Citizens Bank Park (continued)
On Deck -- The Setting
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Ballpark Stats |
| First regular-season game:
April 12, 2004 |
| Capacity: 43,500 fixed seats,
500 permitted for General Admission |
| Price: $346 million
for construction only; $458 million counting required sitework |
| Playing surface:
natural grass (Kentucky Bluegrass) |
| Alternate nickname floating around:
The Vault |
If you've read my review of Petco Park, then you know
I love its location. I wish I could say the same about Citizens Bank Park,
but I can't.
After seeing what Camden Yards, Coors Field and Jacobs
Field did for their respective downtowns, I became convinced that there's
no reason for a Major League ballpark to be situated in the middle of
a sea of asphalt. Unfortunately, that's exactly where CBP is located.
There are certainly reasons for this, most notably the
parking and mass transit that already exists for the "sports complex"
in South Philly. After all, this is where the Eagles' new football stadium
was built, and where both the new and old "Spectrum" arenas
are located. It's also where the now-demolished Vet was located.
It's just that baseball deserves to be treated in a way that is more special
than those other sports, so positioning the new ballpark there is a shame.
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Most fans' first good look
at Citizens Bank Park is going to be across acres of asphalt.
And there will be more asphalt (for parking) once the remains
of Veterans Stadium are completely trucked away.
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Allow me to say two more things about the uninspired
location, then I promise I'll move on! First, it's not like there
were no alternate proposals to build the park in other locations,
most notably nearer downtown. Second, it's also not like there was
a "rush to judgment" that caused the current location to
be selected without debate. To the contrary, I always like to point
out that the Pennsylvania Legislature approved a basic funding package
for new stadiums for the Steelers, Pirates, Eagles and Phillies all
on the same day back in 1998. By 2001, Pittsburgh's teams were playing
in their new facilities. Construction on a new ballpark for the Phillies,
though, finally started in July of 2001, much delayed due to all of
the back-room bickering in the Halls of Government in Philadelphia.
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Off in the distance
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If your seat is in the upper
deck, you can see the downtown skyline in the distance, although
the haze and a big sign mar the view.
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But by the end of 2001, construction had started,
and the stadium's regular-season debut came on April 12, 2004.
To be fair, the delays and the final decision of
where to build the park were not the fault of the Phillies or the
architects. Their roles in the creation of CBP are to be commended.
The site of CBP does afford good access to major
highways like Interstates 95 and 76, as well as to the venerable Walt
Whitman Bridge. There is also a subway stop for the Sports Complex.
Needless to say, parking is not in short supply, since these are also
the lots for the Eagles' football stadium, too. There will be even
more parking, approximately 5,500 spaces, once the last remnants of
the Vet are finally removed and the acreage made ready.
The the footprint of the stadium was oriented to permit
those in the upper deck, especially behind home plate, to see the downtown
skyline. However, it is pretty far away to be thought of as a nice view
of Philadephia's downtown, plus there is a huge "Phillies"
sign on a tall pole in the parking lot beyond center field that, for
the moment anyway, interferes with the view. I've heard that the sign
will be removed or moved at some time in the future.
By the way, while you're in Philly to see CBP, take a trip
across the river to Camden, NJ to visit Campbell's Field, a ballpark with
an extremely inspired location and view!
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The BASEBALLPARKS.COM
Review: Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park
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