Throughout the 1980's, the Cleveland Indians and their fan base, were eager to flee from the antiquated, concrete, multi-purpose monstrosity that was Municipal Stadium.

For almost a decade, civic leaders and the Cuyahoga County citizens of Ohio, could not agree on the funding for a new domed baseball/football stadium.

By 1992, a sin-tax is proposed, voted on and passed with the slimmest of margins, for a brand new crib for the Tribe. The responsibilities for the new Gateway site creation. was eventually handed over to famed baseball stadium architecture firm, HOK Sports, who is coming off of the raving success of their recent ground-breaking creations in Baltimore and South Chicago.

In a nod to Cleveland's blue-collar work ethic culture, HOK was able to deliver a modern day, retro, baseball cathedral, that would revitalize and re-energize a slowly dying city and a beleagured fan base.

The result was a rousing success, as the fans and team, developed a symbiotic relationship, with the now 10th oldest baseball stadium in the majors.

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