Urban revitalization and the use of sports facilities : a case study of Oriole Park at Camden Yards

Many of America's inner cities have become barren wastelands where little economic activity is taking place. These cities are experiencing high crime rates, high unemployment rates, and economic stagnation. In response to these and other problems, cities have undertaken many strategies with the hopes of revitalizing the urban areas. One approach to revitalization has been to invest in sports facilities. Cities that choose to invest in sports facilities do so to attract people back to the downtown area, develop vacant land and to make the city a more vibrant center for activity. Unfortunately, many cities do not plan for a sports facility and they end up having no impact on the city. When a sports facility is planned to tie in with the existing urban fabric and activity zone the benefits are phenomenal. The planning of Baltimore Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland can serve as an example of successful stadium development. Cities such as Denver, Colorado; Cleveland, Ohio; and Atlanta, Georgia have taken the design principles and applied them to their own baseball stadium plans. Cities should be cautious not to simply copy the design of Oriole Park because that is not the sole reason for the facility's success. Oriole Park is successful because the planning that went into the development activity insured that the stadium tied into the existing historical urban framework and the tourism-activity zone.