Post by Sha-Le Unique on Mar 7, 2018 23:00:31 GMT -5
This is the projected exterior look of Citi Field
Citi Field (Open Ballpark) I 338 ft, 354 ft, 371 ft, 410 ft, 371 ft, 354 ft, 338 ft; 8 ft all fences I 65,000 proposed seating capacity I Total Cost $545 million? I Balance after Stadium Withdrawal: $0 I Payment Plan: whichever plan makes the most sense I Article:
Since their inception in 1962, the New York Mets have called the Polo Grounds their home. The Giants' were the former longtime tenant until their move to San Francisco in 1958 and with Ebbets Field torn down, the Mets moved in. Fast forward to 1980 and the Mets have announced they will break ground on a new stadium to hopefully be ready by 1983 or 1984, depending on how the construction goes.
Numerous Mets fans have eagerly been awaiting an announcement like this. "The stadium is fun to be at, but it's so old and dirty. The Mets need a new place, their own home. We still think of this as the Giants' old home. I can't wait to see how it looks!" said Greg Nelson, a 16-year old fan that has grown up idolizing the now retired Joe Torre and ace pitcher Tom Seaver. "Change is good. The Polo Grounds is such an old place and I can't wait to see how much better this will look than Yankee Stadium," Dave Roth, a Brooklyn native who followed the Mets after the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles.
The stadium is expected to be state of the art and won't be cheap by any stretch of the imagination. The Mets are using the timing of having a low payroll to their advantage and putting together a stadium while the team is young. The name of this stadium is going to be Citi Field, after Citi Bank purchased the naming rights for a reported $100 million, a pact that will last at least the next three decades. The playing field is expected to have similar dimensions compared to what the Polo Grounds currently have after the major dimension change GM Shale Briskin and his staff made to the playing field. The scoreboard is expected to be in right field and the bullpens will be located beyond the left field fence for the visiting team and beyond the right field fence for the Mets.
The proposed field dimensions are as follows: 338 ft down the LF line, 354 ft in LF, 371 ft in left-center field, 410 ft at CF, 371 ft in right-center field, 354 ft in RF, and 338 ft down the RF line. The fences will all be at 8 ft.
But it's the concourse that should really help draw fans. The Polo Grounds has a small concourse that often results in s lot of crowded lines throughout each game. "We had to do something to make the entire fan experience better. Obviously having a good team of players on the field is the primary focus, but if we make our surroundings a good environment to be around, that will keep fans wanting to come back," said Briskin, who had always dreamed of seeing the Mets play in a new stadium. "It took us a while to get the sufficient funds necessary to build a new stadium, but the money is here and it's about time we had our very own place to call home instead of being under the Giants' shadow."
Although Citi Field will be in Queens, unlike the Polo Grounds in Manhattan, Citi Field will offer a wide range of food options that only New York City could provide. There will be a Shake Shack burger stand in the outfield of the main area, plus a Blue Smoke chicken stand. We will have authentic New York pizza, the brand of which we are still negotiating, and for our Long Island fans, we will even have a fish stand in right field. Furthermore, we'll have all kinds of ballpark favorites, such as hot dogs, chicken tenders, fries, Italian sausage, and bacon on a stick. We have to have options that every fan will find enticing so no one is hungry while watching the game.
"On the beverage side, we will have a wide range of beer selections at Big Apple Brews. This will feature traditional favorites like Budweiser, and Bud Light, plus a variety of IPA and stout beers. I'm personally a big fan of hoppy IPA beers and from feedback fans have provided through letters, many have told me they want craft beers at the game. It's a fantastic idea and to take it a step further, part of our selection will consist of New York state-based beers to both promote and embrace products of our wonderful state. And of course, we will have water and soft drinks for the kids," Briskin said in the press conference. There will also be significantly more bathrooms at Citi Field, which was another concern from fans that hate to miss even one second of action on the field.
Here is an early design of what the Citi Field concourse could look like.
The Mets want Citi Field to be very family friendly and be a place that any baseball fan would want to visit. "The Yankees have their whole pinstripe aura and the whole elitist feeling you get walking around Yankee Stadium. The Mets are not about that. We represent the whole city of New York and want to be as inclusive as possible," stated Briskin. There will be a rotunda at the entrance of the stadium that is going to pay homage to the great Jackie Robinson, who represents New York National League baseball as well as anyone. There will also be a team store and a team museum on the lower level, adjacent to the stairs that will take fans to the Field Level seating. There will also be Excelsior and Promenade seating, which will be the highest level.
Here is the projected design for the Jackie Robinson Rotunda.
Briskin closed the press conference saying, "Mets fans are the greatest in the world and we can't wait to provide them with an amazing stadium full of every amenity possible!" If the fans were to get more wins and maybe even a World Series championship, that alone would put a smile on the faces of every fan.
The Mets expect construction to take at least two or three seasons to be finished. The stadium will located near the former World's Fair Ground site at Flushing Meadows, and right near the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, which hosts the US Open each year. Hopefully, Citi Field can soon serve up a championship for the Mets and their fans to enjoy.
