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Lynx Stadium is a 10,300 seat facility right in the City of Ottawa, just a couple of miles
from Canada's Parliament and seat of government. Located just off of Autoroute 417
and the Vanier Parkway, access to the stadium is easy, and plenty of surface parking
outside.
The neighborhood around the ballpark is basically nothing more than an office park, a
shopping center and a couple hotels... this ballpark was erected prior to the 90s wave
of new construction, and what you have here is a somewhat unique design - a tan and
silver exterior, with a signature glass atrium directly behind home plate, and small yet
functional entries which enter into a single concourse. Behind home plate is a team
merchandise store, and at left field is a picnic area set on a grassy knoll, complete
with umbrella tables and a charcoal grill offering such treats as fresh grilled chicken
sandwiches.
The seating bowl is single deck, with a center aisle separating upper and lower
seating areas. About 25 suites are situated along two levels. One of the coolest
amenities here is the Upper Deck restaurant. Located on the the third level, the facility
is open before and during the games, with tables overlooking the field and a full length
bar running across the length of the facility. There is also a cool exhibit in the waiting
area here which showcases all the franchises in the Montreal Expos system.
Cool things near the ballpark - Allot some time to visit the Parliament and tour the
grounds of Canada's government complex. Lots of history and heritage to absorb and
enjoy. For restaurants and nightlife, go to the Market District, Ottawa's hopping
neighborhood. And don't forget to bone up on your french - this is clearly a bilingual city.
Worst thing about coming here - Where are the fans? $8.50/$6.50 per ticket and $2 to
park, and that's in Canadian dollars, yet this team is teetering on finding another home
if fan support doesn't improve. Get with the program, Ottawa!
USRT VISIT: July, 2002
from Canada's Parliament and seat of government. Located just off of Autoroute 417
and the Vanier Parkway, access to the stadium is easy, and plenty of surface parking
outside.
The neighborhood around the ballpark is basically nothing more than an office park, a
shopping center and a couple hotels... this ballpark was erected prior to the 90s wave
of new construction, and what you have here is a somewhat unique design - a tan and
silver exterior, with a signature glass atrium directly behind home plate, and small yet
functional entries which enter into a single concourse. Behind home plate is a team
merchandise store, and at left field is a picnic area set on a grassy knoll, complete
with umbrella tables and a charcoal grill offering such treats as fresh grilled chicken
sandwiches.
The seating bowl is single deck, with a center aisle separating upper and lower
seating areas. About 25 suites are situated along two levels. One of the coolest
amenities here is the Upper Deck restaurant. Located on the the third level, the facility
is open before and during the games, with tables overlooking the field and a full length
bar running across the length of the facility. There is also a cool exhibit in the waiting
area here which showcases all the franchises in the Montreal Expos system.
Cool things near the ballpark - Allot some time to visit the Parliament and tour the
grounds of Canada's government complex. Lots of history and heritage to absorb and
enjoy. For restaurants and nightlife, go to the Market District, Ottawa's hopping
neighborhood. And don't forget to bone up on your french - this is clearly a bilingual city.
Worst thing about coming here - Where are the fans? $8.50/$6.50 per ticket and $2 to
park, and that's in Canadian dollars, yet this team is teetering on finding another home
if fan support doesn't improve. Get with the program, Ottawa!
USRT VISIT: July, 2002
Located in Moosic, Pennsylvania, halfway between Scranton and Wilkes Barre, the
formerly named Lackawanna County Stadium opened its doors in 1989 as a publicly
funded venue. With the opening of the stadium, AAA baseball came to this area for the
first time, with the relocation of the Maine Phillies. With the parent club just 120 miles
to the south, this has been a natural fit, although now they have teamed up with the
New York Yankees and that has been very well received by the fans.
Getting here is simple, or so it seems. Exit I-81 at Montage Mountain Road (exit 182A)
and it is a 1/2 mile drive to the stadium. But this is a tight, two lane highway which
undoubtedly gets pretty snarled when stadium traffic comes into play, so allow enough
time getting here.
