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The Exterior
As the side-by-side shots in The Setting section show, the old and new stadiums have completely different elevations. As was the custom in the 1980s, the old park was built with a soaring upper deck, just like New Comiskey Park (now called U.S. Cellular Field) and SkyDome (now called Rogers Center). Both the White Sox and Blue Jays came to regret it, and the White Sox spent the money to do something about it, chopping off the top eight rows of the upper deck and giving it a lower-profile roof.
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| The new entryway is stunning. Just inside the outer gates is an entry plaza that is both spacious and inviting — and has a completely different look after dark than during the day. Note the large rocks in the foreground. Those came from excavations of the hillside. |
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s team couldn’t do anything about the unsightly upper deck until it came time to wipe the slate clean and start over. The new structure is much more attractive with its sleek lower profile.
Nowhere is this more evident than in the main entry, which is roughly behind home plate. Wow! What an improvement! My only gripe is that the name of the park on top of the roof needed to be just a few feet higher off the ground. The roof of the entry gates blocks the letters slightly as you’re approaching the park from the parking lots.
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| As you walk around the outside of the park, toward right field, you see shiny aluminum panels and then utility/service areas where the exterior building material is block. Of course, the thick greenery of the hillside is never far away. |
Schmitt, the architect for the rebuilt facility, explained what happened when it came time to decided on the new park’s look. “We had a blank slate essentially. When we met with the team and County, everyone agreed that they didn’t want a retro Camden Yards look,” he recalled. “We looked at (using) glass and aluminum. We came up with aesthetics that were cost-efficient and that had a forward-looking appearance.” In other words, no brick like at the majority of new Minor League parks of the last decade and a half.
The result is something modern. PNC Field’s exterior on the first-base side, though, is fairly different than on the third-base side. The former uses a light-colored aluminum that looks somewhat like the corrugated tin at Tulsa’s ballpark. The third-base side was already determined before the rebuilding began. That’s because the home clubhouse (which backs to the parking lots) had only recently been constructed, so it was left alone. Its exterior is made of a neutral-colored block.
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| Just to the left of the main entry plaza is a door to SWB Station (again, a nod to the railroad industry), the merchandise store. The store has doors that open to the exterior and to the interior of the park, making it easy to be open when no game is going on. |
There is also an entryway near the left-field foul pole, next to a large group area. This also puts it next to the trolley station. Much of the time, the left-field gate isn’t used.
As attractive as all of this is daylight, you really need to see it all lit up at night. “The look of the facade at night is just as important as how it looks during the day,” revealed Schmitt. This axiom is truly on display at Philly’s Citizens Bank Park, which not coincidentally was also designed by Schmitt and EwingCole.
And most of the time in these reviews, I also describe what the exterior of the outfield of the ballpark is like. In this case, though, it is entirely a hillside.
The Design
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Let’s start our look inside PNC Field with what didn’t change when the facility was demolished and rebuilt. As team President/General Manager Rob Crain first led me inside the ballpark, he pointed out that “Only three aspects of the old stadium remained. First was the (playing) field itself, because it had just been replaced a couple of years ago. Second was the concrete holding the field-level seats. Third was the home clubhouse, because it was new.”
Everything else, though, was fodder for the bulldozer, and it’s a good thing, too. That’s because the old park was really out of touch with the way ballparks are built nowadays. The stadium was a tall, hulking monster, with concourses cut off from the field and rusting seats so unwanted high in the upper deck that they were covered with advertising banners.
I’m sure it was painful for Lackawanna County to have to sell the franchise (although it made a tidy profit, buying it for $2 million in 1986 and then agreeing to sell it for $14.6 million in 2011). And I’m sure local fans missed the team terribly when it played away from Moosic for the entire 2012 season while the construction was taking place. But in the end, the result was a fantastic facility, and construction costs of $33.8 million were a bargain. “Tearing down the old stadium and building the new one in the same place saved the County a lot of money. Probably at least $10 million in construction costs were saved,” noted Schmitt. “You couldn’t possibly build this kind of stadium from scratch for this kind of money.”
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| On the left, you see where the old meets the new. The darker concrete was left over from the old park, while the lighter color is from the new construction. On the right, you see the winding sidewalk next to the rocks of the hill. This is looking from the right-field corner toward center field. |
Deciding what to demolish was “pretty simple. We cut the structure off at its knees,” joked Schmitt. He added that even the concrete that was left alone, “wasn’t in the best shape. We did a reclamation project on it before the new seats were installed.”
