Post by SirSaxa on Jun 17, 2009 11:48:46 GMT -5
Last night I made my first trip to the NEW Yankee Stadium - directly across the St. from the old and still standing Yankee Stadium. The place is astounding. I passed a couple of older guys near the concession stands and overheard one describing it thusly:
"This place is like a carnival that happens to have a ball field in the middle!"
Over the top? Well.... there are several restaurants -- A Hard Rock, a Mohegan Sun restaurant, a Jim Beam restaurant, several for high rollers only (the few people whose firms actually purchased those ridiculously priced seats), and probably more that I didn't find yet.
In addition to the above, there are innumerable concession stands and options such as Deli Sandwiches -- including NY favorites like Hot Pastrami and Hot Corned beef, Sushi, items from Arthur Avenue (well known Street in the Bronx in an Italian neighborhood with LOTS of food stores) Chicken Parmigiana, Veal, Meatballs or eggplant parm, etc.
There is BBQ pork, Italian Sausages, pizza, hamburgers, and -- even a few hot dogs.
Bud, Bud Light and Coors/Coors light seemed to be the most prevalent beers, but there are also several stands that offer a variety of world options like Becks, Bass Ale, Corona, Heineken, etc.
And from every concession booth, you can still see the field.
It was a great night for me because my sons treated me as an early Father's Day gift.
I also met up with my oldest and dearest Hoya pal who happened to be in a corporate suite -- so he invited us in to check it for the last few innings. Great place to sit and watch a game -- has its own kitchen, ice, beverages, food, and HD screens all over the place. one can sit Inside the suite, or in the 20 or so seats outside.
The dimensions of the place -- huge concourses, great, classic Yankee photos all over, quite impressive.
Oh, and by the way, the Yanks won last night! We even got to hear "Enter Sandman" and watch Mariano come in once again to get the save with a hitless ninth.
One problem with the place? The scoreboard. There are only two, non-illuminated places that have the score all the time, and they don't have outs, balls and strikes. All other scoreboards are part of an HD projection system across the stadium that is often used for advertising and promotion between innings and other times as well. How can you spend a gazillion dollars on a stadium and not have several, very apparent, and 100% constant scoreboards?
One more thing... there were lots of empty seats in the richest pricing areas. Someone is going to have to rethink the economics of this place. Given the state of the Global economy, it will be a long time before anyone will be willing to shell out $2500, or even the half off $1250 PER TICKET prices that some of those seats were commanding.
On the whole? An odd experience. beautiful place. Over the top. Pricing is all wrong. But still, pretty impressive.
"This place is like a carnival that happens to have a ball field in the middle!"
Over the top? Well.... there are several restaurants -- A Hard Rock, a Mohegan Sun restaurant, a Jim Beam restaurant, several for high rollers only (the few people whose firms actually purchased those ridiculously priced seats), and probably more that I didn't find yet.
In addition to the above, there are innumerable concession stands and options such as Deli Sandwiches -- including NY favorites like Hot Pastrami and Hot Corned beef, Sushi, items from Arthur Avenue (well known Street in the Bronx in an Italian neighborhood with LOTS of food stores) Chicken Parmigiana, Veal, Meatballs or eggplant parm, etc.
There is BBQ pork, Italian Sausages, pizza, hamburgers, and -- even a few hot dogs.
Bud, Bud Light and Coors/Coors light seemed to be the most prevalent beers, but there are also several stands that offer a variety of world options like Becks, Bass Ale, Corona, Heineken, etc.
And from every concession booth, you can still see the field.
It was a great night for me because my sons treated me as an early Father's Day gift.
I also met up with my oldest and dearest Hoya pal who happened to be in a corporate suite -- so he invited us in to check it for the last few innings. Great place to sit and watch a game -- has its own kitchen, ice, beverages, food, and HD screens all over the place. one can sit Inside the suite, or in the 20 or so seats outside.
The dimensions of the place -- huge concourses, great, classic Yankee photos all over, quite impressive.
Oh, and by the way, the Yanks won last night! We even got to hear "Enter Sandman" and watch Mariano come in once again to get the save with a hitless ninth.
One problem with the place? The scoreboard. There are only two, non-illuminated places that have the score all the time, and they don't have outs, balls and strikes. All other scoreboards are part of an HD projection system across the stadium that is often used for advertising and promotion between innings and other times as well. How can you spend a gazillion dollars on a stadium and not have several, very apparent, and 100% constant scoreboards?
One more thing... there were lots of empty seats in the richest pricing areas. Someone is going to have to rethink the economics of this place. Given the state of the Global economy, it will be a long time before anyone will be willing to shell out $2500, or even the half off $1250 PER TICKET prices that some of those seats were commanding.
On the whole? An odd experience. beautiful place. Over the top. Pricing is all wrong. But still, pretty impressive.