Nearly 400 eyes will be staring back from the “batter's eye” at Great American Ball Park.

        A dark area in dead center field at all professional baseball stadiums, the “batter's eye” is intended to be a backdrop that helps hitters see the white baseball more clearly when it is released from the pitcher's hand.

        Typically, the batter's eye is painted plywood and, in older parks, replaces seats so that movement and clothing don't distract the batter or make it difficult to see the baseball.

        But in Great American Ball Park, the batter's eye will be a party suite capable of holding about 200 people.

        The front of the building, facing home plate, will be shaded glass, tilted toward the sky to keep reflections from the outside and light from the inside out of the hitter's eyes.

        “It's a great way for us to make use of the space, instead of just having a grass area behind a solid wall,” said Brad Blettner, director of corporate marketing for the Reds. “It's going to be a gorgeous room, and a great place to watch the game.”

        The suite, in an enclosed building with heat and air conditioning, will be available for rental whether there is a game being played or not.

        Among the suite's features:

        • Private restrooms.

        • Three-tiered seating with 126 upholstered seats. There also will be 30 seats along the bar/drink rail and table seating for about 20 people.

        • Buffet food service.

        The batter's eye suite will be unique in Major League Baseball stadiums.

        The Tampa Bay Devil Rays, which play in St. Petersburg, have the closest thing to the Reds' idea — a restaurant with a glass front that serves as the batter's eye.

        Seattle and St. Louis have open-air space behind their batter's eyes, but they are not freestanding buildings. Likewise, Comiskey Park in Chicago will have a semi-transparent batter's eye next year, so that fans can see through it as they walk along the concourse, said Major League Baseball spokesman Matt Gould.

        Mr. Blettner said prices for the Reds' suite rental have not been determined.

        The batter's eye at Cinergy Field this year will have a different look as well. Officials from Major League Baseball have asked construction managers to enlarge the batter's eye to block out movement of construction workers at the new stadium.

        “They want to block movement, or welding flashes, from the batter's vision,” said Mike Sieving, construction executive for Hamilton County.

        The plywood batter's eye at Cinergy Field has been expanded by several feet on both sides and on its top.

Reds' 'batter's eye' suite hopes to be a hit with fans 'Papa Grande' Jose Rijo knows best Opening Day on Channel 9 Reds notebook Royals 16, Reds 6; Pirates 7, Reds 1 Baseball notebook

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