When I asked both Crain and Schmitt to name their favorite aspect of the newly rebuilt ballpark, they both gave me the same answer: the outfield concourse. “The original ballpark was situated to be next door to the mountain,” said Schmitt. “We felt that was a missed opportunity. We wanted to integrate the mountain into the ballpark, not the other way around. We did this with a wrap-around concourse, as the path (around the outfield) follows the edge of the rocks.” Fans have definitely enjoyed the experience.
Some rock had to be removed from the base of the hill to make room for the walkway. Lest you think the boulders were carted off and dumped somewhere else, Schmitt explained that they were “harvested from the site and sprinkled around the park to make the park fee like it is part of the mountain.” Indeed, you will find these hefty rocks along the outfield concourse and the exterior of the stadium.
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| The Mohegan Sun Club on the upper level is both huge and wonderful. Its bar backs up to windows that allows patrons to see the action outside. In order to access the lounge area, you must have tickets in the Club seats (right). Both of these photos are by by Barbara Kolonauski of EwingCole. |
If the new pathway around the outfield is the most outstanding element of the new park, a “close second is the Mohegan Sun Club,” said Crain. This 6,400-square-foot lounge is as nice as any in the Minors, other than the one in Birmingham’s Regions Field, which might be the best such space in all of baseball.
The lounge in Moosic, though, is really incredible. Fans with season tickets for the seats in front of the Club have access to the bar and food areas of the space, as well as its air conditioning and numerous HD screens. Crain explained that only 270 such tickets are sold for these seats. They probably have the best vantage point in the ballpark.
The Club and its lounge aren’t the only features of the upper level. There are 18 luxury suites, the same number as in the old park — but by no means are they duplicates of the old suites. “They were quite a hodgepodge, because suite holders could decorate the interior and the door however they wanted,” said Schmitt. Now there are 18 brand-new suites, all with a uniform look. Fourteen of them are sold on a season basis (and all were sold for 2013), while another two are sold on a nightly basis. That leaves one for Lackawanna County to use and one for the team. At the ends of this level are party decks. As we discussed in our review of Hillsboro, Oregon’s new park, the trend is for fewer luxury suites and more party areas. In both Moosic and Hillsboro, there was room for additional suites (perhaps four in each facility), but the teams opted for group “party” space instead.
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| The new luxury suites are well-appointed and far more uniform than at the old ballpark. On the right is the party suite down the first-base line on the upper level. |
The important aspect of this is that there is no longer an upper deck per se. There is a level with suites and the lounge, but there is no general seating. That gives the stadium a much lower profile, and that’s a good thing.
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| Here’s another set of “before” and “after” shots. Aside from the removal of all of those ugly seats, the new park’s lower profile is much more modern and attractive. |
Another critically important conversion from the old park to the new is the main concourse. “This was the most dramatic change,” said Schmitt. “The old concourse was very narrow and had no view of the field. Now it has an expansive, sweeping view of the field, plus it’s 150% wider.”
Speaking of the main concourse, the pressbox is here, which is a little unusual. This is the only point where fans can’t see the field from the concourse. The nearby entry plaza, though, is special for several reasons. First, it’s very flexible in that the entryway can be at the inner or the outer gates. It’s a perfect place for musicians to play to welcome fans to the game. And it looks entirely different at night. The designers cleverly positioned a huge RailRiders sign behind glass above the souvenir shop. During the day, you can’t see it. At night, it’s stunning.
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| The shot on the left was taken from the center of the entry plaza, facing the inner gates (which can be closed and locked when the park isn’t in use). At night, the plaza has a completely different feel, as the huge RailRiders logo above the merchandise store comes alive. |
This RailRiders logo that only shows up at night is one of the many special touches designed by the architects. Another are the drink rails that circle much of the field at the rear of the lower-level seats. The old park had none. Another striking special touch is the grove of oak trees that is carefully positioned beyond the Budweiser RailHouse bar near the right-field foul pole.
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| The old park had no drink rails at all. The new PNC Field has 980 square feet of them, and the fans are making the most of them. On the right, a carefully positioned grove of trees helps merge the park and mountain Photo on the right by Jeffrey Totaro, Courtesy of EwingCole. |
Finally, Schmitt said that the designers “wanted to create something iconic” with the light towers in the infield, because they are “usually the first thing you see as you approach the ballpark from miles away … The horizontal ‘frame’ around each bank of lights mimics the steel frame around the left field signage structure and the scoreboard – and all are ‘leaning’ forward toward the field, a subtle means of adding a more intimate feel to the seating bowl.”
