Hey folks,
My friend David Brauer got a look at the new Twins stadium design and kindly shares his impressions…
Twins Stadium Scouting Report
by David Brauer
This is NOT–repeat NOT–a definitive review of the new ballpark. Although I took my time perusing the sketches at the Hennepin County Government Center, the Twins were too cheap to make a 3-D model; and there were no distance-to-the-plate measurements to assess those upper-deck distances (which are always further away than you’re led to believe at new ballparks).
First impressions: when you’re building your own ballpark PLEASE MAKE ALL THE SEATS FACE THE PLATE! If you look at the lower-deck seats down the line, they actually face the outfield. None are as bad as the Metrodome’s third-base-line seats–creating business for chiropractors for over a quarter-century–but, on the other hand, those Metrodome seats in the right field lower deck corner are actually BETTER situated. Seems to me they could’ve cocked those seats in a bit more and made everyone’s neck happy.
Also, there’s more roof than I expected; depending on the sun angle, they look like nearly the entire first-base side won’t have to worry about sunburn. (Alternatively, you’ll want to sit down the third base side for those bracing April day games, if MLB is smart enough to schedule any next decade.)
There’s beaucoup cantilever, and it looks to me like some of the seats at the top level of a section will be blocked by the overhang of the section above. (The lowest seats in left field seem suspicious that way.) Anyone who’s sat way up in Wrigley’s lower deck after they hung the private boxes knows what I’m talking about. To be fair, it’s possible viewing a fly from the outfield will not be as big a problem as viewing a fly from behind the plate.
I’m intrigued by the broad, flat area right below the scoreboard, which is the roof of some enclosed seating (restaurant?) in centerfield above the batter’s eye; could this be the ballpark’s Wrigley-rooftop experience?
Speaking of rooftops, the scoreboard is perfectly placed to block the
rooftop view from Minikada Mini-Storage across 5th Street–which just
happens to be owned by the same folks who own the ballpark land and forced Hennepin County to condemnation court. Guess Carl Pohlad and County Commissioners can spell F U.
One of the more intriguing things I heard today is that the park will
feature 21st-century knotholes–where you can view the action from 5th
street without buying a ticket. You’ll have to contend with the multi-modal racket, however.
The plaza, to be built above 6th Street, rises nearly as high as the
towering 5th Street TAD parking ramp. You can hang out on most of it without a ticket, but there’s no Boog’s Barbecue-type thing in the drawings.
Now that the votes have been cast, the architects have finally owned up to the fact the graceful Wells Fargo Center will be all but blocked by the cloddish 33 S. 6th Tower (once known as the Multifoods Tower.)
I could only spot one real light standard–all the rest are cleverly tucked into the roof edge around the field. Thing looked like a hitter’s park to me–more of a HomerDome than the mis-moniker hung on the Metrodome.
What do y’all think?
Leave a Reply