When the lights shone on the $13.5 million renovation to
Cooley Law School Stadium on opening day, spectators saw there was more on deck than simply baseball.
With an updated concourse, picnic and play areas, and new top-of-the-line food venues, take-me-out-to-the-ballgame has grown to be more than a sporting experience restricted to the stands. And come mid-season, a special events venue will be available at the home of the
Lansing Lugnuts for organizers of everything from corporate meetings to wedding receptions.
"We're very excited to present all these options for people who live here," says Linda Frederickson, assistant general manager of marketing and special events for the Lugnuts. "The stadium is a great place."
Among the newest concourse options energizing America's favorite pastime are the expanded Tailgate Terrace picnic area in right field. Groups, too, can enjoy an all-you-can-eat buffet for $30 through the new Pepsi Porch. Originally the Bullpen Bar and Grill near the third-base line, the venue was expanded from 40 to 150 seats. Any open seats not taken by a group will go on sale to individuals one week before the game.
Then, come June, the stadium will unveil
The View—a spacious alternative to typical meeting and event spaces. Overlooking centerfield, The View features luxurious indoor seating for 150 guests, with additional room provided on an outdoor patio.
The View will be open year-round for meetings and special events, and available for private groups on game days. Meeting planning packages are available, with food options that include catering and the standard menu. The gourmet burger bistro Good Hops also relocated from the main concourse to offer patrons at The View additional choices.
Room set up, conferencing systems and other meeting amenities are available based on customer needs. And while a unique setting for corporate meetings, The View can also be set up for birthday parties, anniversaries and family-related events.
"It's one of the most distinctive meeting space in the region," says Frederickson. "It provides a beautiful view for any kind of event—hence the name."
While renovation is nearly complete for the main stadium, construction recently began on The Outfield, one of the country's first upscale residential units at a professional minor league ball field. The new development by the
Gillespie Group will rise above right center field, and will feature more than 80 residential units. The public-private development is slated for completion in spring 2016.
Sources: Linda Frederickson, Assistant General Manager of Marketing and Special Events, Lansing Lugnuts
Writer: Ann Kammerer, News Editor
Got a story idea for Innovation News? Email Ann Kammerer here.
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