Overview Of The Cincinnati Reds Stadium
Near the Scott Keever Cincinnati SEO office, there is a ballpark in Cincinnati that is dedicated to the major league baseball team the Cincinnati Reds. It is called the Great American Ball Park. This opened in the year 2003, a stadium that replaced Riverfront Stadium, also known as Cinergy Field. This is the primary location where the Reds had played since the 1970s, all the way up until 2002. The name of the park is actually a derivative of the Great American Insurance Group. Similar to many other stadiums across the country that are sponsored by major businesses, the name is typically reflective of that company or corporate entity that has played a large role in its creation and financing. Here is an overview of this stadium, how it came to be, and what you can expect when you visit the Great American Ball Park. Click here to learn more about Cincinnati businesses.
Origins Of The Great American Ball Park
This ballpark was originally started as an idea back in the 1990s. The people of Hamilton County wanted to have this done. They agreed to a slight increase in their sales tax which would provide the funding that would be necessary. It would be a location where the Cincinnati Bengals, and also the Cincinnati Reds, would have a place to play. That being said, there was already controversy involving the fact that both of them had to share Cinergy Field. They found it cumbersome to coordinate all of the games for both of these professional teams. The multi-stadium purpose was simply not equipped for supporting both teams, prompting the creation of the Paul Brown Stadium later on. However, it was the Great American Ball Park, designed and built by Populous, and another company by the name of GBBN, that led to the construction of this new sports stadium to the tune of about $300 million. The only problem that they faced once the financing and design plans were in place was the location of the stadium. The stadium was placed in an area that was called the wedge, an area that was in between the US Bank Arena and the soon to be demolished Cinergy Field.
Features And Benefits Of The Cincinnati Reds Stadium
The Great American Ball Park had many upgrades by comparison to its predecessor. One of the most interesting architectural components is called The Gap. This provides people in downtown with a view of the interior of the stadium, and those that are inside with a view of the skyline. There are concourses that allow people to go across to each different level of the stadium. They also installed the Power Stacks, representative of steamboats that were very common back in the day on the Ohio River. There is also a bas relief carving made of limestone featuring baseball players called the Spirit of Baseball. There are also mosaics, panoramas, and a place called the Riverboat Deck which is a private location where people can sit right above the batter’s eye. It was in 2009, however, that the high definition scoreboards finally replace the old ones that had been there. Multiple companies contributed to their appearance, but in the end, the Cincinnati Reds will assume full responsibility for maintaining the displays, a cost that will not be passed on to the fans.
Mosaics And Panoramas At The Ball Park
Some of the more noticeable changes at the park include the mosaics, and the beautiful panoramas that are available from the park itself. As you walk into the main gates, right past Crossley Terrace, there are a couple of Mosaic panels depicting very important aspects of the history of the Cincinnati Reds. The first one is called The First Nine, representative of the Red Stockings who were able to go 57-0 their first season. The second is called The Great Eight, representative of when they were able to win back to back World Series games in the 1970s. These are actually produced in Italy, painted on opaque glass tiles. Finally, the panoramic views from the stadium include the Ohio River, Mount Adams, Northern Kentucky, and downtown Cincinnati which can be seen through The Gap.
Other Notable Areas For Fans
In order to make it easier for their fans to attend games they decided to install what is called the Nursing Suite. The Great American Ball Park became the very first MLB ballpark with a place where mothers could change and feed their babies. This was installed as a result of multiple requests from others that had wanted a place where they could do this in privacy. Inside, there are diaper changing stations, glider chairs, lockers, a refrigerator, a kitchenette, a restroom, and televisions that will show them what is happening at the game outside while they are taking care of their babies. On the west portion of this ballpark is the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum. Although this has existed since the 1950s, it was specifically given a designated location with its own building. Additionally, there is a mural that is made of three separate pieces called 4192 Mural. It is representative of legendary baseball player Pete Rose, representing his record-breaking 4192 hit in 1985.
The addition of the Great American Ball Park for the Cincinnati Reds has really been beneficial for fans. It is an up-to-date stadium, one that is designed with modern amenities and commemorations for their greatest players. It is also centrally located next to all of the cities hottest attractions such as the newly renovated OTR (Over-the-Rhine). If you have not been to this ballpark before, you should consider visiting, even if you have never been to Cincinnati. It is one of the best baseball stadiums that is in existence today, and is one that the people that Cincinnati certainly enjoy.