Pull into the lots, and the grounds are nestled in a hillside setting. One look at the
venue, and you see that this is not as "field". It is not a "ballpark". It is a stadium, a
large concrete and steel monolith with plenty of ramps and beams making up its
facade.
Seating almost 12,000, the bowl is divided into three decks - lower seats are green,
the suite deck is blue and the upper deck is orange. The orange upper deck has to
have one of the steepest pitches we have seen anywhere, and the view from the top is
arguably the highest in the International League. At right and left center are two
scoreboards - a dot matrix board and a video board. Covering the right field bullpen is
a party deck, which is such a popular viewing area that they are considering adding a
similar deck above the left field pen. By the way... astroturf field... uggghhh!
Concourses here are pretty dank and drab, even the suite concourse which is totally
devoid of any decor or amenities. But there is one very nice area in this venue, and that
is the Stadium Club restaurant down the right field line. This climate enclosed
restaurant is open to the public, and has table and rail seating with a great view of the
field, and a moderately priced menu. Lots of TV's, mahogany walls and baseball
memorabilia. All in a very elegant setting.
Notable food item - They prepare the sizzling kielbasa freshly grilled at the first base
stands, and the pleasant smells waft through the halls.
USRT VISIT: May, 2003
formerly named Lackawanna County Stadium opened its doors in 1989 as a publicly
funded venue. With the opening of the stadium, AAA baseball came to this area for the
first time, with the relocation of the Maine Phillies. With the parent club just 120 miles
to the south, this has been a natural fit, although now they have teamed up with the
New York Yankees and that has been very well received by the fans.
Getting here is simple, or so it seems. Exit I-81 at Montage Mountain Road (exit 182A)
and it is a 1/2 mile drive to the stadium. But this is a tight, two lane highway which
undoubtedly gets pretty snarled when stadium traffic comes into play, so allow enough
time getting here.
Pull into the lots, and the grounds are nestled in a hillside setting. One look at the
venue, and you see that this is not as "field". It is not a "ballpark". It is a stadium, a
large concrete and steel monolith with plenty of ramps and beams making up its
facade.
Seating almost 12,000, the bowl is divided into three decks - lower seats are green,
the suite deck is blue and the upper deck is orange. The orange upper deck has to
have one of the steepest pitches we have seen anywhere, and the view from the top is
arguably the highest in the International League. At right and left center are two
scoreboards - a dot matrix board and a video board. Covering the right field bullpen is
a party deck, which is such a popular viewing area that they are considering adding a
similar deck above the left field pen. By the way... astroturf field... uggghhh!
Concourses here are pretty dank and drab, even the suite concourse which is totally
devoid of any decor or amenities. But there is one very nice area in this venue, and that
is the Stadium Club restaurant down the right field line. This climate enclosed
restaurant is open to the public, and has table and rail seating with a great view of the
field, and a moderately priced menu. Lots of TV's, mahogany walls and baseball
memorabilia. All in a very elegant setting.
Notable food item - They prepare the sizzling kielbasa freshly grilled at the first base
stands, and the pleasant smells waft through the halls.
USRT VISIT: May, 2003
When this ballpark opened in 1988, the baseball world was dazzled by the trend
setting architecture and beauty of this place. Forget Camden Yards, THIS was the
prototype of the retro ballpark which would become a design staple over the next
decade. Fans came in droves (1 MM+ attendance the first five seasons) and for a while
Buffalo was a leading candidate for a MLB expansion team.
Today Dunn Tire Park, located in downtown Buffalo, still shines and looks imposing
from a distance, but for a AAA park, lacks the intimacy of its peer venues and has been
surpassed in terms of design and amenities by the ballparks that have opened since.
But new renovations and upgrades have been made to reclaim its stature as one of
the jewels of the minor leagues!
When the house is packed, this place has all the feel of a big league ballpark. There
are separate concourses for the main level and the club level, with suites located
upstairs. Specialty food stands can be found behind the home plate area and a small
team store is located on the third base side. On the first base side above the main
level is an enclosed restaurant called Pettibones, very plush and nicely decorated but
not the best panoramic view of the ballpark.
