| Citi Field Flushing, New York |
Tenants: New York Mets (2009-present)
Groundbreaking: November 13, 2006
1st National League Game: April 13, 2009
Surface: Natural Grass
Architect: HOK Sport
Cost: $900 million
Seating capacity: 41,800
Owner: New York Mets
Playing Field Dimensions:
LF foul line: 335 ft
Left Field alley: 384 ft
Center Field: 408 ft
Right Field alley: 378 ft
RF foul line: 330 ft
Outfield Wall height:
LF: 12 ft - 16 ft
CF: 11 ft - 16 ft
RF: 8 ft - 18 ft
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Groundbreaking: November 13, 2006
1st National League Game: April 13, 2009
Surface: Natural Grass
Architect: HOK Sport
Cost: $900 million
Seating capacity: 41,800
Owner: New York Mets
Playing Field Dimensions:
LF foul line: 335 ft
Left Field alley: 384 ft
Center Field: 408 ft
Right Field alley: 378 ft
RF foul line: 330 ft
Outfield Wall height:
LF: 12 ft - 16 ft
CF: 11 ft - 16 ft
RF: 8 ft - 18 ft
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Shortly before leaving office in December 2001, New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani announced "tentative agreements" for both the Mets and New
York Yankees to build new stadiums. Of $1.6 billion sought for the stadiums, city and state taxpayers would pick up half the tab for construction,
$800 million, along with $390 million on extra transportation. The plan also said that the teams would be allowed to keep all parking revenues, which
state officials had already said they wanted to keep to compensate the state for building new garages for the teams. The teams would keep 96% of
ticket revenues and 100% of all other revenues, not pay sales tax or property tax on the stadium, and would get low-cost electricity from New York
state.[6] Business officials criticized the plan as giving too much money to successful teams with little reason to move to a different city.
Michael Bloomberg, who succeeded Giuliani as mayor, exercised the escape clause in the agreements to back out of both deals, saying that the city
could not afford to build new stadiums for the Mets and Yankees. Bloomberg said that unbeknownst to him, Giuliani had inserted a clause in this
deal which loosened the teams' leases with the city and would allow the Mets and Yankees to leave the city on 60 days' notice to find a new home
elsewhere if the city backed out of the agreement. At the time, Bloomberg said that publicly funded stadiums were a poor investment. Under
Bloomberg, the New York City government would only offer public financing for infrastructure improvements; the teams would have to pay for the
stadium themselves. Bloomberg called the former mayor's agreements "corporate welfare." Giuliani had already been instrumental in the construction
of taxpayer-funded minor league baseball facilities KeySpan Park for the Mets' minor league Brooklyn Cyclones and Richmond County Bank Ballpark for
the Staten Island Yankees.
The original plans for what is now Citi Field were created as part of the New York City 2012 Olympic bid. It was originally supposed to have a
retractable roof. After plans for a West Side Stadium fell through, New York looked for an alternate stadium to host the opening and closing
ceremonies. The Olympic stadium project was estimated to cost $2.2 billion with $180 million provided by New York City and New York State. If New
York had won the bid, the stadium would have been expanded to host the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as other sporting events, while
the Mets would have played at Yankee Stadium in The Bronx for the 2012 season.
York Yankees to build new stadiums. Of $1.6 billion sought for the stadiums, city and state taxpayers would pick up half the tab for construction,
$800 million, along with $390 million on extra transportation. The plan also said that the teams would be allowed to keep all parking revenues, which
state officials had already said they wanted to keep to compensate the state for building new garages for the teams. The teams would keep 96% of
ticket revenues and 100% of all other revenues, not pay sales tax or property tax on the stadium, and would get low-cost electricity from New York
state.[6] Business officials criticized the plan as giving too much money to successful teams with little reason to move to a different city.
Michael Bloomberg, who succeeded Giuliani as mayor, exercised the escape clause in the agreements to back out of both deals, saying that the city
could not afford to build new stadiums for the Mets and Yankees. Bloomberg said that unbeknownst to him, Giuliani had inserted a clause in this
deal which loosened the teams' leases with the city and would allow the Mets and Yankees to leave the city on 60 days' notice to find a new home
elsewhere if the city backed out of the agreement. At the time, Bloomberg said that publicly funded stadiums were a poor investment. Under
Bloomberg, the New York City government would only offer public financing for infrastructure improvements; the teams would have to pay for the
stadium themselves. Bloomberg called the former mayor's agreements "corporate welfare." Giuliani had already been instrumental in the construction
of taxpayer-funded minor league baseball facilities KeySpan Park for the Mets' minor league Brooklyn Cyclones and Richmond County Bank Ballpark for
the Staten Island Yankees.
