![]() On the other hand, the standing-room section behind home plate is great and the WPA-style murals of Wisconsin industry behind home plate are very, very nice. And let's say it right now: The new prerequisite for any recently built ballpark is being able to walk around the entire stadium and see the game from any and every spot. The new Bernie's Dugout is overdone and sterile - all he does is slide onto a platform - which is a feeling that carries over into some other areas of the stadium (did Brewers fans really want a couple restaurants so they could sit inside and drink beer while watching the game?). The old one was so kitschy even opposing fans rooted for a Milwaukee homer just so they could see Bernie slide down into a giant stein of beer. I don't like the corporate feel to Bernie Brewer's new chalet, either. But like Arizona's stadium, it just feels like you're still indoors even when the roof is open. I'm sure it's nice in April, when night game conditions are roughly the same as Shackleton experienced in Antarctica. Interior architecture: I'm still not sure about that roof. The long walk from the parking lot is good exercise after downing four brats.ģ. The nearby plaque would have been sufficient). (The statue memorializing the workers who died during the construction is a little creepy, though. On the other hand, the youth league field situated just outside the stadium is a nice touch, as are the statues of Hank Aaron and Robin Yount. You walk in and expect to hear, "American Airlines regrets to announce that Flight 714 for Detroit will be delayed two hours due to a mechanical problem." Exterior architecture: With the western windows stretching 300-some feet stories to the roof, the stadium looks more like the terminal at LaGuardia airport than a baseball stadium. After the tailgate party, you need the exercise to sweat out the beer, work off the calories and regain your appetite for more inside. You have to walk across a bridge over a river and then walk some more before you reach the stadium. You can park somewhat close for $12 but the $6 general parking lot is almost in Racine. Warning to the lazy: The parking is more expensive than it should be. For now though, the best way to reach the stadium is get into the car and follow the aroma of the grilled brats. Access: In time, you'll be able to walk or cycle from downtown along the Hank Aaron State Trail, which will be about seven miles long or almost as long as one of the Hammer's tape-measure shots. Given their current state, you might be tempted to spend the entire game outside Miller Park.ġ. I've gone to Brewers games where we didn't even go inside the stadium until the fifth inning.Īnd that was when the Brewers were mildly competitive. Tailgating is a Milwaukee tradition that's as important as the game itself. Every game, thousands of fans make the easy drive west of downtown, park their cars, fire up the barbecue grills and pop open the beer for a public party so large that I'm surprised David Wells doesn't insist on a trade to Milwaukee.īaseball never smells so good as it does in the Milwaukee parking lot. ![]() These are parking lots so large that they literally have their own concession stands and restrooms. Wisconsin is the tailgate capital of the world and when the Brewers tore down wonderful old County Stadium, they at least preserved that tailgate tradition with parking lots that cover multiple time zones. Regardless of the expense though, the best part of the stadium is what lies outside its walls: the spacious parking lots that host tailgate parties whose delicious aromas carry all the way to Montana. Its roof rises 300 feet above the ground, weighs 12,000 tons, covers 10½ acres, can withstand 12 feet of snow and closes in 10 minutes. ![]() MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee's new stadium cost $400 million, a political career and sadly, the lives of three construction workers. for a tailgateĮditor's Note: This is the 22nd report card in 's summerlong series rating all 30 ballparks in Major League Baseball. ![]()
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