Some much needed renovations to shrink capacity and add more fan amenities have
been completed in time for the 2004 season. Capacity has been reduced to 18,150
seats, still big by AAA standards. A new four tiered party deck called "Heron's Landing"
is open in right field, and along with a party tent area and grass seating berm, is the
place to hang out at this venue
Notable food item - Try the fried bologna peppers and onions sandwich served on an
egg roll. The Red Osier roast beef on weck is pretty good as well.
Cool things to do - on Friday nights the tent party behind centerfield is the place to be.
Chippewa St is the cool bar district about 8 blocks away. Catch the rapid transit (free
fare) to the Theatre Station and you are there.
USRT VISIT: May, 1998 (and many times since - we are regulars!)
setting architecture and beauty of this place. Forget Camden Yards, THIS was the
prototype of the retro ballpark which would become a design staple over the next
decade. Fans came in droves (1 MM+ attendance the first five seasons) and for a while
Buffalo was a leading candidate for a MLB expansion team.
Today Dunn Tire Park, located in downtown Buffalo, still shines and looks imposing
from a distance, but for a AAA park, lacks the intimacy of its peer venues and has been
surpassed in terms of design and amenities by the ballparks that have opened since.
But new renovations and upgrades have been made to reclaim its stature as one of
the jewels of the minor leagues!
When the house is packed, this place has all the feel of a big league ballpark. There
are separate concourses for the main level and the club level, with suites located
upstairs. Specialty food stands can be found behind the home plate area and a small
team store is located on the third base side. On the first base side above the main
level is an enclosed restaurant called Pettibones, very plush and nicely decorated but
not the best panoramic view of the ballpark.
Some much needed renovations to shrink capacity and add more fan amenities have
been completed in time for the 2004 season. Capacity has been reduced to 18,150
seats, still big by AAA standards. A new four tiered party deck called "Heron's Landing"
is open in right field, and along with a party tent area and grass seating berm, is the
place to hang out at this venue
Notable food item - Try the fried bologna peppers and onions sandwich served on an
egg roll. The Red Osier roast beef on weck is pretty good as well.
Cool things to do - on Friday nights the tent party behind centerfield is the place to be.
Chippewa St is the cool bar district about 8 blocks away. Catch the rapid transit (free
fare) to the Theatre Station and you are there.
USRT VISIT: May, 1998 (and many times since - we are regulars!)
Here is yet another city with a long and rich baseball tradition... and a community
owned and run baseball team... and a new stadium downtown, built to replace the
aging Silver Stadium, which was located in a neighborhood on the north side of town.
Frontier Field is a jewel... yes the traditional red brick facade/kelly green seat/wrought
iron gate formula, but so what! Here you have a good downtown location with easy
access off the interstate, a splendid view of the downtown skyline, and train tracks just
beyond right field where trains sail through during the game from time to time... really
adds to the ambience!
The concourse here does not have a view of the field, but a large open area behind
home plate serves as kind of a cool meeting spot, and there is plenty of room to move
around. The second level is a carpeted and climate controlled suite level with access
to a first base party deck.
Notable food item - This venue has awesome concessions! ...The best is the Red
Osier roast beef sandwich stand on the thrid base side. Also try the gourmet pretzels
and black angus steak and cheese sandwiches. The white hots are a unique
Rochester delicacy.
In game entertainment - Yes that is a real organ and longtime organist Fred Costello
performing for the fans.
USRT VISIT: August, 1998 (and many times since - we are regulars!)
owned and run baseball team... and a new stadium downtown, built to replace the
aging Silver Stadium, which was located in a neighborhood on the north side of town.
Frontier Field is a jewel... yes the traditional red brick facade/kelly green seat/wrought
iron gate formula, but so what! Here you have a good downtown location with easy
access off the interstate, a splendid view of the downtown skyline, and train tracks just
beyond right field where trains sail through during the game from time to time... really
adds to the ambience!
