How does Progressive Field compare to recent Major League Baseball stadiums and renovations?

CLEVELAND, Ohio — As the Cleveland Indians announce a plan to for the city, Cuyahoga County and state help pay for improvements at Progressive Field, the age-old debate of publicly financing sports stadiums arises.

Should residents have to help fund extravagant and expensive stadiums? Or should they be privately funded through the team and other funds? Progressive Field, which opened in 1994 as Jacobs Field, could receive $285 million in public money through a new public-private deal to renovate the ballpark.

The deal would extend the team’s lease in Cleveland for 15 years.

This isn’t the first renovation project for Progressive Field, which the Indians lease from the nonprofit Gateway Economic Development group governed by a publicly appointed board of directors.

In 2014, the Indians traded roughly 7,000 little-used seats and some empty suites for new gathering areas at Progressive Field, and added five neighborhood-themed areas. The Indians paid for the improvements with help from Delaware North Cos., which handles concessions at the facility.

Last year, Cuyahoga County paid the Indians $3.5 million for work already done at the stadium, including suite renovations, new elevators, a building system that regulates lights and heating and an expansion of the players’ parking lot. The money comes from a sports facility reserve fund that was created in 2017 as part of the deal to overhaul Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, home of the Cavaliers.

More than half of Major League Ballparks were built since the year 2000. An all-new stadium would be prohibitively expensive, Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish said in Thursday’s news conference.

Cleveland.com and the Plain Dealer looked at other MLB stadium renovation deals. Here’s what we found.

Arizona Diamondbacks

• Stadium: Chase Field
• Originally opened: 1998
• Recent renovation: 2019. But the Arizona state legislature approved in May a funding mechanism that would underwrite 80% of the cost for upgrades. The upgrades are expected to cost $400 million to $500 million. With the legislation, the team could place up to a 9% tax on anything sold at the stadium, including tickets, merchandise and concessions, to underwrite and pay off a publicly backed revenue bond issue for the upgrades. The Diamondbacks would then have to cover 20% of the funds, and if the total is $500 million, that would mean they’re responsible for $100 million
• Cost: $3.17 million on five separate projects
• Public Portion: Maricopa County and the Diamondbacks reached a settlement in 2018 where the team got control of the stadium, along with the ability to look at other stadium options. But the settlement ruled the team must cover repair and renovation costs.
• Renovation details: Most of the money was spent on installing synthetic grass. The new grass alone cost about $2.69 million.

Atlanta Braves

• Stadium: Truist Park
• Originally opened: 2017
• Recent renovation: April 2020
• Cost: Original construction for the ballpark cost about $622 million. The entire project, including The Battery Atlanta entertainment district, was estimated at about $1.1 billion.
• Public portion: $400 million for the construction of the stadium. A lot of the money came from bonds and transportation taxes, according to USA TODAY. The contribution came from Cobb County, through approval of a five-person county commission instead of a public referendum.
• Renovation details: The Braves replaced the stadium’s grass with new sod in 2020. The stadium also placed a new Truist Park sign on top of the scoreboard/video board beyond center field.

Baltimore Orioles

• Stadium: Oriole Park
• Originally opened: 1992
• Recent renovation: 2011
• Cost: About $1.5 million in upgrades were made to the $110 million stadium, according to The Baltimore Sun.
• Renovation details: A new concessionaire was added, along with wider seats in various areas and more casual seating options.

Boston Red Sox

• Stadium: Fenway Park
• Originally opened: 1912
• Recent renovation: 2018
• Renovation details: The Red Sox brought expanded netting, new food items, along with a field-level group seating area that gives fans a view similar to the players, according to NBC Boston. A new row of seats in left field was also added.

Chicago Cubs

• Stadium: Wrigley Field
• Originally opened: 1914
• Recent renovation: Five-year project called the 1060 project that went from 2014 to 2019.
• Cost: More than $500 million
• Renovation details: Renovations included structural upgrades, improved player facilities, fan amenities, outfield signage, two outfield video boards, premier clubs, upper-level outdoor concourse, expanded concessions, improved restroom facilities, enhanced connectivity and Wi-Fi and more.

Chicago White Sox

• Stadium: Guaranteed Rate Field
• Originally opened: 1991
• Recent renovation: 2016
• Renovation details: Renovations included three new HD video boards, with the auxiliary boards in left and right field and the main center video board.

