What is Your Opinion on PNC Field?

[NYRangers 2008]

Originally Posted by go phillies

I vote for the "Cronies"

Yes, a lot of people here could relate to that name.

[PrestigeWorldwide]

Well, I decided to respond to this after reading last month’s article in the Times (albeit a month late).

First, I must admit I am no longer a resident of WB/S – I am a member of the youth diaspora who leave after high school. It only took 250 years for a member of my family to leave since first coming to the area!

Now to the matter at hand…

My biggest problem with this team is the name. Minor league teams change affiliations quite often without changing their names. In my opinion, the local identity was lost when the name was changed, but I imagine the name “S/WB Yankees” is a much bigger seller than the “Red Barons” or another locally identifiable name. Same goes for the WB/S Penguins. I think I submitted CoalBreakers or CoalCrackers for the naming contest to no avail. Who wouldn’t love the alliteration in Breaker Ball?

I am a partial season ticket holder for the Pittsburgh Pirates (yes, people still go out to see the Pirates). PNC Park is a masterpiece. And actually, the field is what re-sparked my love of baseball – dormant from the 1994 strike until I moved to the burgh during the dawn of the new millennium. The ambiance of the field, the view, and the nuances of the game brought me back. (Hey, I’m a scientist – I love the statistics of baseball!)

Since PNC Park is a downtown stadium, I think I can tell you all of what that field, as well as Heinz Field, have done to the surrounding area.

So I go to about 30 games a year at PNC.

While just across the river from downtown Pittsburgh, PNC Park is close to the interstate system – closer than Lackawanna County Stadium - making for easy ingress and egress. Last time I was at Lackawanna County, it took me longer to get out of there than to leave a Pirates game. I park in downtown Pittsburgh and walk across the Roberto Clemente bridge and I am at the field. It is only about a 1/3 mile walk. It costs $5 to park in a garage or street parking is free.

If you park in the lots around the stadium it will take longer to leave than walking across the bridge as is the case anywhere with only a few exits for lots of cars causes. Areas with lots of places to park and multiple exits make leaving quicker.


Since PNC Park and Heinz were put in and Three Rivers was imploded the area around the stadiums has been a construction boom – hotels, bars, upscale restaurants, nightclubs, a casino, offices, and a proposed small amphitheatre.

At a downtown location, people could go to games easily after work or have afternoon business people specials. The parking lots could be used for offices during the day and games during the night and weekends.



The development of Montage Mountain is that of sprawl and poor environmental planning when gas was cheap and greenfield development was preferred over brownfield. Conversely, the area surrounding the Wachovia Arena - blighted land was used instead of pristine areas for development. (That’s the scientist again!) Needless to say I am a fan of downtowns and not the Wal-martizing of America.

I don’t know how much of this would work in Scranton, but I believe some of it could.

Lackawanna County Stadium was built during the transition period of uninspired multipurpose stadiums and stadiums with a clear purpose. I could imagine a nice simple 2-tier stadium with an open concourse, outfield seating, and character….ahhh.

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by PrestigeWorldwide

The development of Montage Mountain is that of sprawl and poor environmental planning when gas was cheap and greenfield development was preferred over brownfield. Conversely, the area surrounding the Wachovia Arena - blighted land was used instead of pristine areas for development. (That’s the scientist again!) Needless to say I am a fan of downtowns and not the Wal-martizing of America.

Finally there is someone on the NEPA sub-forum on the same wavelength as myself! I consider Montage Mountain to be a prime example of what IDIOTIC leadership has brought to Lackawanna County. Imagine if The Shoppes @ Montage, MetLife, Prudential, CIGNA, BoA, Cinemark, PNC Field, and all of the other attractions/venues that now line that once-pristine mountain all contributed to the tax base of the city of Scranton instead of one of its suburbs. That would be so wonderful! Unfortunately everyone else on this forum says "Viva la sprawl!" At least where I'm moving to in New England people are actually intelligent enough to realize that reinventing existing brownfields is preferable to destroying natural habitats in an era in which we're becoming less autocentric as a society.

[blip]

Originally Posted by ScranBarre

Finally there is someone on the NEPA sub-forum on the same wavelength as myself!.....

