about a year later, demolition at the site started. Cuyahoga County voters approved a 15-year sin tax on alcohol and cigarette sales in May 1990 to finance the new Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex , which included the ballpark, an arena for the Cleveland Cavaliers of

4032-444: The start of the 2016 season , the next phase of renovations was completed, which included the addition of a new club area behind home plate for season ticket holders, the installation of a new scoreboard system and additional scoreboards, new standing room areas in the left field area, and additional concession areas, again using local-based eateries. The ballpark became the 11th MLB facility to have LED field lights installed, which

4104-840: The years it had additional tenants such as the Cleveland Barons of the National Hockey League , Cleveland Force of Major Indoor Soccer League , Cleveland Crunch of Major Indoor Soccer League , the Cleveland Lumberjacks of the International Hockey League , and the Cleveland Thunderbolts of the Arena Football League . It hosted the 1981 NBA All-Star Game ; The Buckeye Homecoming ,

4176-435: Was a rural, two-lane highway outside of Richfield. The rural location made the Coliseum inaccessible to anyone without an automobile, and as the only true access to the arena was directly at the interchange, traffic became an issue with every Coliseum event, especially when attendance was anywhere near capacity. Lake-effect snow from Lake Erie provided another obstacle to drivers during the winter months. The Coliseum's fate

4248-617: Was an indoor arena located in Richfield Township , between Cleveland and Akron, Ohio . It opened in 1974 as a replacement for the Cleveland Arena , and had a seating capacity of 20,273 for basketball. It was the main arena for the Northeast Ohio region until 1994, when it was replaced by Gund Arena (now Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse) in downtown Cleveland . The Coliseum stood vacant for five years before it

4320-403: Was anywhere close to capacity. The Coliseum's real drawback was that the revenue-producing luxury suites were at the uppermost level and, as such, were the worst seats in the house. This situation was rectified at Gund Arena, where the suites were much closer to the playing area. Also hurting attendance was the arena's location at the interchange of Interstate 271 and Ohio State Route 303 , which

4392-695: Was built for approximately $ 152 million and opened on October 17, 1994. Gateway Plaza is multifunctional open space situated between Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse to the north, Ontario Street to the west, Gateway East parking garage to the west, and Progressive Field to the south. However, it is technically bordered by Bolivar Road, Ontario Street, East 6th Street, and Larry Doby Way. It is primarily concrete roadway, but it does features decorative industrial art pieces and limited green space. On game days, it frequently hosts on-location radio and television broadcasts, along with satellite trucks for TV broadcast uplinks , as well as other game-related events. Some events for

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4464-401: Was by Roger Daltrey , in 1994; that was also the last official event at the arena. The arena, which opened in 1974, replaced the Cleveland Arena , which had 12,500+ boxing capacity, 10,000+ otherwise. The new arena seated 20,273 for basketball and 18,544 for hockey, and was one of the first indoor arenas to contain luxury boxes . Cavaliers founder Nick Mileti was the driving force behind

4536-401: Was completed in October 1993. The ballpark, which was referred to as "Cleveland Indians Baseball Park" and "Indians Park" on blueprints, cost approximately $ 175 million to build, of which $ 91 million was provided by Indians owner Richard Jacobs. The remaining $ 84 million was raised by the sin tax. An open house was held April 1, 1994, and the following day, an exhibition game was held against

4608-455: Was designed by Ellerbe Becket Sports & Venue and Robert P. Madison International Inc., a local architectural firm. Similar to the ballpark's downtown views, the arena has a 108-foot (33 m) by 48-foot (15 m) bay window that faces southeast and shows off the city's industrial Flats . The construction and engineering were completed by an integrated team from Ellerbe Becket. The underground service area can accommodate 26 tour buses. It

4680-462: Was done prior to the start of the 2017 season. Wi-Fi was also installed throughout the ballpark prior to the start of the 2017 season. As a result of these renovations, Progressive Field was awarded the 2019 Major League Baseball All-Star Game , marking the second time the All-Star game was played at this venue. In 2022, an agreement was made to renovate the stadium for $ 200 million, with most of

4752-671: Was from a 15-year sin tax . It was designed by HOK Sport (now known as Populous ), a division of Hellmuth, Obata and Kassabaum . HOK designed it as a retro-modern ballpark , similar to their just-completed Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, with asymmetrical fences of varying heights, a smaller upper deck, and stepped tiers. The ballpark was situated in a way that would showcase Cleveland's downtown skyline. Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse , originally named Gund Arena and later known as Quicken Loans Arena, has dimensions of 480 feet (150 m) long by 440 feet (130 m) wide by 140 feet (43 m) high (750,000 square feet (70,000 m)). It

4824-492: Was moved to the area, while the statue of Bob Feller was moved to a new location in the area, and a new statue of Larry Doby was added. A two-story bar named "The Corner" was built, providing better views of the field as the Batter's Eye Bar was often overcrowded. The bullpens, which had previously been separate, were relocated to the right center field area, allowing fans closer views of players warming up. To allow more light in

4896-628: Was purchased and demolished in 1999 by the National Park Service . The site of the building was converted to a meadow and is now part of Cuyahoga Valley National Park . The arena was primarily the home to the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA), developed by Cavaliers owner Nick Mileti , who also owned the Cleveland Crusaders of the World Hockey Association . Over

4968-416: Was removed in 2018 as part of a major renovation project on the arena. A second enclosed walkway was built in 2013 on the northwest corner of the garage that connects to Jack Cleveland Casino . The city of Cleveland built a downtown bike station in this garage in 2011. That same year, the facility was sold to Rock Caesar's Ohio and renovated to include a valet service and to serve as the main parking area for

5040-430: Was sealed in 1990, when voters in Cuyahoga County approved a new sin tax to fund the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex , which included Gund Arena. The Cavaliers moved to Gund Arena at the beginning of the 1994–95 season. In 1997, the hardwood floor was sold to Grace Christian School of Staunton, Virginia . After being vacant for five years, the arena was torn down in 1999, between March 30 and May 21, and

5112-434: Was the first retro-style ballpark. The ballpark was sited to give a favorable view of Cleveland's downtown skyline. The structural engineering was done by a Cleveland company, Osborn Engineering , which helped design League Park , Cleveland Municipal Stadium , "Old" Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park . It was designed to blend in with the city of Cleveland with its exposed steel design and the vertical light towers that match

5184-568: Was the largest stadium in the American League during its tenure as a baseball facility and was the largest stadium in Major League Baseball for all but a few seasons. It had been a symbol of the Indians' glory years of the 1940s and 1950s, attracting some of the largest crowds in baseball history. However, during the team's lean years from the 1960s through the early 1990s, even crowds of 40,000 people were swallowed up in

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