Thoughts on Citi Field...

[Farmer Ted]

Took in the game on Sunday. First time to Citi. Had recent trips to PNC and Safeco so I was anxious to do a some comparison shopping.

Overall a definite A. I got there early so I was literally the first person to the Shake Shack. Yum. Only an hour before game time and the place was mobbed. So here are my drawbacks:

1. Food court. Serious congestion here before and during the game. Put a destination location at the stadium and everyone flocks to it. I say tear down some of the junk yards across the street, install a foot bridge, and put some more fun stuff over there to ease the food mess.

2. Concourse width not enough. Then again, maybe the concourse is wide enough but you lose 10 feet of space with the cashier ropes that jut out from the food counters. Who thought of this traffic nightmare?

3. Home Run apple. I'll give a pass to the apple not coming up for Tatis' home run. I was turned away trying to get to the OLD apple since there was a private reception on that level. Fuckers.

I was impressed with the staff at the game. Tons of staff in an array of colored shirts. Lady behind me got up in between innings and the schmuck behind her spilled beer on her seat. Dude was sloshed and subsequently tossed by security for being "that guy". No fewer than five staff showed up including one supervisor to wash down and scrub around her seat. NEVER saw that at Shea or any other stadium.
I had the usher nazi in my section. No ticket, get out. Ninth inning and want to sneak down for a closer look? Tough shit.

The place looked great. Still a bit sad about the vacant parking lot next to it. Surprised to see the brackets holding up piping in the stadium were rusting. Yeah, rusting. Speaking of Rust. No homage to Rusty Staub? Boog Powell and Greg Luzinski have their food pits.

Until the area around the stadium is cleaned up, Safeco and PNC still get a slight edge for convenience and accessibility. I was happy that the place turned out to be a top flight facility.

[ashie62]

="metirish":fl693ser]Why closer to Manhattan when you live closer to Philly? the image is very beautiful , great capture.[/quote:fl693ser] Wish it was closer to Newark...sorry..train goes there

dgwphotography Jul 16 2009 11:45 AM

="G-Fafif":19bf1wye]Great picture, no surprise, considering the lensman.[/quote:19bf1wye] This takes me back to the writing in those 1970's yearbooks.... ="G-Fafif":19bf1wye]Park and setting still need to be surrounded by a city block for full effect. Otherwise it still smacks of Arlington Comes to Flushing rather than homage to St. Ebbets.[/quote:19bf1wye] This is an excellent point - I oddly felt more in place when standing line for the the Mr. Met dash by the chop shops... G-Fafif Jul 16 2009 12:50 PM I think CF looks best when viewed from 126th St, though that's not really the ballpark. The admin building looks like a civic institution there, like a school or post office from the 1930s. Fits into a neighborhood even if the neighborhood isn't there. I like the back end of it, supporting the Willie Mays Bridge and the Pepsi Porch, as viewed from the Promenade as well. A bit of an OP@CY warehouse feel. Just a bit.

[dgwphotography]

="G-Fafif":19bf1wye]Great picture, no surprise, considering the lensman.[/quote:19bf1wye] This takes me back to the writing in those 1970's yearbooks.... ="G-Fafif":19bf1wye]Park and setting still need to be surrounded by a city block for full effect. Otherwise it still smacks of Arlington Comes to Flushing rather than homage to St. Ebbets.[/quote:19bf1wye] This is an excellent point - I oddly felt more in place when standing line for the the Mr. Met dash by the chop shops... G-Fafif Jul 16 2009 12:50 PM I think CF looks best when viewed from 126th St, though that's not really the ballpark. The admin building looks like a civic institution there, like a school or post office from the 1930s. Fits into a neighborhood even if the neighborhood isn't there. I like the back end of it, supporting the Willie Mays Bridge and the Pepsi Porch, as viewed from the Promenade as well. A bit of an OP@CY warehouse feel. Just a bit.

[G-Fafif]

I think CF looks best when viewed from 126th St, though that's not really the ballpark. The admin building looks like a civic institution there, like a school or post office from the 1930s. Fits into a neighborhood even if the neighborhood isn't there. I like the back end of it, supporting the Willie Mays Bridge and the Pepsi Porch, as viewed from the Promenade as well. A bit of an OP@CY warehouse feel. Just a bit.