The original plans for what is now Citi Field were created as part of the New York City 2012 Olympic bid. It was originally supposed to have a
retractable roof. After plans for a West Side Stadium fell through, New York looked for an alternate stadium to host the opening and closing
ceremonies. The Olympic stadium project was estimated to cost $2.2 billion with $180 million provided by New York City and New York State. If New
York had won the bid, the stadium would have been expanded to host the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as other sporting events, while
the Mets would have played at Yankee Stadium in The Bronx for the 2012 season.
Construction
The projected cost of the new ballpark and other infrastructure improvements is $610 million, with the Mets picking up $420 million of that amount.
The agreement includes a 40-year lease that will keep the Mets in New York until 2049.
On March 18, 2006, the New York Mets unveiled the official model for the new ballpark. By July 2006, initial construction of the new park was
underway in the parking lot beyond left-field, with a projected finish ahead of Opening Day 2009 in late March.
As of April 13, 2008, all of the structure for the Jackie Robinson Rotunda was in place with the arched windows receiving their paneling and glass. By
August 2008, the New York Mets and Daktronics installed 12,000 square feet of integrated scoring and video boards throughout the stadium. By
September 2008, most of the Citi Field signage had been installed. By December 1, 2008, all of the seats and the playing field had been installed.
The projected cost of the new ballpark and other infrastructure improvements is $610 million, with the Mets picking up $420 million of that amount.
The agreement includes a 40-year lease that will keep the Mets in New York until 2049.
On March 18, 2006, the New York Mets unveiled the official model for the new ballpark. By July 2006, initial construction of the new park was
underway in the parking lot beyond left-field, with a projected finish ahead of Opening Day 2009 in late March.
As of April 13, 2008, all of the structure for the Jackie Robinson Rotunda was in place with the arched windows receiving their paneling and glass. By
August 2008, the New York Mets and Daktronics installed 12,000 square feet of integrated scoring and video boards throughout the stadium. By
September 2008, most of the Citi Field signage had been installed. By December 1, 2008, all of the seats and the playing field had been installed.
The ballpark has a capacity of 41,800plus additional standing room, over 15,000 fewer seats than Shea Stadium. The exterior facade is reminiscent of
Ebbets Field (which was long sought by Mets owner Fred Wilpon, a Brooklyn native). Citi Field's interior design is primarily influenced by PNC Park,
which was the favorite ballpark of Mets COO Jeff Wilpon. Other influences include Great American Ballpark, Coors Field and Citizens Bank Park. Shea
Stadium was the only ballpark in the Major Leagues to feature orange foul poles instead of the standard yellow, a unique characteristic that made
its way into Citi Field.
Similar to Shea Stadium, Citi Field's spacious field dimensions make it a pitcher friendly park. However unlike Shea's symmetrical layout, Citi Field
features several design quirks. While Shea's outfield fence had a uniform height of 8 feet, Citi Field's fence changes height several times, rising as
high as 16 feet in left field and 18 feet in right field, which features a three sided notch that houses the Modell's Clubhouse seating area.
During the first two games of a June series versus the Philadelphia Phillies, Chase Utley, the Phillies' second baseman, hit three home runs,
including a game winner, into the bulge near the right field foul pole. Later, at a June 26, 2009 game against the New York Yankees, Mets
broadcaster, Gary Cohen, referred to the area as "Utley's Corner". This nickname is largely resultant of Utley's compact swing which enables him, as a
lefty, to capitalize on the short dimensions near the right field corner and balls that might typically result in a fly out or base hit, are instead a home
run.
Delta Air Lines signed a multiyear deal on September 15, 2008, to sponsor an exclusive section in Citi Field. The Delta Sky360 Club is a
22,500-square-foot restaurant-cafe-bar-lounge complex that also houses 1,600 premium seats behind home plate stretching from dugout to dugout.
