So much for a historical ballpark

[TheManeMan]

Yankees schedule Wednesday news conference to announce $800 million ballpark (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-yankees-newyankeestadium&prov=ap&type=lgns)

By RONALD BLUM, AP Sports Writer
June 14, 2005
NEW YORK (AP) -- The New York Yankees will announce detailed plans Wednesday for a new $800 million ballpark, which would be built adjacent to the current Yankee Stadium and could be ready by the 2009 season.

The team has spent years planning the new stadium, which will have a capacity of at least 50,800 -- approximately 6,000 seats fewer than the current ballpark -- but could be expanded to about 54,000. It would be constructed in Macombs Dam Park, to the north of the current stadium, and financed by the team.

Yankee Stadium, which opened in 1923, is the third-oldest park in use in the major leagues, younger only than Boston's Fenway Park (1912) and Chicago's Wrigley Field (1914). Yankee Stadium was renovated extensively in 1974-75, but the team has long desired a modern ballpark with more luxury suites and wider concourses.

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The stadium plan calls for the new ballpark to resemble the original Yankee Stadium in many of its details, and the dimensions of the playing field would be identical to the current ballpark. It would have 50-60 suites, up from 18 in the current stadium.

Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, New York Gov. George Pataki and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg planned to attend the news conference, spokesman Howard Rubenstein said. The Yankees hope to start construction in 2006 and move into the new ballpark in 2009, a timetable that would be ambitious given the delays that frequently occur in construction in New York.

Approval of the state Legislature and the City Council is necessary. The state would contribute about $70 million to increase parking from 7,000 spaces to 11,000, and the city would replace the lost parkland as part of the deal. A new commuter train station and expanded ferry terminal also is part of the plan.

Just last weekend, the city and the Mets announced plans for a new $600 million ballpark next to Shea Stadium. That facility would be used for the 2012 Olympics the International Olympic Committee votes July 6 to award the event to New York.

That plan was drawn up after last week's collapse of the proposal to build a retractable-roof stadium in Manhattan for the NFL's Jets and the Olympics.

The Yankees and New York City's government agreed several weeks ago to a memorandum of understanding for the new Bronx ballpark. The team will pay for the stadium on its own, and the cost of paying off the bonds used to raise the money will be deducted from the Yankees' locally generated revenue. That will lower the Yankees' revenue sharing payments to the commissioner's office.

[Meck77]

Sounds familar. Hopefully the New Yorkers step up and keep their old name so it doesn't become Viagraballpark.com.

[elsid13]

That why I like the new owners of the Sox, they understand Fenway is important to keep around, even though it can be crappy to watch a game in. They do a very good job of improving the park without givening up the charm.

I hope the evil empire name the new staduim it something that easy to chant to....

[Smilin Assassin]

After they took down Mile High, to me, nothing was untouchable.

[Breck Bronc]

It sounds like they're planning to design the new stadium after the original Yankee Stadium. After the major renovations in the mid-'70's the current Yankee Stadium shouldn't really be considered in the same group as Fenway Park and Wrigley Field.

As long as the name is still Yankee Stadium, the monuments are still in center, and the classic white facade stays the same, I have no problem with the Yankees moving across the street into a new facility.

[SouthStndJunkie]

A few years back I made an east coast baseball trip. Camden Yards, Yankee Stadium, Shea, and Fenway.

I wanted to make sure I saw Yankee Stadium and Fenway while they were still there.

SSJ

[labronx]

A few years back I made an east coast baseball trip. Camden Yards, Yankee Stadium, Shea, and Fenway.

I wanted to make sure I saw Yankee Stadium and Fenway while they were still there.

SSJ
i have to to Fenway, bad

I've been to Yankee Stadium and Wrigley Field.

[RhymesayersDU]

I thank my lucky stars every day that I got to see 1 game at the old Mile High.

[labronx]

I thank my lucky stars every day that I got to see 1 game at the old Mile High.
man go away!
you suck!

Nnyah! :Broncos: :vermeil:

[Foot2balls]

So what is the fate of current Yankees Stadium then? It serves as a ballpark and historic museum! Well, I guess Georgie Pooh is doing this for the community. Oh, and his pockets.

[Hogan11]

F the Yankees, especially after tonight's drubbing of my Boys.......

[Rocket 7]

Yankee Stadium is "the house that Ruth built". I wonder who is gonna get credit for the new one?

[Hogan11]

Yankee Stadium is "the house that Ruth built". I wonder who is gonna get credit for the new one?

The House that George built no doubt.....

A pox on it.

[Beantown Bronco]

A few years back I made an east coast baseball trip. Camden Yards, Yankee Stadium, Shea, and Fenway.

I wanted to make sure I saw Yankee Stadium and Fenway while they were still there.

SSJ

For those that still have to make that trip to Fenway....there's no need to hurry. It looks like the old beast will be around for at least another 10-15 yrs.