The concourse here does not have a view of the field, but a large open area behind
home plate serves as kind of a cool meeting spot, and there is plenty of room to move
around. The second level is a carpeted and climate controlled suite level with access
to a first base party deck.
Notable food item - This venue has awesome concessions! ...The best is the Red
Osier roast beef sandwich stand on the thrid base side. Also try the gourmet pretzels
and black angus steak and cheese sandwiches. The white hots are a unique
Rochester delicacy.
In game entertainment - Yes that is a real organ and longtime organist Fred Costello
performing for the fans.
USRT VISIT: August, 1998 (and many times since - we are regulars!)
MacArthur Stadium served as the team's home since the 30s, but was really in need of
replacement, so where better to build the new venue than right in the parking lot of the
old one! And indeed ,Alliance Bank Stadium (formerly named P&C Stadium) opened
its doors in 1997, a few miles north of downtown Syracuse and close to the Carousel
Center mall.
With a cupola style main entrance, two decks of blue seating, a restaurant down the
right field line (named after Skychiefs great Hank Sauer), a main concourse with a view
of the field, this place offer alot in terms of ambience and fan comforts. The grounds
here are nicely landscaped, but other than large parking areas, there is little
surrounding this venue, and even the nearby Carousel Center is a drive rather than a
walk away.
In right field is a hand operated out of town scoreboard... very cool. And the field is
astroturf, a la parent club Blue Jays... not cool.
Notable food item - varied food menu with a couple notables - the pizza twist pretzel
and jalapeno pretzel; also try the pulled pork sandwich with salt potatoes
A bridge to the past - Interestingly, they did keep the old light towers from MacArthur
Stadium and the structures bear a slight resemblance to oil derricks.
USRT VISIT: July, 1998
replacement, so where better to build the new venue than right in the parking lot of the
old one! And indeed ,Alliance Bank Stadium (formerly named P&C Stadium) opened
its doors in 1997, a few miles north of downtown Syracuse and close to the Carousel
Center mall.
With a cupola style main entrance, two decks of blue seating, a restaurant down the
right field line (named after Skychiefs great Hank Sauer), a main concourse with a view
of the field, this place offer alot in terms of ambience and fan comforts. The grounds
here are nicely landscaped, but other than large parking areas, there is little
surrounding this venue, and even the nearby Carousel Center is a drive rather than a
walk away.
In right field is a hand operated out of town scoreboard... very cool. And the field is
astroturf, a la parent club Blue Jays... not cool.
Notable food item - varied food menu with a couple notables - the pizza twist pretzel
and jalapeno pretzel; also try the pulled pork sandwich with salt potatoes
A bridge to the past - Interestingly, they did keep the old light towers from MacArthur
Stadium and the structures bear a slight resemblance to oil derricks.
USRT VISIT: July, 1998
Want to see a prototype of how to take an old ballpark and renovate it the right way?
Then check out Pawtucket's venue, McCoy Stadium, home of the Pawtucket Red Sox.
They built this stadium in the 40s, and a recent remodeling project has given this
venue a signature entrance, an attractive seating bowl with high pitch and superb
sightlines, nice fan amenities including lawn seating and picnic areas and a
jumbotron video board. Yet in true minor league fashion ads line the outfield walls.
Murals of Pawsox greats adorn the circular ramps leading upstairs, and great exhibits
and memorabilia can be found on the walls of the ground level concourse. Nothing
drab, run down or shabby about this place. A fresh and sparkling ballpark with the feel
of a new stadium.
Unique way to grab an autograph - In an interesting twist, all the suites are located at
field level, and with the high wall youngsters drop fishing lines with their cards and
balls down to the players to solicit autographs.
Notable food item - Parking here is plentiful and free, but the food selection is pretty
ordinary.
USRT VISIT: August, 2003
Then check out Pawtucket's venue, McCoy Stadium, home of the Pawtucket Red Sox.
They built this stadium in the 40s, and a recent remodeling project has given this
venue a signature entrance, an attractive seating bowl with high pitch and superb
sightlines, nice fan amenities including lawn seating and picnic areas and a
jumbotron video board. Yet in true minor league fashion ads line the outfield walls.
