Wednesday, March 17, 1999Fans' critique starts at home plate
BY LUCY MAY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Reds management wanted to hear what fans want in the team's new ballpark, and did they ever.
Some fans opposed the Reds' plan for the ballpark to face the river.
March 11 story
Nearly 200 diehard Reds fans turned out Tuesday night to say what they want — and don't want — in a new home for professional baseball's oldest team.
Reds Managing Executive John Allen was worried the group would be shy about speaking up. He shouldn't have been.
Several fans gave the ballpark's designers an earful about their very first step in the design: an orientation toward the river.
“Why aren't we looking at something like Mount Adams?” asked Joe Regruth of Anderson Township.
The team and Hamilton County endorsed the southeast alignment just last week. Fans questioned the decision, saying they doubted many seats in the new ballpark would have a river view, but architects explained there are other reasons for the orientation.
One important reason is a southeast orientation puts the new stadium's home plate ad dress on Main Street, which will help connect the new ballpark to downtown, said Joe Spear, senior vice president with HOK Sport, the firm designing the ballpark.
Some fans didn't buy it.
“You're starting to make me really angry with this orientation thing,” added Jeff Landen of Edgewood. “I can't imagine why you'd aim the ballpark at Newport — why you'd aim it out over the nothingness of the Licking River opening. You have your back to downtown.”
Fans also grilled Reds management about how seating for season-ticket holders will be determined in the new ballpark.
Pat McCaffrey, the team's director of season sales, assured the group that seniority would be used to determine what kind of seats fans get in the new stadium.
“You've spent your time with us, and we want to make that commitment back to you,” he said.
The season-ticket holders want the new ballpark to have seats close to the field, dollar hotdogs and the same convenient parking and easy access that they have now with Cinergy Field.
A survey distributed at the forum asked fans' opinions about everything from the kinds of food that should be served to amenities like a kids play area, a drive-up ticket window and whether fans favored traditional organ music or “modern rock 'n' roll.”
Sue Grote said all the talk about amenities was fine, but her concerns were more basic.
“The primary thing is can we watch the game and enjoy the game,” the Kenwood woman said. “All that other stuff should be out of the way so the true fans can enjoy the game.”
The new stadium will be built just west of the Firstar Center. It is scheduled to open in 2003, and the county estimates it will cost $297 million.
Several fans offered specific design ideas — such as using red dirt, building the stadium in the shape of the Reds' wishbone “C” and reflecting the city's riverboat heritage by having a smokestack that blows smoke for every home run.
Gary Woebkenberg of Amberley Village asked the team to abandon the idea of selling naming rights and instead dub the new ballpark “Joe Nuxhall Stadium,” a suggestion greeted by loud applause.
Suspended Reds CEO Marge Schott attended the event, shaking hands with fans and making jokes about her dog Schottzie 02.
“People have to tell you what to do, you know what I mean?” she said. “I mean, it's their stadium. They have to support it.”
Mr. Allen echoed those sentiments, saying the Reds want to work hard during the stadium design to make sure it's the kind of ballpark fans want to visit.
“These are the people who are going to use the new stadium,” he said. “They're the customer.”
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