Oh come on, you're not the only one on here lamenting sprawl! Myself, FightinPhils (until he disappeared-- maybe he moved up Montage), and a couple of others have been.

Anyhow, always glad to hear another voice in the fray. All that crap on Montage is a blight on the valley-- worse than the WM landfill.

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by blip

Oh come on, you're not the only one on here lamenting sprawl! Myself, FightinPhils (until he disappeared-- maybe he moved up Montage), and a couple of others have been.

Anyhow, always glad to hear another voice in the fray. All that crap on Montage is a blight on the valley-- worse than the WM landfill.

Regardless though "sprawl sells." My friends wanted to go to Cinemark recently to see a movie, so I accompanied them to get out of the house after a long shift at work. To say that there were thousands of cars littering the parking lots of Cinemark, Johny Rocket's, Ruby Tuesday, Trattoria Bella, The Shoppes @ Montage, etc. is an understatement. I have friends from the Back Mountain area of Luzerne County who still make the jaunt all the way up to Cinemark to see a film because they have this false perception that it is somehow "safer" than the downtown theater in Wilkes-Barre, which I actually think is better than Cinemark.

I'm shaking my head in disbelief as a councilman from Dickson City or Dunmore is now "pitching" the idea (pun intended) for the Yankees' potential new stadium to be built near the Viewmont Mall because it has an "ideal" location. A new stadium DOWNTOWN is the only sensible way to go.

[PrestigeWorldwide]

Originally Posted by ScranBarre

Finally there is someone on the NEPA sub-forum on the same wavelength as myself! I consider Montage Mountain to be a prime example of what IDIOTIC leadership has brought to Lackawanna County. Imagine if The Shoppes @ Montage, MetLife, Prudential, CIGNA, BoA, Cinemark, PNC Field, and all of the other attractions/venues that now line that once-pristine mountain all contributed to the tax base of the city of Scranton instead of one of its suburbs. That would be so wonderful! Unfortunately everyone else on this forum says "Viva la sprawl!" At least where I'm moving to in New England people are actually intelligent enough to realize that reinventing existing brownfields is preferable to destroying natural habitats in an era in which we're becoming less autocentric as a society.

Brownfield development was actually part of my masters thesis. Pittsburgh is doing it tons of it with former strip mines and land once occupied by steel mills.

The S/WB area is not lacking for brownfields for redevelopment.

[W-B proud]

How about repairing our current stadium, which is only 19 years old. Fenway Park is still standing after almost 100 years. I'm not sure a brand new 50 million dollar stadium in downtown Scranton is the way to go expecially since the final series for The Governers Cup last year was only averaging 2000 people (that's pathetic)...and that is in the most ideal location in the region (right inbetween W-B and Scranton, and very easy access off of interstate 81). With attendance so low the way it is, what makes you think it will improve the situation to build an unessasary new stadium in Scranton? If anything the attendance will drop, because now Luzerne County fans may not be willing to travel further to Scranton and find there way to the stadium in an area that they may not be familiar with? And i believe that Luzerne County counts for a huge chunk of attendance (probably about 1/3 of the audience). I think the people that support this, are mostly Scrantonians who support it just because they want to have a new stadium in thier downtown... Scranton. No logic, no reason, no commonsense. It's not about what's best for the team, it's not about if it's actually nessasary, it's not about what is best to increase the dismal attendance. It's about Scranton being able to boast about having a brand new stadium in thier downtown. Kind of like a monument to the "success" of downtown Scranton. The people that support this probably have never even been to a baseball game up thier, they are probably not even fans of the team, and couldn't name one player, or what the teams record is ect. They just want to see more senseless development in downtown Scranton, for the sake of pride and bragging rights. Little if any thought is given to the fact that this will be a very bad choice and a colosal waste of money. The current sight of PNC Field is by far a way better location (right off of 81, and right between W-B and Scranton) It is the prime location for maximum attendance. And shouldn't we be asking what the hell happened to the first stadium that it is in such bad shape after only 19 years?! (I believe The Times Tribune is completely exagerating the "bad condition of PNC field", deliberately, to make a case for building a new one in where of all places? Yes! of course! downtown Scranton!) I wonder if the would have been so quick to condemn the current stadium if the new one was to be built in W-B or Hazleton or somewhere besides Scranton. I highly doubt it!). This is nothing more then a ploy to get another project in downtown Scranton by people that probably don't even know what a doubleplay is. To hell with the team, to hell with commonsence, to hell with anybody that doesn't live in Scranton and sees no benefit to this at all. They should fix the 19 year old stadium we already have, and if the stadium is in that bad of shape, then we should be looking for heads to roll, and be asking why and how this could've happened!!

