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 Citizens Bank Park
Philadelphia, PA
After 30 years of playing at Veterans Stadium, the Philadelphia Phillies
began
a new chapter in their history in April 2004 with the opening of
Citizens Bank Park. Just as more than a dozen other MLB teams
have since 1991, the Phillies wanted a new ballpark built to
replace perhaps the worst stadium in the second half of the 20th
century, Veterans Stadium. By the late 1990s both the
Phillies and the Eagles (NFL) wanted new stadiums for
multiple reasons. Three sites were discussed for the Phillies new
ballpark: Chinatown, a downtown site known as Liberty Yards and a
site adjacent to Veterans Stadium. Both teams and the City
of Philadelphia agreed on a location, next to Veterans Stadium, and financial terms for new
stadiums in November 2000. City Council approved the agreement on
December 20, 2000. A 2% rental car tax, largely paid by visitors,
was the only tax increase needed to finance the ballpark. As part of the deal, the Phillies
paid for the construction overruns and maintain the
ballpark. Like every other team in baseball, the Phillies
sold the naming rights to Citizens Bank for $95 million over 25
years, thus getting the name Citizens Bank Park. The ballpark is located near the intersection of 10th Street and Pattison Avenue. The structure of the ballpark
is
formed by multi-story buildings that contain fan facilities,
team offices, and services that surround the grandstand bowl and
face 11th Street on the west, Pattison Avenue on the south and
Darien Street on the east. On the north, lower scaled buildings parallel Hartranft Street and create an open-air concourse.
At the four corners of the site, landscaped
entrance plazas open the park to the street. Each of these plazas
have a distinct character and focus.
The Philadelphia Phillies christened Citizens Bank Park on April 12, 2004 against the Cincinnati Reds.
The ballpark
has a capacity of 43,647 and consists of three
levels, the lower deck, a suite level, and the upper deck. The main
grandstand extends from the left field foul pole to homeplate,
to the right field foul pole, and into right center field. There is
a break in the upper deck along the first base side, allowing the
seating area to be closer to the field. Additional seating is located behind the left field fence.
One notable feature is the seating bowl, which has many angles,
similar to Shibe Park. The main scoreboard/video
board is located above these seats. Nearly 400 bleacher seats are
located on the roof of the outfield pavilion. Fans are able to see
the skyline of downtown Philadelphia from beyond the center field
fence. Split level bullpens are located in right center field.
Citizens
Bank Park has many amenities, including restaurants and a team
store.
When one of the
Phillies players hits a
homerun, fans are treated to a home run
celebration, the icon of Citizens Bank Park. A gigantic Liberty Bell
(50' high and 35' wide) accompanied by a Citizens Bank Park sign
is located in right-center field above the rooftop bleacher
seats. Towering 100 feet above street level, the Bell comes to
life after every Phillies home run. The Bell and clapper swing
side-to-side independently and its neon edges light up and
pulsate. The Bell's ring is heard throughout Citizens Bank
Park. Located in the outfield concourse area is Ashburn Alley.
This festive outdoor entertainment area in the Phillies Ballpark is
dedicated to Hall of Famer and former broadcaster Richie "Whitey"
Ashburn. Ashburn Alley features a street-fair type atmosphere
complete with picnic areas, family-fun amenities, treasured
Philadelphia moments in baseball, enhanced
 concessions
with plenty of Philadelphia flavor, clear views to the playing
field, and a special viewing area overlooking the bullpens. The
special area dedicated to Richie Ashburn spans 625 feet in length and totals
50,000 square feet. Four 10-foot tall bronze sculptures of Phillies
legends Steve Carlton, Richie
Ashburn, Mike Schmidt, and Robin Roberts are are also
located in this area. As an added treat, fans are able to enjoy
Ashburn Alley one
hour before the ballpark opens. After the 2005 season, 200 seats
were removed from the first two rows in left center field changing
the dimensions from 369ft. to 374ft.
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