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| The company that did such a great job on the construction, Alvin H. Butz, Inc., took this aerial shot as the ballpark was nearing completion. This gives you a great look at how the various elements in the stadium are arranged. Photo is by Lee A. Butz of Alvin H. Butz, Inc. |
Now let’s examine what it’s like to attend a game at PNC Field..
The Essentials
So a lot of money went into tearing down and rebuilding PNC Field. What does it cost a fan to attend a game, and what amenities are there?
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| Photo by Jeffrey Totaro. Courtesy of EwingCole. |
Although you can’t utilize it for every game, a fun way to travel to the park is on the electric streetcar that runs from downtown Scranton to the left-field side of the stadium (see The Setting section of this review). For about ten home games a year, the Electric City Trolley Museum provides a trip to and from the park. For $20, you get round trip transportation to PNC Field, a ticket to the game and a $2 voucher that you can use in the merchandise store or at a concession stand. Note that you have to reserve these special tickets in advance through the Museum.
Setting aside the somewhat exotic trolley rides, almost all fans will be coming via an automobile. The parking lots at the old park haven’t moved anywhere. They still surround the park on three sides — and you know what is on the fourth. I’m happy to report that parking is free — and that’s not the case at most Triple-A parks.
Tickets are surprisingly inexpensive at this Triple-A facility. In fact, the prices are lower than at the other two Minor League parks that opened this year — Birmingham (Double A) and Hillsboro (Short-season A). While the upper-level Club seats are sold out, the infield boxes cost $12, while theater-type seats farther down the lines go for $10. Bleacher tickets, which allow you into the bleachers near the right-field foul pole but don’t give you a reserved seat, cost $8 and general-admission/lawn tickets are $7. Nearby is the Budweiser RailHouse, with a neat see-through bar on the concourse level, and reserved seats in front of it. Those tickets are $12.
All in all, these prices are very reasonable, especially for a new park that’s at the Triple-A level. “It was very important to us to be affordable,” explained Crain. ” We lowered the price on nearly 3,000 season tickets going into the sales year. We wanted to prove to the market that we are the best, most-affordable entertainment option in Northeast Pennsylvania. In years past, (our fans) did not have as many seating options so our NEPA Honda Homer Zone and Bleachers being only $7 and $8 respectively are less expensive than any ticket option (we) had in prior seasons.”
There are plenty of options for groups, including luxury suites available for nightly rental, the two party decks at the ends of the upper level (that can hold up to 60 fans each) and the Kost Tire Picnic Porch in left-field that can accommodate up to 270 fans.
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| On the left, the RailHouse seats provide a nice vantage point. On the right is the Kost Tire and Auto Service Picnic Porch. Both photos by Jeffrey Totaro. Courtesy of EwingCole./td> |
A really nice touch is that the RailRiders celebrate the various townships and boroughs of the area with Community Nights, which are games “where we reach out to the small towns across Northeast Pennsylvania and give them ‘their night.'” said Crain. For instance, the day after my visit was Carbondale Night. “The mayor threw out the ceremonial first pitch, local businesses set up display tables in the concourse and residents received a discounted ticket. We try and highlight in-game what makes their community special (and) different.”
Legends Hospitality, started as a joint venture of the Dallas Cowboys and New York Yankees, handles all of the merchandise sales and concessions here, and in both areas, they are exceptional. They also operate the Mohegan Sun Club on the upper level, as well as the catering in the suites.
Legends’ operations in Moosic are run by General Manager Rich Kloss, who was “born and raised about one mile from here,” he told me as we sat near the entrance of PNC Field. He started working at Red Barons games when he was 17 selling ice cream, and worked his way up. By all accounts, he is doing a highly effective job in his current role, and the feedback on PNC Field’s concessions couldn’t be more positive. With the exception of Revello’s stand near the main entryway (they sell slices of pizza, with their specialty being a “red” pizza topped with American cheese), all of the food you find here is provided by Legends.
I enjoyed the free-standing It’s Greek To Me kiosk on the third-base side that sells traditional — and delicious — lamb or chicken gyros for $7. I also loved the potato pancakes served at the Hot Potato stand down the first-base line. Here you can get three fried potato patties topped with either sour cream or apple sauce for $5. These are a local favorite, and I have fond memories of eating these at the old ballpark here.
Kloss told me that the “standard fare” items represent the largest sales volume at the park, and their prices are certainly reasonable: jumbo hot dogs for $3.50; junior hot dogs for $2.50; chicken tenders with fries for $7.75 and burgers (with or without cheese) for $5.50.
