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How Joker Marchant Stadium became a staple in Lakeland’s sports scene

We’re climbing out of the dugout and onto the diamond as we uncover the history of this iconic sports complex.

An exterior shot of Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium, right outside of the BayCare Box Office.

Get ready to hit this sports history lesson out of the park.

Screenshot via Google Maps

Lakeland is home to many iconic landmarks, from the Publix Cake Tower to Frank Lloyd Wright architecture. But when it comes to sports history, there’s perhaps no landmark that looms larger than the Joker Marchant Stadium.

Located off of Lakeland Hills Boulevard in north Lakeland, the stadium was built in 1966 on the former site of the Lodwick School of Aeronautics — a World War II flight school — to serve as the new Spring Training home for the Detroit Tigers, who had begun training in Swan City 32 years earlier in 1934.

Initial construction of the 4,900-seat ballpark cost $360,000 — around $3.57 million in 2025. The project was largely driven by former City of Lakeland Parks and Recreation Director Marcus “Joker” Marchant, thus explaining the stadium’s unique name. You can find a statue of Marchant and Publix founder George Jenkins shaking hands outside the park.

A panoramic shot of Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium at twilight. Players are on the field and the field lights are on, but the stands and seats are empty.

Things have certainly changed at Joker Marchant Stadium since it came onto the Lakeland sports scene in the 1960s.

Photo by Reader Tom H., submitted for our 2023 Picture of the Year Contest

Since opening in 1966, the stadium has undergone numerous renovations to provide players and fans with modern amenities while paying homage to its past. The stadium most notably underwent a $47 million renovation in 2017 to include new features like a 360-degree walkable concourse, an interactive children’s play area, indoor/outdoor seating, and food + drink options.

Meanwhile, hangars from the Lodwick School have been repurposed for various uses by the team + the Lakeland Flying Tigers, the team’s Single-A affiliate, were named in honor of the stadium’s rich history.

In 2023, the City of Lakeland also approved a $33 million dormitory upgrade for the Tigers after they extended their contract with the city through December 2044. The contract extension not only further solidifies the Tigers’ relationship with Lakeland as the longest-standing between an MLB team and its spring host city, but also marks Joker Marchant Stadium as the second-oldest ballpark still in use for Spring Training.

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