Cincinnati Reds

• Stadium: Great American Ball Park
• Originally opened: 2003
• Recent renovation: 2019
• Renovation details: Ahead of the 2020 season, the Reds created a new premium seating space called the Press Club, according to Ballpark Digest. The club was slated to have a view of the field, as well as food and drink amenities.

Colorado Rockies

• Stadium: Coors Field
• Originally opened: 1995
• Recent renovation: 2019
• Renovation details: Improvements included a new fan interactive area, new LED field lights, club level renovations and upgrades to the team’s clubhouse.

Detroit Tigers

• Stadium: Comerica Park
• Originally opened: 2000
• Recent renovation: Chris Ilitch, Tigers president and CEO, said in 2018 that some “next-level” renovations may be coming to the ball park. Ilitch didn’t say when the renovations would come or where the financing would come from. A large scoreboard was added in 2012.

Houston Astros

• Stadium: Minute Maid Park
• Originally opened: 2000
• Recent renovation: Upgrades started in 2019, finished ahead of 2021 season.
• Cost: $25 million
• Renovation details: Renovations were made on the Ultra Club on the right field upper deck, according to MLB.com. There’s a staircase down to the mezzanine, which fans can stand on during games.

Kansas City Royals

• Stadium: Kauffman Stadium
• Originally opened: 1973
• Recent renovation: 2020
• Renovation details: The Royals upgraded their videoboard to HDR ahead of the 2021 season, along with improving the outfield fence display, according to KMBC. The franchise also added a new board in left field that would cover the wall of the Hall of Fame.

Los Angeles Angels

• Stadium: Angel Stadium
• Originally opened: 1966
• Recent renovation: Anaheim City Council sold Angel Stadium and about 150 acres around the site in 2020 to a new company led by team owner Arte Moreno, according to Voice of OC. The deal, priced at $320 million, was criticized for being discussed in private, according to Forbes.

Los Angeles Dodgers

• Stadium: Dodger Stadium
• Originally opened: 1962
• Recent renovation: 2021
• Cost: $100 million
• Renovation details: Upgrades to the ball park included elevators, escalators and bridges that connect the entire stadium, according to KABC. Other upgrades included a two-and-a-half acre centerfield plaza. New concessions are part of the improvements as well, along with home run seats, which greatly increase your chances of going home with a ball.

Miami Marlins

• Stadium: LoanDepot Park
• Originally opened: 2012
• Cost: $634 million
• Public portion: Taxpayers covered 80%, according to the Associated Press.

Milwaukee Brewers

• Stadium: American Family Field
• Originally opened: 2001
• Recent renovation: 2021
• Renovation details: The stadium has a new LED light system. Fans also have the opportunity to experience Miller Lite Landing, which has a bar, standing room and seats.

Minnesota Twins

• Stadium: Target Field
• Originally opened: 2010
• Recent renovation: 2018
• Renovation details: The Twins created Bat & Barrel in right field, which replaced the Metropolitan Club. Bat & Barrel is a gathering space where fans can see the game from community tables behind large glass windows down the right field line, according to MLB.com. Along with Bat & Barrel, the team expanded concourse at the entrance close to the right field foul pole.

New York Mets

• Stadium: Citi Field
• Originally opened: 2009
• Recent renovation: Steve Cohen, owner of the Mets, asked fans on Twitter in January about what changes they’d make to the stadium.
• Original cost: $830.6 million
• Public portion: $614.3 million in public money and tax breaks, according to the New York Times

New York Yankees

• Stadium: Yankee Stadium
• Originally opened: 2009
• Recent renovation: 2017
• Original cost: $2.3 billion
• Public portion: $1.186 billion came in the form of public money and tax breaks, according to the New York Times.
• Renovation details: Renovations to the stadium included adding social gathering spots, a play area for kids and more food items.

Oakland Athletics

• Stadium: RingCentral Coliseum
• Originally opened: 1966
• Recent renovation: The Oakland A’s announced in May that they would be looking at relocating as MLB directed them to consider other markets. The A’s want to build a waterfront stadium in downtown Oakland, according to ESPN.