The Pepsi Porch in right field
The Pepsi Porch is a 1,284 seat area located in right field which extends over the playing field, and is inspired by Tiger Stadium's right field porch. A
37 foot by 89 foot Pepsi Cola sign, reminiscent of the one facing the Manhattan skyline in Long Island City, sits atop the Pepsi Porch.
Ebbets Field (which was long sought by Mets owner Fred Wilpon, a Brooklyn native). Citi Field's interior design is primarily influenced by PNC Park,
which was the favorite ballpark of Mets COO Jeff Wilpon. Other influences include Great American Ballpark, Coors Field and Citizens Bank Park. Shea
Stadium was the only ballpark in the Major Leagues to feature orange foul poles instead of the standard yellow, a unique characteristic that made
its way into Citi Field.
Similar to Shea Stadium, Citi Field's spacious field dimensions make it a pitcher friendly park. However unlike Shea's symmetrical layout, Citi Field
features several design quirks. While Shea's outfield fence had a uniform height of 8 feet, Citi Field's fence changes height several times, rising as
high as 16 feet in left field and 18 feet in right field, which features a three sided notch that houses the Modell's Clubhouse seating area.
During the first two games of a June series versus the Philadelphia Phillies, Chase Utley, the Phillies' second baseman, hit three home runs,
including a game winner, into the bulge near the right field foul pole. Later, at a June 26, 2009 game against the New York Yankees, Mets
broadcaster, Gary Cohen, referred to the area as "Utley's Corner". This nickname is largely resultant of Utley's compact swing which enables him, as a
lefty, to capitalize on the short dimensions near the right field corner and balls that might typically result in a fly out or base hit, are instead a home
run.
Delta Air Lines signed a multiyear deal on September 15, 2008, to sponsor an exclusive section in Citi Field. The Delta Sky360 Club is a
22,500-square-foot restaurant-cafe-bar-lounge complex that also houses 1,600 premium seats behind home plate stretching from dugout to dugout.
The Pepsi Porch in right field
The Pepsi Porch is a 1,284 seat area located in right field which extends over the playing field, and is inspired by Tiger Stadium's right field porch. A
37 foot by 89 foot Pepsi Cola sign, reminiscent of the one facing the Manhattan skyline in Long Island City, sits atop the Pepsi Porch.
Home Run Apple
Another tradition from Shea Stadium making an appearance in Citi Field is the Home Run Apple. When a Mets player hits a home run, the giant
apple, which has a Mets logo on the front that lights up, rises from its housing in the center field batter's eye. The new apple that has been
constructed for Citi Field is more than four times the size of the previous one and was designed by Minneapolis-based engineering firm
Uni-Systems). Shea's original apple is located inside Citi Field's bullpen entrance gate.
Amenities and facilities
Behind the center field scoreboard is the 2K Sports FanFest area, an expanded family entertainment area that includes a miniature wiffleball field
replica of Citi Field called Mr. Met's Kiddie Field, a batting cage, a dunk tank, video game kiosks and other attractions.
The Shake Shack and Blue Smoke concession stands at Taste of the City.
Citi Field offers a wide choice of eateries. Taste of the City is a food court located in the center field section of the ballpark. It is run by
restaurateurs Danny Meyer and Dave Pasternack and includes a variety of stands, including Shake Shack (burgers, fries, shakes), Blue Smoke
(barbecue), El Verano Taqueria (Mexican cuisine), Box Frites (Belgian french fries) and Catch of the Day (seafood). The World's Fare Market is
located on the field level and features sushi from Daruma of Tokyo and sandwiches and pastries from Mama's of Corona. Restaurants and clubs are
also available in every level of the ballpark. The 350-seat Acela Club, located in left field on the Excelsior Level, is the dining highlight of the new
park and features a full view of the playing field as well as food from Drew Nieporent's Myriad Restaurant Group, renowned for Nobu and Tribeca
Grill. Admission into the high-end luxury Acela and Delta clubs, and including the other semi-luxury clubs are exclusive to high-end ticket holders
only, and some restaurants enforce that reservations be made.
However, despite the modern amenities the stadium has not been without criticism. Most notable have been fan complaints of obstructed views,
as well as an overemphasis in the celebration of the Brooklyn Dodgers' legacy over the history of the Mets.
Another tradition from Shea Stadium making an appearance in Citi Field is the Home Run Apple. When a Mets player hits a home run, the giant
apple, which has a Mets logo on the front that lights up, rises from its housing in the center field batter's eye. The new apple that has been
constructed for Citi Field is more than four times the size of the previous one and was designed by Minneapolis-based engineering firm
Uni-Systems). Shea's original apple is located inside Citi Field's bullpen entrance gate.
