Tempe Diablo Stadium

As the Angels have become one of baseball's winningest franchises, the number of fans who flock to Tempe to watch their favorite team has grown. And now they are attending exhibition games in a showplace facility. For years, Tempe Diablo Stadium was a so-so ballpark, one with a drab exterior and not much going for it on the inside either.

That all changed when the architectural firm DLR mapped out an impressive renovation to the stadium in 2006. At a cost of about $20 million (the whole park cost only $5.8 million to build in 1992), a fabulous new exterior was created (below left), new seats and sound system were installed, and the players' amenities in the clubhouse were significantly improved. In fact, the whole complex was expanded so that the Angels' minor leaguers could also train there instead of in a separate location.

The park is at the base of a cool-looking, rocky hill beyond left field.  Of course, hills like this are plentiful in Arizona.  Also, there is a pleasant, well-maintained grassy area for "lawn seating."

What was once anything but a "must-see" park, Tempe Diablo is now one of the prettier facilities in Arizona. I do wish the rows weren't so squished together, though, because the legroom leaves something to be desired.

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