It was a great year for new ballparks, but at the end of the day two facilities earned our award for Best New Ballpark: Coca-Cola Park, home of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Class AAA; International League), and QuikTrip Park at Grand Prairie, home of the Grand Prairie AirHogs (independent; American Association). Both represented the state of the art at their respective levels of play, and both were most likely to be emulated by ballpark designers in the future.
It was a great year for new ballparks, but at the end of the day two facilities earned our award for Best New Ballpark: Coca-Cola Park, home of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Class AAA; International League), and QuikTrip Park at Grand Prairie, home of the Grand Prairie AirHogs (independent; American Association). Both represented the state of the art at their respective levels of play, and both were most likely to be emulated by ballpark designers in the future.
When we first visited Coca-Cola Park, we were immediately struck by how appealing the place would be for fans. Coca-Cola Park is surely one of the best new minor-league ballparks to come down the pike in recent years, a place where every fan — ranging from the big-buck corporate types in the dugout suites to the families setting up camp on the left-field berm — can have a fulfilling game-day experience. The plaza is designed to provide an inviting entry into the ballpark, and the wraparound concourse ensures an even traffic flow as fans go to their seats. Despite holding 10,000, Coca-Cola Park is an intimate venue; whether you’re on the club level, the left-field picnic area or the right-field trough area, you’re never too far from the action on the field. Plenty of concession stands in the concourse and on the club level provide a variety of foodstuffs as well. What really impressed us the most was the level of detail found in the ballpark, all directed toward the game experience. It’s not enough to feature the largest scoreboard in the minor leagues; this scoreboard features a rocking Coca-Cola bottle that flips its lid and shoots fireworks after the National Anthem or an IronPigs home run. The club level is lined with historical photos from Allentown, Bethlehem and the Lehigh Valley, while the staircase leading to the suites level is filled with historic photos of affiliated and industrial teams in Allentown and the Lehigh Valley. Add a definite carnival-like atmosphere, and you can see why Coca-Cola Park is one of the best new ballparks to come down the pike in recent years.
We were similarly impressed with QuikTrip Park at Grand Prairie. The ballpark carries an aviation theme, reinforced from the very moment you approach the ballpark. The main gate is set up like a airplane hangar, complete with control towers, runway lights and markings, and a set of statues commemorating aviators from the area. An airhog refers to a flyer who demanded more than their fair share of missions, and apparently the pilots from the Grand Prairie gained quite the reputation for pushing their limits. A marker commemorates the aviation history made in the Grand Prairie area, as Lockheed Martin and Bell Helicopter are both headquartered in the city. The grouping of statues and marker were heavily scrutinized during the course of the evening. Where the ballpark shines, though, is in the specialty areas. The left-field corner features a huge restaurant and sports bar (complete with 34 large and flat-screen TVs), with retractable windows looking out on the action. Beer lovers will appreciate the frosty bar, a cooled section of the bar designed to keep beer and drinks cold, while smokers can hang out on the adjoining smoking patio. And earlier this week we honored the ballpark for its Heliport, a semicircular group area thrusting into right field that features a four-foot-deep pool (complete with lifeguard), plenty of lounge seating, and a dedicated concession stand.
As we said, this was a good year for new ballparks. Nationals Park, the new home of the Washington Nationals, made headlines for its environmentally progressive design, but it came up lacking in terms of fan passion. McNair Field, the new home of the Forest City Owls (summer collegiate; Coastal Plain League), was a tremendous success for a modest facility. Arvest Ballpark, the new home of the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (Class AA; Texas League), still had an unfinished feel and a somewhat generic design when it opened , though we’ll be eager to return in a year when the Naturals have had more of a chance to put their imprint on the facility. Dehler Park, the new home of the Billings Mustangs (rookie; Pioneer League), also suffered from a generic feel and failed to capture any of the unique atmosphere found in the team’s former home, Cobb Field.
The 2008 Ballpark Digest Awards announcements run through Halloween.