[go phillies]

You do know that the current stadium in Moosic is literally just over the Scranton city line, right? Its not exactly equal distance between Scranton and Wilkes-Barre.

I would support a downtown Scranton stadium...if the Yankees are building it themselves without taxpayer money. The arena is in Wilkes-Barre, so why shouln't we have the stadium? The only problem I have with a new stadium is that it would be built on the backs of the already overtaxed taxpayers. And it isn't really a necessity...but it is true that the newer baseball-only stadiums with a retro feel have boosted attendance....look at Citizens Bank Park compared to the Vet....Camden Yards compared to Memorial Stadium....PNC and Three Rivers (OK bad example, although PNC Park in Pittsburgh is one of the nicer parks in baseball, the Pirates just aren't drawing fans).

[ScranBarre]

I never understood why people think Scranton and Wilkes-Barre are hours apart from each other. Go Phillies commutes daily from his home in Scranton to work in Wilkes-Barre. I commute from my home in Pittston, which is midway between both cities, to Wilkes-Barre for school and work and to Scranton for nightlife/entertainment. My father used to work in Wilkes-Barre and now works in Scranton. My mother's territory covers both counties, as does her boss's territory. People need to start thinking along regional lines. Center Point here in Pittston Township will someday employ thousands of people. Are they all going to be from Pittston Township? No. Some will be from Scranton. Some will be from Wilkes-Barre. Some will be from Moscow. Some will be from Bear Creek. Luzerne and Lackawanna Counties are twins demographically---people in Lackawanna County earn more money overall and people in Luzerne County have higher property values overall (as per the U.S. Census).

A stadium built entirely on Mandalay's dime in Downtown Scranton would be welcomed by many more than just myself, Mayor Doherty, Go Phillies, etc. It would be a HUGE boon to the city. Perhaps 20 years down the road when talks of replacing the Wachovia Arena start taking place I would wholeheartedly suggest that it be built at the end of Coal Street and along Wilkes-Barre Boulevard, near the heart of downtown. As a society we have to stop throwing cities like Scranton and Wilkes-Barre into the garbage can because the homes are "outdated" (meaning they aren't McMansions), because you might...gasp...bump into a minority (heaven forbid), or because the schools are sub-par (I attended a "sub-par" school district and look at how I turned out). Even though I may soon be bidding you all a fond farewell to pursue white-collar opportunity I'll ALWAYS fondly remember the area where I attended church picnics, caught lightning bugs, and had my first speeding ticket. I'll be back someday---and you can bet it won't be to a sterile suburban community full of materialists such as South Abington Township, Shavertown, or Mountain Top. It will be right in the very heart of Hyde Park in West Scranton or in the historic district of Downtown Wilkes-Barre.

[W-B proud]

Well, if Mandalay was to build it WITH THIER OWN MONEY then I would have absolutely no problem whatsoever with a new stadium. My contension is that the stadium we already have is a mere 19 years old!!! The last thing we should be talking about is building a new one! And it would be a totally different story if The AAA Yankee's were selling out all their home games and their was still a high demand for tickets. Then a new stadium would be justified. I just cannot see financing a brand new stadium, with a facts of what I just mentioned sticking out like a sore thumb. Now, if Mandalay wants to gamble on a new stadium, and it doesn't cost us a dime, well then absolutely, I'm behind it 100%. But that is the only way I'd support such a venture right now. I think the people of NEPA should be more focused on why the current stadium is in such disrepair after only 19 years. How did this happen? Who is responsible for it? What went wrong? That's even if it's as bad as The Times Tribune is making it out to be. I don't exactly trust their reporting, and I have a good feeling that they are heavily exagerrating the condition of PNC Field in order to make a case for building a new stadium in downtown Scranton. Times Shamrock is a wealthy entity. Why don't they, Mandalay, and Mayor Doherty get together and pay for a new stadium?