Amenities and facilities
Behind the center field scoreboard is the 2K Sports FanFest area, an expanded family entertainment area that includes a miniature wiffleball field
replica of Citi Field called Mr. Met's Kiddie Field, a batting cage, a dunk tank, video game kiosks and other attractions.
The Shake Shack and Blue Smoke concession stands at Taste of the City.
Citi Field offers a wide choice of eateries. Taste of the City is a food court located in the center field section of the ballpark. It is run by
restaurateurs Danny Meyer and Dave Pasternack and includes a variety of stands, including Shake Shack (burgers, fries, shakes), Blue Smoke
(barbecue), El Verano Taqueria (Mexican cuisine), Box Frites (Belgian french fries) and Catch of the Day (seafood). The World's Fare Market is
located on the field level and features sushi from Daruma of Tokyo and sandwiches and pastries from Mama's of Corona. Restaurants and clubs are
also available in every level of the ballpark. The 350-seat Acela Club, located in left field on the Excelsior Level, is the dining highlight of the new
park and features a full view of the playing field as well as food from Drew Nieporent's Myriad Restaurant Group, renowned for Nobu and Tribeca
Grill. Admission into the high-end luxury Acela and Delta clubs, and including the other semi-luxury clubs are exclusive to high-end ticket holders
only, and some restaurants enforce that reservations be made.
However, despite the modern amenities the stadium has not been without criticism. Most notable have been fan complaints of obstructed views,
as well as an overemphasis in the celebration of the Brooklyn Dodgers' legacy over the history of the Mets.
| ------------------------------------------------------- Source credits MMIV www.ballparktour.com MMX |
Jackie Robinson Rotunda
The front entrance of Citi Field features a rotunda named after
Brooklyn Dodgers legend Jackie Robinson and honors his life and
accomplishments. Engraved into the rotunda’s 160-foot diameter
floor and etched into the archways are words and larger-than-life
images that defined Robinson’s nine values: Courage, Excellence,
Persistence, Justice, Teamwork, Commitment, Citizenship,
Determination and Integrity. Robinson’s famous quote:
“A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives,”
is engraved into the upper ring of the rotunda. There is also an 8
foot sculpture of Robinson's number 42. The formal dedication of
the Jackie Robinson Rotunda was held as part of Major League
Baseball's official celebration of Jackie Robinson Day on April 15,
2009.
The front entrance of Citi Field features a rotunda named after
Brooklyn Dodgers legend Jackie Robinson and honors his life and
accomplishments. Engraved into the rotunda’s 160-foot diameter
floor and etched into the archways are words and larger-than-life
images that defined Robinson’s nine values: Courage, Excellence,
Persistence, Justice, Teamwork, Commitment, Citizenship,
Determination and Integrity. Robinson’s famous quote:
“A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives,”
is engraved into the upper ring of the rotunda. There is also an 8
foot sculpture of Robinson's number 42. The formal dedication of
the Jackie Robinson Rotunda was held as part of Major League
Baseball's official celebration of Jackie Robinson Day on April 15,
2009.
On November 13, 2006, it was officially announced that the ballpark
would be called Citi Field, named for Citigroup Inc. Citigroup will be
paying $20 million a year for the naming rights to the park over the
next 20 years. This made Citi Field the second major league sports
venue in the area named for a corporate sponsor, (after Continental
Airlines Arena (now Izod Center) in the Meadowlands, but
preceding Prudential Center in Newark and the proposed Barclays
Center in Brooklyn), officially becoming the first in New York City
itself, aside from two minor league ballparks (KeySpan Park in
Brooklyn, and Richmond County Bank Ballpark in Staten Island). The
deal includes an option on both sides to extend the contract to 40
years, and is the most expensive sports-stadium naming rights
agreement ever, subsequently equaled by Barclays' $400 million deal
with the New Jersey Nets for their planned arena in Brooklyn.
