Design
Downtown Toledo's Minor League Mojo
Minor league ballparks can thrive when combined with a passionate local sports culture and an already improving downtown.
On a pleasant day in early April, a steady stream of cars with Michigan license plates filled Interstate 75 and the streets of downtown Toledo, Ohio, all headed for the corner of Washington and North Huron.
More than 12,000* people poured into Fifth Third Field, home of the Toledo Mud Hens minor league baseball team, which was taking on its parent club, the Detroit Tigers, in a pre-season exhibition. For many, it was the first time they’d searched for a parking spot in downtown Toledo, walked by the bars and restaurants near the field, or noticed the condominiums and apartments nearby.