A recent broadcast on ESPN listed the best and worst stadiums for food, and Detroit is leading the way in the worst department. Maybe that’s what has lead to the rash of injuries on the Tigers…
Comerica Park
Detroit Tigers
Vendors with critical violations: 51%
Inspection report excerpt: When inspectors measured the temperature of some cod at a high-end stadium club, it was 68 degrees — more than 25 degrees warmer than required; inspectors demanded it be discarded.
Ford Field
Detroit Lions
Vendors with critical violations: 70%
Inspection report excerpt: Inspectors cited one location 11 times in the past six years after seeing employees who didn’t wash their hands. At another stand, they found an employee’s half-eaten hamburger in a warming unit.
Joe Louis Arena
Detroit Red Wings
Vendors with critical violations: 52%
Inspection report excerpt: Poisonous or toxic materials were stored atop items used to serve customers, posing a potential risk of contamination. Inspectors also found roaches below a soda dispenser at one location.
The Palace of Auburn Hills
Detroit Pistons
Vendors with critical violations: 31%
Inspection report excerpt: Inspectors found food debris on a countertop slicer, which was a repeat critical violation for this stand.
I guess I’ll have to cut out cod from my usual ballpark food rotation.
I couldn’t find the article – do you have a link?
Here’s the link to the Yahoo article:
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/post/Vendors-at-professional-sports-venues-are-dirtie?urn=top-258254
I love that they show the one and only hot dog stand I frequent in the Wrigley bleachers.
But I find it interesting you failed to mention this blogger’s comments on the Chicago loophole in these rankings:
“Chicago stadiums had the lowest percentage of vendors with critical violations; that could be because city inspectors make their visits when the stadiums are empty and no employee is handling or serving food. (Gotta lova that Chicago political machine.)”
I think I like this one the best:
Heinz Field
Pittsburgh Steelers
Vendors with critical violations: 61%
Inspection report excerpt: Inspectors found employees lacking in overall food-safety knowledge after observing one worker washing his hands with his gloves on.