 |
PNC Park --- Pittsburgh's new stadium"Except for the avid sports fans, and those who believed that without a new stadium we would not be able to attract new business to the area, and one or two others, Pittsburghers did not see a need for a new stadium. They considered it blackmail. The city fathers put it to the vote. Would we, the taxpayers, pay for a pair of new stadiums? It was overwhelmingly voted down. And then, guess what, the city fathers had another "Plan B" in their back pockets all along. Part of the costs would be realized by selling the names to Pittsburgh industry. Thus, PNC Bank would ante up a large sum to have the park given their name. And the same with Heinz and Mellon. And so Pittsburgh got not one, but two new ball parks -- the PNC Park for the Pirates, and the Heinz Staduim for the Steelers. We won't talk about Heinz staduim, which is an eyesore and best ignored.
There are two downsides to this lovely ball park. One is that the Pirates don't win very often (but they didn't before we got the new stadium, either) and the other is that the fans have found it much cheaper to park in the cultural district and that causes parking problems for those who are headed to the cultural district for a concert or a show.
 |
But surprise to all us naysayers, PNC Park is a jewel, resplendant during a night game, looking out over the city by day. Not only is it handsome, it is also well thought out, a food court conveniently located on each floor, serving more than the usual fare. And restrooms, too, handy on each floor. Tickets, at $15, are reasonable, and usually available up to game time. There are no bad seats, although those in boxes get a little fancier treatment and fare.