Philadelphia Phillies

• Stadium: Citizens Bank Park
• Originally opened: 2004
• Recent renovation: 2019
• Original cost: $458 million
• Public portion: The total cost of the Eagles and Phillies stadiums was “$1 billion, with a little more than half paid by city and state taxpayers, partly financed by the bonds, and the rest by the teams,” according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
• Renovation details: The Phillies changed McFadden’s Restaurant & Saloon into a new fan area called Pass and Stow. Also, the concourse was repurposed, with a new Shake Shack part of the redone area. For the outdoor area, there’s a beer garden patio, as well as fire pits, ample standing room and more.

Pittsburgh Pirates

• Stadium: PNC Park
• Originally opened: 2001
• Recent renovation: 2020
• Original cost: $262 million
• Public portion: $143 million, according to the Post-Gazette
• Renovation details: The Pirates replaced some of their seats ahead of the 2020 season, and the project was supposed to be part of the start of long-term plans for the stadium, according to Ballpark Digest.

San Diego Padres

• Stadium: Petco Park
• Originally opened: 2004
• Recent renovation: 2019
• Original cost: $474 million.
• Public portion: About half was financed by bonds and hotel taxes. Also $20 million from the Port of San Diego, according to Petco Park Insider.
• Renovation details: The Compass Premier Club was upgraded as the space got an expanded bar area, as well as retractable windows and technology improvements, according to Ballpark Digest.

San Francisco Giants

• Stadium: Oracle Park
• Originally opened: 2000
• Recent renovation: 2019
• Original cost: $357 million
• Public portion: Zero. All privately financed
• Renovation details: The Giants constructed new bullpens, building two bullpens beyond the outfield wall ahead of the 2020 season, according to Ballpark Digest.

Seattle Mariners

• Stadium: T-Mobile Park
• Originally opened: 1999
• Recent renovation: 2019
• Renovation cost: $29.8 million
• Public portion: Zero
• Renovation details: The Mariners’ T-Mobile Park received $29.8 million in improvements for the 2020 season, with work including 49 infrastructure projects as well as fan upgrades, according to KING5. The projects were slated to be part of the Mariners’ commitment to spend at least $280 million over the next 10 years to upgrade and maintain the stadium.

St. Louis Cardinals

• Stadium: Busch Stadium
• Originally opened: 2006
• Recent renovation: 2019
• Original cost: $365 million
• Public portion: The Cardinals covered nearly 90% of costs, St. Louis provided money from local admissions tax on tickets, and the state paid to clear and prepare the site for development, according to MLB.
• Renovation details: The Cardinals were renovating 21 party suites alongside the right-field line, aiming to provide a more modern look and updated sports decor, according to Ballpark Digest.

Tampa Bay Rays

• Stadium: Tropicana Field
• Originally opened: 1990
• Recent renovation: 2019
• Renovation details: The Rays announced plans to reduce seating capacity, going from 31,042 seats to in the range of 25,000 to 26,000, according to MLB.com. Along with the plans to reduce the number of seats, the Rays said they’d plan to create more social gathering spots. They created the Left Field Ledge, which consists of a full-service bar, ledge tables and seated drink rails.

Texas Rangers

• Stadium: Globe Life Field
• Originally opened: 2020
• Recent renovation: N/A
• Cost: About $1.2 billion
• Public portion: The Rangers and the City of Arlington had an agreement to split the payment half and half; the city’s financial contribution was capped at $500 million, according to MLB.com. Contributions from the city were funded by a half-cent sales tax, a 2% hotel tax and a 5% car rental tax.

Toronto Blue Jays

• Stadium: Rogers Centre
• Originally opened: 1989
• Recent renovation: Rogers Centre could be looking at being demolished as owners of the team are interested in taking down the stadium and replacing it with a new one in Toronto’s downtown, according to The Globe and Mail.

Washington Nationals

• Stadium: Nationals Park
• Originally opened: 2008
• Recent renovation: 2017
• Original cost: $693 million
• Public portion: The city paid the bulk of the cost.
• Renovation details: The Nationals almost doubled their number of wireless internet access points in the stadium to create improved coverage and faster browsing speeds, according to MLB.com. Washington also added the MGM National Harbor Dugout Club next to the home dugout, which includes eight luxury seats, TVs, a private restroom, a personal attendant and a filled refrigerator.