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What About Bob?
© 2002
by Darryl Musick
From a distance, you may be excused if you think this is just another hangar at nearby Sky Harbor Airport. Up close, it still looks like a big hangar but functionality is the name of the game here in the extreme Phoenix heat. But this is no aircraft storage facility. The huge concrete box in downtown Phoenix is home to the world champions.
Bank One Ballpark resides in what real estate agents euphemistically call a "neighborhood in transition"...translation: it used to be a slum. The neighborhood is turning around some and the plaza separating the BOB (a much easier, friendlier, and less corporate nickname for the park) and its neighbor, America West Arena, is a fun and lively place when games are on.
Inside, the huge hangar turns cavernous. 49,000 fans can sit in semi-air conditioned comfort around the throwback field. It's semi-air conditioned because the massive A/C system can only cool about 90% of the stadium at any given time. When temperatures drop, music worthy of Wagner booms throughout the stadium and the great slabs of roof slowly roll back to reveal the heavens. Yeah, I know, I could just say that they open up the roof, but with the production they make of it, that's how it feels.
I know my description above makes it look like a hideous monstrosity, but the BOB is actually a pretty nice stadium, especially when you're inside of it.
Because the roof opens up, natural grass can grow here although a special hybrid had to be used for the limited amount of sunlight it gets. There's also a dirt path leading from the pitcher's mound to home plate. Why? Simply because that's how old ball parks used to be.
The BOB also has a unique feature that no other major league park can boast...a swimming pool. That's right. For only $5,250 a game, you and 34 of your closest friends can spend the game in wet comfort. I should point out that price includes free parking, use of the locker/shower room (no, not the team locker room), and a souvenir towel and sandals are provided to each guest. Catering is available but is not included in the price. The pool suite is fully accessible with roll-in showers, ramps and even a hydraulic lift to get disabled guests in the water. Besides a pool, there is a hot tub and giant water cannons erupt whenever a Diamondback hits a home run.
Play here is spirited. They are the world champion, Yankee beating Diamondbacks, after all with the Big Unit and Curt Schilling pitching for them. Since they are the champs, the place is also usually packed. Tickets can be a bargain, though, with prices starting at just one dollar.
Wheelchair locations abound throughout the stadium and are pretty protected from interlopers (a problem at both Edison Field and Dodger Stadium's cheap accessible seats). For $10, we sat in the right field directly adjacent to the pool suite. You either loved this location like I did (only a thin chain link fence separates you from right field...it feels like you're right on the grass...and you can actually chat with the players in the visiting bull pen) or hate it like my wife did (couldn't get over the fact that you had to look through the chain link fence to see the action).
Our Right-Field Seats
We also had access to the pool suite's locker/shower room and could even use the roll-in shower if we wanted. There were only about ten other people in this area so it almost felt like a suite.
Food and drink here are expensive throughout except for Garcia's which had a very reasonable taco platter for less than $4. A large indoor parking structure with adequate handicapped parking is located across the street.
STADIUM FACTS:
Tenants: Arizona Diamondbacks
Year Opened: 1998
Capacity: 49,033
Surface: Grass
Accessible via Public Transit: Yes
Box Office Phone: (602) 514-8400
HANDY LINKS:
Arizona Diamonbacks: arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com
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