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| On the left, lamb is being sliced for a gyro at the It’s Greek To Me stand. In the center is the immense smoker used by the Bent Buckle. It produces some of the finest BBQ I’ve tasted outside of Texas. On the right are two dishes that I loved: the BBQ Bowl with brisket, pork and pierogies; potato pancakes that come with applesauce or sour cream. |
But the king of the concessions here has to be the BBQ at The Bent Buckle near the right-field foul pole. “The name and the approach to the BBQ come from Legends’ operations in Dallas, where the head chef for the Cowboys did much of the work on developing this,” said Kloss. They smoke the meats on-site using the Texas dry-rub method of slow-smoking using wood, not charcoal or propane. Their smoker can hold a whopping 750 pounds of meat.
No, I didn’t eat all 750 pounds myself (but it wasn’t for a lack of trying), but I did order the BBQ Bowl, which for $14 gives you a heaping helping of brisket, pulled pork and pierogies. It was indescribably good. If you’d prefer a sandwich, but (like me) you can’t decide between brisket or pork, they’ll make a “Pork-sket Sandwich” for $7.50.
As far as beverages go, this is a Pepsi facility (as opposed to Coke), and the beers tend to come from Anheuser-Busch, although Shock-Top and Yuengling are also served. Regular-size drafts are $7 and small cups are $4.
Legends, which does such a good job with concessions at Yankee Stadium, Cowboys Stadium and a number of other sports venues around the country, certainly does a top-notch job in Moosic. I wouldn’t call their prices cheap, but the food is fantastic.
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| The team’s mascot is Quills, part train conductor and part porcupine. In the center is the spacious store. On the right is the video board and ad panels. Notice how they all lean forward a little bit — a look that is duplicated in the frames around the light towers. Photo on the right by Jeffrey Totaro. Courtesy of EwingCole |
The team store at the old ballpark was a cramped 580 square feet. Now it’s a spacious 1,900 square feet, with room to walk between the racks. Prices aren’t uncommon at a Triple-A park, especially where the Yankees are involved. Adult T-shirts range from $18 to $30, while kids’ T’s run from $15 to $27. Fitted caps cost $30 and adjustable caps range from $10 to $25. Caps for kids run $10 to $15.
The new park and the new team identity have certainly helped merchandise sales this season. “Sales are drastically up,” observed Erin McHale, the Merchandise Manager. “Our normal night now is like our best nights two years ago.” And the fact that the RailRiders’ parent is the Yankees gives a boost to their mail-order business. “Our online store is doing great. We get orders from all over the country. There are Yankee fans everywhere and a lot of them collect souvenirs from all of the Yankees’ Minor League teams.
“Of course, we have customers come to the store here who tell us that it’s the first time in a long time that they’ve bought any merchandise from us, because this is the first time in years we have merchandise that doesn’t say ‘Yankees’ on it,” she added.
Unlike Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, PNC Field is a paradise for kids. Not only is the mascot great with younger fans, there is also a huge play area beyond center field. When the old stadium was here, the area with inflatables was on the parking-lot side of the ballpark, meaning it was completely cut off from the game.
While kids and their parents are in their seats, their enjoyment of the game is no doubt enriched by the $2 million investment in video and sound systems. The very high resolution video screen above left field is just over 1,000 square feet, and the four ribbon boards on the outfield walls and the facings of the upper deck can be used for game info or ads.
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| The Family Fun Zone is beyond center field, right up against the rocks of the hillside. It costs $5 for a youngster to play here during a game, and only $20 for a full season. On the right, you can see how close the outfield concourse is to the rocks. |
And perhaps the best fan amenity doesn’t cost you a penny to enjoy. Next time you’re at a RailRiders game, take a stroll all the way around the outfield. Note how close you are to the rocks and vegetation. Watch the kids playing with glee in the new Family Fun Zone. Check out the great vantage point from above the bullpens in left field … and there will be a drink rail where you can set your adult beverage!
Summary
It’s hard to overstate how much of an improvement the new ballpark is over the old. It’s impressive that Lackawanna County stepped up to the plate and sold off an appreciating asset like the baseball franchise to be able to build a new stadium for that team and its fans.
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| With superior exterior lighting — aided by some overhead pyrotechnics — PNC Field is quite handsome at night. Photo by Jeffrey Totaro. Courtesy of EwingCole. |
If you’ve visited PNC Field and/or you have thoughts to share on it, please add a comment below.