Murals of Pawsox greats adorn the circular ramps leading upstairs, and great exhibits
and memorabilia can be found on the walls of the ground level concourse. Nothing
drab, run down or shabby about this place. A fresh and sparkling ballpark with the feel
of a new stadium.
Unique way to grab an autograph - In an interesting twist, all the suites are located at
field level, and with the high wall youngsters drop fishing lines with their cards and
balls down to the players to solicit autographs.
Notable food item - Parking here is plentiful and free, but the food selection is pretty
ordinary.
USRT VISIT: August, 2003
| North Division |
IL
VENUES
NOW
GONE:
LYNX
STADIUM
Ottawa,
Ontario
Ottawa
Lynx
(Team
relocated to
Lehigh Valley
effective 2008
season)
VENUES
NOW
GONE:
LYNX
STADIUM
Ottawa,
Ontario
Ottawa
Lynx
(Team
relocated to
Lehigh Valley
effective 2008
season)
PNC FIELD
Moosic,
Pennsylvania
Scranton/
Wilkes-Barre
Yankees
Moosic,
Pennsylvania
Scranton/
Wilkes-Barre
Yankees
DUNN
TIRE
PARK
Buffalo,
New York
Buffalo
Bisons
TIRE
PARK
Buffalo,
New York
Buffalo
Bisons
FRONTIER
FIELD
Rochester,
New York
Rochester
Red Wings
FIELD
Rochester,
New York
Rochester
Red Wings
ALLIANCE
BANK
STADIUM
Syracuse,
New York
Syracuse
Chiefs
BANK
STADIUM
Syracuse,
New York
Syracuse
Chiefs
MCCOY
STADIUM
Pawtucket,
Rhode
Island
Pawtucket
Red Sox
STADIUM
Pawtucket,
Rhode
Island
Pawtucket
Red Sox
| International League |
The newest team in the International League also built themselves a brand new
ballpark, and Coca Cola Park is a great place to enjoy the game of baseball. With fixed
seating of 8100 seats and berm and standing room areas bringing capacity to 10,000,
there are many different ways to watch a game here - a left field corner tiered picnic
table area comes with an "all you can eat" buffet; dugout suites are perched just 53
feet away from home plate. A nicely appointed club level has a bar right above home
plate with a fantastic view of the field.
Coca Cola Park also boats of having the largest scoreboard in the minor leagues. The
massive HD board is crowned by a large Coca Cola bottle, which pop ope and shoots
out a fireworks salute every time the home team plates a run.
The Iron Pigs are based in Allentown, but also claim the neighboring cities of Easton
and Bethlehem as part of their regional footprint. Fans are filling this place in droves,
packing the stadium on most nights, and shouting out their "oinks" to help rally their
team. All in all, this is one fun place to enjoy experiencing a game.
USRT VISIT: June, 2008
ballpark, and Coca Cola Park is a great place to enjoy the game of baseball. With fixed
seating of 8100 seats and berm and standing room areas bringing capacity to 10,000,
there are many different ways to watch a game here - a left field corner tiered picnic
table area comes with an "all you can eat" buffet; dugout suites are perched just 53
feet away from home plate. A nicely appointed club level has a bar right above home
plate with a fantastic view of the field.
Coca Cola Park also boats of having the largest scoreboard in the minor leagues. The
massive HD board is crowned by a large Coca Cola bottle, which pop ope and shoots
out a fireworks salute every time the home team plates a run.
The Iron Pigs are based in Allentown, but also claim the neighboring cities of Easton
and Bethlehem as part of their regional footprint. Fans are filling this place in droves,
packing the stadium on most nights, and shouting out their "oinks" to help rally their
team. All in all, this is one fun place to enjoy experiencing a game.
USRT VISIT: June, 2008
COCA COLA
PARK
Allentown,
Pennsylvania
Lehigh Valley
Iron Pigs
PARK
Allentown,
Pennsylvania
Lehigh Valley
Iron Pigs