[anthonypacino]

This is so sad, I wish they cities could get together and make some of these places a historical site, and protect them, I really wish these owners were more of a fan instead of a bean counter. That place graced some of the most legendary players in MLB EVER!! I am not even a Yankee fan but I understand the importance of keeping the old girl around, Wrigley and Fenway are the last of the dying breed. It kills me to think the place where we park our cars is where Elway engineered all of those memories, overcoming two 4th downs against the Oiilers in the playoffs, the Fumble, TD going over 2000 yds, the walk around the stadium after the last AFC championship, some stadiums don't house those types of memories, so no big uproar about tearing them down. Thank God there is still some respect to the past in College Football, can any of you imagine tearing down Memorial Field in Lincon? the Horseshoe in Columbus? the Big House in Ann Arbor? no way! This is one lesson the pros could still learn from the schools.

[Billy Clyde Puckett]

I heard this morning that they would not be tearing down Yankee Stadium, but would be turning it into a museum. I spent six months last year going to NYC almost every week and never did make it out to a game there. I'll really be ticked off if I don't make it back before they move. Not really a Yankee fan, but I did like them when I was a kid. In my mind, Mantle was still the best all round player of all time.

[anthonypacino]

I heard this morning that they would not be tearing down Yankee Stadium, but would be turning it into a museum. I spent six months last year going to NYC almost every week and never did make it out to a game there. I'll really be ticked off if I don't make it back before they move. Not really a Yankee fan, but I did like them when I was a kid. In my mind, Mantle was still the best all round player of all time.
Mantle was very good but I still have Dimaggio and Teddy Ballgame above Mantle probaly cause of durability, and the fact that both of those guys served in WW2 in the peak of their career (I have a soft spot for vets, in paticular WW2 vets, my late grandpa served in Africa and the European theatres.)

[PatsWin2002]

I gotta say that Fenway is a miserable experience most of the time.

And if you have right field grandstand seats you'd better have a chiropractor too.

[anthonypacino]

I gotta say that Fenway is a miserable experience most of the time.

And if you have right field grandstand seats you'd better have a chiropractor too.
I am not saying you can't remodel or refurbish you have to but tearing down a place like that so you can build a choo-choo train that travels around or a waterslide in it is horrible. It was novel when the AAA baseball parks had hottubs in them as a novelty but now having them in the majors?

[PatsWin2002]

They've done a great job with Fenway with all the seats they've added and fan-friendly things around the park, but sitting in those seats is brutal.

Replacing Fenway was a hot topic a few years ago before the current management group bought the team. Before, Frank McCourt was involved (he now owns the Dodgers) because he owns a lot of property on the water in South Boston and the plan was to get him part ownership in the Sox and use his land to make an east coast version of Pac Bell.

But the "Save Fenway" crowd went bonkers and it fizzled for bit.

Fenway is not an easy place to get to and it'd be great to have it more accessible, but I'm an old bastard so I'm torn on the issue.

[Hogan11]

I gotta say that Fenway is a miserable experience most of the time.

And if you have right field grandstand seats you'd better have a chiropractor too.


You got that right Pats....that's where I sat the one time I was there. The seats were like modeled after a 10 yr. old or something...they're very small. I also had the sun directly in my face for a good 7 innings before it went down. Water ran down the brick walls when I entered the stadium and the place smelt like a damp, dank cellar.

All that aside, I'm still glad I saw a game there because of the history and all....now it looks as if Yankee Stadium may have to be stepped up on the schedule if I wanna do the same there.

[Billy Clyde Puckett]

Mantle was very good but I still have Dimaggio and Teddy Ballgame above Mantle probaly cause of durability, and the fact that both of those guys served in WW2 in the peak of their career (I have a soft spot for vets, in paticular WW2 vets, my late grandpa served in Africa and the European theatres.)

I can understand that attitude. Warren Spaun was my favorite pitcher when I was a kid. He also served in WWII. I am also a WWII buff - not so much the battles, but the reasons for the war, the strategies, why they worked and why they didn't and the impact the war had on most of the societies in the world. I believe the war changed more things than any other event in history. Don't get me started or I will bore everyone to tears.

[elsid13]

They've done a great job with Fenway with all the seats they've added and fan-friendly things around the park, but sitting in those seats is brutal.

Replacing Fenway was a hot topic a few years ago before the current management group bought the team. Before, Frank McCourt was involved (he now owns the Dodgers) because he owns a lot of property on the water in South Boston and the plan was to get him part ownership in the Sox and use his land to make an east coast version of Pac Bell.

But the "Save Fenway" crowd went bonkers and it fizzled for bit.

Fenway is not an easy place to get to and it'd be great to have it more accessible, but I'm an old bastard so I'm torn on the issue.


Everytime I go there I always miss the damn exit. Have you sat on the Monster yet?

[PatsWin2002]

Everytime I go there I always miss the damn exit. Have you sat on the Monster yet?

What you're asking is: "Have you ever been given free tickets in the Monster Seats?"

Unfortunately, the answer is no.

I can't afford Sox tickets......and with beer and parking and such it gets way too expensive.

[elsid13]

What you're asking is: "Have you ever been given free tickets in the Monster Seats?"

Unfortunately, the answer is no.

I can't afford Sox tickets......and with beer and parking and such it gets way too expensive.


I understand I make the trip to Fenway once every couple of years, my uncle went to school with local sports reporter, so he was has excellent seats on the first or third base line. Next time I'm up there I think about spending the money and try to get real good seats, until then it REMDOG on cable.