At the groundbreaking for Citi Field, it was announced that the
main entrance, modeled on the one in Brooklyn's old Ebbets Field,
will be called the Jackie Robinson Rotunda, possibly due to
campaigns to forgo naming rights revenue and name the ballpark
after Robinson. The Mets are spending more than $600 million for
the new ballpark, which New York City and New York state are also
supporting with a total of $165 million for such costs as
infrastructure and site preparation. On February 24, 2008, the Mets
and Citigroup unveiled the new Citi Field logo
would be called Citi Field, named for Citigroup Inc. Citigroup will be
paying $20 million a year for the naming rights to the park over the
next 20 years. This made Citi Field the second major league sports
venue in the area named for a corporate sponsor, (after Continental
Airlines Arena (now Izod Center) in the Meadowlands, but
preceding Prudential Center in Newark and the proposed Barclays
Center in Brooklyn), officially becoming the first in New York City
itself, aside from two minor league ballparks (KeySpan Park in
Brooklyn, and Richmond County Bank Ballpark in Staten Island). The
deal includes an option on both sides to extend the contract to 40
years, and is the most expensive sports-stadium naming rights
agreement ever, subsequently equaled by Barclays' $400 million deal
with the New Jersey Nets for their planned arena in Brooklyn.
At the groundbreaking for Citi Field, it was announced that the
main entrance, modeled on the one in Brooklyn's old Ebbets Field,
will be called the Jackie Robinson Rotunda, possibly due to
campaigns to forgo naming rights revenue and name the ballpark
after Robinson. The Mets are spending more than $600 million for
the new ballpark, which New York City and New York state are also
supporting with a total of $165 million for such costs as
infrastructure and site preparation. On February 24, 2008, the Mets
and Citigroup unveiled the new Citi Field logo
Both Citigroup and the Mets maintain that the naming rights deal is secure, despite Citigroup's economic troubles. This deal has been criticized in
light of the economic crisis of 2008-2009 and the $45 billion of taxpayer funds allocated to Citigroup by the U.S. federal government in two separate
rescue packages, prompting New York City Council members Vincent Ignizio and James Oddo to suggest that the new ballpark be called
"Citi/Taxpayer Field." Congressman Elijah Cummings of Maryland, who serves on the United States House Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform, stated in regards to the Citi Field naming rights deal, "This type of spending is indefensible and unacceptable to Citigroup's new partner and
largest investor: the American taxpayer.... I strongly urge Citigroup to find a way out of this contract and instead spend that $400 million on
retaining its employees and restoring confidence in its operations." On January 29, 2009, congressmen Dennis Kucinich of Ohio and Ted Poe of Texas
sent a letter to United States Secretary of the Treasury Timothy F. Geithner urging him to scrap Citigroup's $400 million naming rights deal. "We
request that you intervene and demand that Citigroup dissolve the agreement they have with the New York Mets," reads the letter. "Absent this
outcome, we feel strongly that you should compel Citigroup to return immediately all federal monies received to date, as well as cancel all loan
guarantees." However, Geithner rejected congressional demands to cancel the naming rights deal.
The Wall Street Journal reported on February 3, 2009 that Citigroup considered breaking the naming rights deal. Citi has stated that no government
TARP funds would be used in the sponsorship deal.
light of the economic crisis of 2008-2009 and the $45 billion of taxpayer funds allocated to Citigroup by the U.S. federal government in two separate
rescue packages, prompting New York City Council members Vincent Ignizio and James Oddo to suggest that the new ballpark be called
"Citi/Taxpayer Field." Congressman Elijah Cummings of Maryland, who serves on the United States House Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform, stated in regards to the Citi Field naming rights deal, "This type of spending is indefensible and unacceptable to Citigroup's new partner and
largest investor: the American taxpayer.... I strongly urge Citigroup to find a way out of this contract and instead spend that $400 million on
retaining its employees and restoring confidence in its operations." On January 29, 2009, congressmen Dennis Kucinich of Ohio and Ted Poe of Texas
sent a letter to United States Secretary of the Treasury Timothy F. Geithner urging him to scrap Citigroup's $400 million naming rights deal. "We
request that you intervene and demand that Citigroup dissolve the agreement they have with the New York Mets," reads the letter. "Absent this
outcome, we feel strongly that you should compel Citigroup to return immediately all federal monies received to date, as well as cancel all loan
guarantees." However, Geithner rejected congressional demands to cancel the naming rights deal.
The Wall Street Journal reported on February 3, 2009 that Citigroup considered breaking the naming rights deal. Citi has stated that no government
TARP funds would be used in the sponsorship deal.
