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A comparison of Arizona's two new parks for 2009
It's only natural to make comparisons between Arizona's two new spring-training palaces for 2009, as both are located in Phoenix's exploding West Valley area. Camelback Ranch in Glendale, home now to the Dodgers and White Sox, is immense -- both in size and dollars spent. Only one team has moved into the Goodyear Ballpark and Recreational Complex, but next year the Indians will be joined by their Ohio cousins, the Reds.
Here now is a "tale of the tape" of the two new springtime showplaces. Don't forget that you can also check out our detailed reviews of each of these two phenomenal facilities.
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| Camelback Ranch, Glendale | Goodyear Ballpark and Recreational Complex | |
| There's nothing exciting (yet) in the immediate vicinity, plus access to parking is sometimes problematic | SETTING advantage Goodyear |
While neither complex has any of the development around it yet, Goodyear is in a slightly nicer area and has better parking |
| The color scheme is to die for, and the sloped roofs and use of stone are clever (might even be a little too much) | EXTERIOR advantage Glendale |
Fantastic main entryway, but the overall exterior isn't quite as distinctive as Glendale |
| Great open concourse and air circulation. Can cram 13,000 fans into the place, but few have any shade | INTERIOR advantage Goodyear |
Clearly more intimacy in the seating bowl, and more opportunity to seek shade. Great upper-level terrace |
| Really high ticket prices, and the eats are costly, too | COST advantage Goodyear |
Cheaper tickets, souvenirs and food |
| More varied (albeit costlier) food choices, and the stands/kiosks are more evenly distributed around the venue | FOOD advantage Glendale |
One of the best hot dog stands I've ever seen, but overall, there's not as much variety as Glendale |
| I was very impressed by the helpfulness of all of the staff I encountered, and their outfits are very snazzy | STAFF advantage tie |
The customer is king in Goodyear, as the Indians front office conducted the customer service training for the staff here |
| Aside from grassy areas where kids can run around, amazingly there is no playground or area for inflatables | KIDS advantage Goodyear |
Not even close. An extensive play area and much, much more children's apparel in the store |
