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May 20, 2009
Yanks exec: We're "trying to fix" stadium
Criticism of, or at least acknowledgment of flaws with, the new Yankee Stadium from an unexpected source yesterday: Yankees senior VP Felix Lopez told WCBS radio yesterday, according to a listener transcription: "There are a lot of things wrong with this building we're trying to fix. With the help of the fans and the media, we're looking into everything." That'd be the first time any Yankee official has admitted there are problems with their new $2 billion building — and also a rare media appearance for Lopez, who is George Steinbrenner's son-in-law. (No, not that son-in-law. Married to the same Steinbrenner daughter, though.) This has River Avenue Blues wondering if Randy Levine and Lonn Trost's power is on the wane. Ah, Kremlinology, how we've missed you.
Bloomberg News, meanwhile, is already looking past this stadium to the next one:
The next Yankee Stadium probably will be smaller, domed and have holograms of such players as Babe Ruth walking around the concourse pitching hot dogs and T- shirts.
Added Ripken Management projects director Jim Arnold: "This experience is going to be about over-stimulating the senses. Bigger and brighter video boards, flashy signage, luxury seating with televisions offering multiple camera angles and in-seat ordering." "Going to be"?
Could you post the words of the interview? I'd be curious as to what they said.
I was just at the new place on Monday night. Absolutely hated it.
Posted by nyrmetros on May 20, 2009 09:03 AM
That's the only quote that's been published, unfortunately. Still trying to find someone who actually heard the whole thing, or better yet, an archive.
What was your experience of the new place?
Posted by Neil on May 20, 2009 09:17 AM
Neil, I felt like I was in bazarro world. The upper deck is atrocious, the way the upper tier and lower tier is seperated. The hiding of the right field bleachers with rich "bleachers" in front of them. The morgue like setting of monument park.... don't most parks have greenery? $9 bud light bottles? $19 to park a car in a grarage that no longer accepts cash payment? The concrete on the ramps of the stadium are already cracking all over. I never understood why people buy tickets to a game, and then go to the bar at the stadium to watch the game on tv. wtf. The upper tier was lifless and noise does not carry at this stadium compared to the good place. I thought the Yankees musuem was in a terrible location. That should be above monument park. I am happy that the food at the new place is edible, but $14 for a turkey sandwhich that's $5 across the street in a bodega is criminal. The place just smelled like "just empty your wallet and shut up". I have more if you want to hear it at some point.
Posted by nyrmetros on May 20, 2009 11:04 AM
The first thing I noticed when I walked in for the first game vs the Cubs was the smell of...cinnabuns. That's just not right. This place sucks.
Posted by Steve on May 20, 2009 02:19 PM
The first thing I noticed when I walked in for the first game vs the Cubs was the smell of...cinnabuns. That's just not right. This place sucks.
Posted by Steve on May 20, 2009 02:19 PM
How did the pricetag go up from $1.5 billion to $2 billion? Is that including infrastructure improvements?
Also, small concrete cracks on the floor are not unusual with any new construction as it settles in.
That being said - I've been to 16 MLB parks and I can't say I'm too excited to go to this one. Cinnabuns? I can go to the local strip mall for that experience.
Posted by Greg on May 20, 2009 09:57 PM
Yes, that's $2 billion with garages and land/infrastructure. Sorry, should have gone with my original, less confusing impulse, which was "umpteen-zillion."
Posted by Neil on May 20, 2009 11:03 PM
And we wonder why New York State has such a big budget debt. With that said, Bloomberg News forcasts the new stadium complete with the Babe hawking hot dogs? At least Camden Yards has more history than the new stadium. Rumor has it that he was born in the outfield of that ballpark and played sandlot ball in the seats down the first baseline. However, the new stadium is a monument to the Yankees past and despite the locations of the museum and Monument Park, the real highlight is the Great Hall.
Posted by Jessy S. on May 22, 2009 01:26 AM