Dow Diamond - Great Lakes Loons
- Meg Minard
- 5 days ago
- 6 min read
Photos by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.43
Dow Diamond 825 E Main St Midland, MI 48640
Year Opened: 2007 Capacity: 5,200
A Perfect Diamond
The Great Lakes Loons provide a perfect minor league baseball game experience. The Loons, a member of the Midwest League, are the High-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. They've reached the championship round twice since moving to Midland, MI, in 2007 - clinching the title in 2016 and finishing as runners-up in 2023.
They play their home games at the beautiful and outstanding Dow Diamond on land donated by Dow Chemical, a major employer in the city. The stadium sits on a well-manicured plot of landscaped area, featuring lush greenery, colorful flowers, inviting benches, and a train.
The stadium and game day experience rank among the best in minor league baseball, thanks to exceptional accessibility, a courteous and welcoming staff, affordable pricing, and enjoyable (not forced) entertainment.
Food & Beverage 5
The Great Lakes Loons offer an incredible assortment of concessions. The inner concourse features permanent concession stands, and even better, a variety of kiosks offering a wide range of choices, from loaded baked potatoes to shawarma, sausages, and more. The variety is impressive.
The permanent stands sell hot dogs, burgers (including bean burgers), chicken, and pizza at decent stadium prices ($3.50 - $12). Snacks include chips, nachos, fries, ice cream, pretzels, and more ($2 - $7.50). Pepsi brand sodas run $4.25 - $6. Beer (draft and can), cocktails, and seltzer cost $7 - $12.50 with beer choices such as Killian’s, Coors Light, and Miller Lite.
Our recommendation is to peruse the specialty carts that line the promenade and marvel at its astounding choices: Ice Cream, Potatoes, Sausages, Wraps, Greek, Nachos, BBQ, Philly Cheesesteak, and everything in between.
The best place for craft beer is a stand called The Cove, located just after the end of the third base concourse structure, which sells several Michigan brews and other mixed drinks. Across the aisle is a Simply Spiked Lemonade stand.
Atmosphere 5
The Great Lakes Loons provide one of the best minor league game day experiences.
Dow Diamond has one level of green fold-down seats with cupholders and a second level housing luxury boxes. The main seats descend from the walkway around home plate from short left field to short right field. Plush green berms beyond the outfield fence await fans wanting to spread out on their blankets. A wide promenade circles the entire stadium with drink rails and firepits scattered along the path. Various gathering spots specialize in reserved group outings for friends, family, and work compadres.
The stadium boasts an easily readable scoreboard in right-center field that highlights the lineup, the player at bat’s photo and stats, and the line score; perfect for keeping score! The batter’s eye features attractive pine trees. Bullpens sit beyond the baseline on the field, allowing fans to easily spot when a relief pitcher is preparing to enter the game.
The music person plays the tunes at a perfect volume. Fans can still speak with their neighbors during the game without having to yell. Even better, he/she plays minimal ‘noise’ between pitches. More baseball venues should mimic this aspect of baseball entertainment as the Loons have aced it.
Staff hands out hard copy game programs. Between-inning activities include a t-shirt toss, singing for your pie, and other contests. Lou E. Loon is the mascot, a green character resembling a loon (a duck-like fowl), who entertains the crowd. Lou E’s Lookout, a playground down the first baseline, beckons little ones to burn off their excess energy.
Fans can purchase a slew of gear at Loon Loft, a two-story merchandise shop. An excellent variety of shirts, sweatshirts, baseball caps, mementos, trinkets, etc., are priced reasonably. A cotton t-shirt with the team logo is $16.
Check the weather before attending an evening game, as a sweatshirt may be needed.
Neighborhood 3
When in Midland, MI, explore the vibrant downtown area, with its boutiques, eateries, bars, other businesses, and live entertainment. From early June until the end of September, Main Street is closed to all vehicular traffic, and Dow Diamond sits just a few blocks from this vibrant area.
Places for a bite to eat or drink include: WhichCraft Taproom, Crepes Et Amis (breakfast and lunch), Amazing Deli (for picking up a sandwich), and Three Bridges Distillery and Taproom (a handcrafted distillery, brewery, and winery). The city boasts a wider array of venues for enjoying a drink and a bite to eat.
Visit The Tridge, a three-legged wooden footbridge or the picturesque Dow Gardens (botanical gardens) about 1 ½ miles from the ballpark.
If traveling, a Fairfield Inn and Suites is 1/3 mile from the park. Several other hotels (Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn, Baymont, etc.) are four miles north at the intersection of US 10 and Business US 10.
Fans 4
While many families and friends attend minor league games for what happens off the field and in the stands, Midland fans are quite engaged with the game itself and follow the action on the field. The crowd is supportive and applauds all good plays, regardless of team.
The staff includes welcoming, friendly, helpful ushers and guest services.
Access 4
Getting to Dow Diamond is easy by vehicle. Midland lacks public transportation but Uber and Lyft are available. The ballpark is a few miles off US 10. The stadium has two parking areas. One behind home plate and the other behind center field, both costing $7. A few free spots (after 5pm) are in front of the stadium on State St, but they fill up quickly. The two entrances are near the parking lots.
Security may search bags upon entry, so we recommend bringing belongings in a clear 12” x 6” x 12” sports bag. After clearing security, fans climb a flight of stairs to reach the concourse before descending to their seats. Elevators are readily available for those who prefer to avoid stairs.
What stands out about Dow Diamond is its exceptional accessibility for guests using strollers, wheelchairs, scooters, walkers, or those with mobility concerns. The stadium features extra-wide concourses, gently sloped ramps, elevators, and powered outlets at designated wheelchair seating areas. Nicely done!
Clean, spacious restrooms are conveniently located both on the inner and outer concourses. Family restrooms are behind sections 104 and 111, and baby changing tables are provided in all restrooms.
Return on Investment 5
Attending a Loons game is a superb value for your sports entertainment dollar.
Single-game tickets range from just $12 to $21, with family 4-packs and group packages available for even more savings. Nearly every game features a promotion—from Hometown Heroes and Thirsty Thursday (half-off beer) to Foodie Friday ($2 hot dogs, $1 snacks), jersey auctions, Peanuts Christmas, Fireworks Night, Kids Eat Free Sundays, and more.
Merchandise is also more affordable than at most other minor league parks.
With such a fantastic game day atmosphere and wallet-friendly pricing, catching a Loons game is an easy win for fans of all ages.
Extras 5
The Great Lake Loons offer plenty of other items that make game days special.
Honoring their history, retired numbers 2 - Tommy Lasorda, 42 - Jackie Robinson, and 47 - the Dow Chemical Building, which construction crews razed to build the park, are proudly displayed on the stadium banner façade behind home plate. One of the group areas is called Pier 47. Bricks from the building were crushed and used in the warning track when the stadium first opened.
The top of the home plate entrance prominently displays The Midland County Sports Hall of Fame. It showcases and honors athletes, coaches, administrators, and others from Midland County sports programs with plaques, newspaper articles, and artifacts.
The team thoughtfully highlights former Loons who have made it to the major leagues on the outfield fencing. The most well-known are probably Clayton Kershaw and Carlos Santana.
While not conventionally scenic, the Dow Chemical Plant beyond the outfield certainly adds a unique touch.
If you’re not able to attend a game, be sure to listen live on 100.9 The Mitt.
Final Thoughts
The Dow Diamond is simply a stand-out, not just in the Midwest League, but in the entire minors. It is above average in nearly every category while really shining with a great commitment to value, history, and an excellent food selection.
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