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 Dodger Stadium
Los Angeles,
CA
After more than
45
years of existence, Dodger Stadium remains one of the best ballparks
in the country. Originally located in Brooklyn, Dodgers owner Walter
O'Malley began lobbying for a new stadium to be built for his club,
even though
Ebbets Field was still in excellent shape. After a deal could
not be completed to build a stadium, the Dodgers along with the
Giants moved to California after the 1957 season. With the move to Los Angeles from
Brooklyn, a new stadium for the Dodgers was built. In September
1957, Los Angeles agreed to exchange 300 acres of land in Chavez
Ravine to the Dodgers in return for the Dodgers’ commitment to build
a 50,000-seat stadium. Construction began on September 17,
1959. While
Dodger Stadium was being constructed the Dodgers played
at the
L.A. Coliseum. Dodger Stadium was suppose to
been completed by
1961, but lawsuits and landslides pushed the opening ahead one year
later. Opening day at Dodger Stadium was on April 10, 1962 when
52,564 fans packed the five level multicolored structure. The Los
Angeles (Anaheim) Angels also began playing at Dodger Stadium in
1962, playing there until 1965. Dodger Stadium was designed to be
expandable to seat 85,000 people. However, the Dodgers never
expanded their home. Also in the original plans of the stadium was a
picturesque fountain in center field in which vari-colored
spotlights would have played on the cascading waters if a Dodger
player had hit a homerun.
Dodger Stadium, just
miles away from downtown Los Angeles, is located in the valley of
Chavez Ravine. The stadium is built into the hillside with massive
parking lots surrounding the Dodgers home. Upon entering Dodger
Stadium, fans encounter a massive stadium with stunning views. Four of the five seating decks stretch from
foul pole to foul pole at Dodger Stadium. The top upper deck stretches from the first
base side to the third base side. A wavy top roof hangs over the
back of the bleachers that are located behind both left and right
field. Two scoreboards are above the bleachers. For more than three
decades there were few changed at Dodger Stadium. However in recent
years that has changed. After the 1999
season, new field level seats down the foul lines beyond the dugouts
and a new expanded dugout section, known as the Dugout Club, with an adjacent club area were
added. The luxury suites were also upgraded to provide the same
amenities that ones in newer ballparks provide. After the 2002 season, the Dodger installed a new video
board, DodgerVision replacing the previous one in
left field. Also new out of town scoreboards are now
incorporated as part of the outfield fence in left and right field.
More improvements to Dodger Stadium occurred after the 2004
season. These included the dugouts being pushed forward allowing for
several more rows of Dugout Club seats and additional seating down the foul lines. This project
added roughly 1,500 seats
to Dodger Stadium.
After the 2005 season, the Dodgers announced
plans to replace all the seats at Dodger Stadium. The seating bowl returned to
its original color that was at the stadium when it
opened, yellow, light orange, turquoise, and sky blue. Additionally,
box seating was added to the baseline area and the stadium bowl
concrete was repaired, resurfaced and refinished. This $20 million
renovation project also included the terrace picnic area that seats
500 people outside the Loge level seating entrance. In August 2007,
the Dodgers announced the next phase of renovations to Dodger
Stadium that widens the concourses and expands the number of
concession areas and restrooms. Before the 2008 season, renovations
were completed on the field level that included two new
Baseline Box Clubs. Renovation work to the upper level concourses
will begin in upcoming off-seasons. In April 2008 the Dodgers
announced plans that will
bring the most
modern amenities to
fans while preserving the tradition of Dodger Stadium and keep it
the team's home for the next 50 years. To be completed by 2012, this
project includes three main components: Dodger Way, Green Necklace
and Top of the Park. Dodger Way will include a tree lined
 entrance
leading to a landscaped garden plaza beyond centerfield where fans
can gather. This area will connect to restaurants, shops and a
Dodgers Experience Museum. Top of the Park will be an outdoor plaza
behind the top grandstand that will offer 360 degree views of Los
Angeles. The Green Necklace will connect Top of the Park and Dodger
Way. It will transform acres of parking lots into a landscaped
walkway to allow fans to walk around the exterior of Dodger Stadium
while remaining inside the stadium gates.
Since it has opened, Dodger Stadium has remained one of the
cleanest and nicest ballparks in the country. In 1978, the Dodgers
became the first team to draw three million fans to the ballpark. Every
off season, it is given a fresh coat of paint. Stepping into Dodger
Stadium today is almost like stepping into it as if it were 1962
again. The atmosphere found at Dodger Stadium is hard to beat
anywhere else in baseball and although it is more
than 45 years old, Dodger Stadium still ranks as one of MLB's
top ballparks.
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