By Maggie Downs
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Sure, Great American Ball Park gets the job done. It's got baseball, peanuts, beer - everything necessary to enjoy America's pastime. But how fan-friendly is this $280 million ballpark?

PHOTO GALLERY   16 photos from Friday's exhibition game at Great American Ball Park

Just in time for Opening Day, the Enquirer compiled an unofficial Ballpark Review Team to look over the new digs, from home plate to hot dogs.

Our diverse group of reviewers attended the exhibition game against the Cleveland Indians Friday night. Here's what they thought:

There's something different about Great American, admitted Chris Doyle, Neal Velayo, Colin Spencer, all 20, and 19-year-old Ryan Smith.

It's hip.

"There's a really great atmosphere here," Doyle said. "You can tell baseball's back in Cincinnati."

The four are Finneytown High School grads. Three now attend Ohio State University and the other goes to Miami University.

"This is a more hometown kind of place than the other ballparks were," Spencer said. "It's kind of cool."

College students and high school buddies Neal Velayo, Chris Doyle, Colin Spencer and Ryan Smith consider themselves first-degree baseball fans. Their stadium verdict: 'It's cool.' (Jeff Swinger photo) | ZOOM |

The four, all enormous baseball fans, appreciated the history scattered throughout the place. The mosaics inside the main entrance and the bronze statues on Crosley Terrace - as Velayo calls them "The nod to Cincinnati's baseball gods" - particularly stood out.

"This is like my Graceland. My holy grail," Doyle said. "I could live here."

As the four looked out toward the Ohio River, they agreed this could also be a place to bring the ladies.

However, some of the concessions were a bit too pricey for these college students' budgets.

"It cost me $4 for this!" said Smith, holding up his plastic tumbler of pink lemonade. "At least I get to keep the cup."

There were a few other complaints. They didn't like the heavy commercialism, such as the Papa John's Pizza cup holders and the Sofa Express clock.

"This is supposed to be about baseball," Doyle muttered.

And in Section 517, Row A, the guys didn't like sitting so close to a large pane of plastic.

"I definitely don't like the glass in front of us. I don't know whether to stretch and try to look over it or slouch and look through it," Spencer said.

But, they agreed, what really matters is the game. "I think it's a cool place, but ultimately, a lot of it depends on the product on the field," Doyle said.

The baseball purist

When Priscilla "Peach" Cleary wore a "Baseball is life" T-shirt to Friday's game, she really meant it.

The 56-year-old Columbus resident grew up watching games at Crosley Field before taking her children to Riverfront Stadium/Cinergy Field. She spends her free time researching old ballparks and collecting baseball memorabilia. She and husband, Joe, even plan side trips to other ballparks.

Cleary gave the new park rave reviews.

"It's not really like Crosley, but it doesn't remind me of Riverfront either," she said. "It has its own identity."

Cleary walked around for about an hour before the game, taking in all the sights.

"I still don't think I saw all of it," she said.

Though she enjoyed the artistic touches of murals and statues, Cleary particularly enjoyed Mother Nature's contribution to the ballpark - the river.

"I always thought it was a shame that at Riverfront you couldn't see the river," she said. "This is so pretty at night with it all lit. It's really making good use of what Cincinnati has."

The ballpark did remind Cleary of the first baseball game she attended at age 9 - when Crosley Field was all green grass and towering home runs.

"I was awed by everything," she said. "It's like that again, being so close to the field."

Her only complaint - the gusty winds that hit her seats in Section 514.

"We almost blew away up there," she laughed.

The wheelchair user

Graham Dean, 46, of Amelia, finally feels like part of the crowd.

The paraplegic said his handicapped seats at Great American Ball Park are considerably better than what was available at its predecessor.

Graham Deam of Amelia says the handicapped seating makes him feel more like one of the crowd (Jeff Swinger photo) | ZOOM |

"At Riverfront, `handicapped' seating was just one seat missing from the end of a row," Dean said. "You were always crammed in, next to an aisle or the steps. And it was always in the last row by the concession stand. People were always drunk or smoking right by you."

In contrast, the handicapped seating at the new ballpark consists of an entire spacious row, with the occasional individual seat for a companion - as was the case where Dean sat in Section 116.

"You're more in the crowd, more in the stadium," he said. "You're not stuck in the back like an afterthought."

Though Dean and wife, Kala, typically attend a couple of games a year, their Great American experience was so positive they expect to go more often this season. The ushers were accommodating, the concessions were accessible and the handicapped restrooms were "spacious and convenient."

"Overall, it was a really good experience," he said.

Parking was his biggest complaint.

"Handicapped parking (in the ballpark garage) was pretty much nonexistent," he said. "We didn't even end up in a handicapped spot."

After the game, another car had blocked Dean's door, making it impossible to negotiate his wheelchair around the vehicle.

He also criticized the small elevators that take patrons to the handicapped seats. Not only were the elevators slow, they only worked with certain keys, held by staffers.

"I sat there for about 20 minutes before somebody told me there was a ramp around the corner," Dean said.

The young family

Eve and Kavin Morgan had their hands full with children Kherrin, 5, Khatarina, 4, and Kharlyn, 14 months. Thank goodness for cup holders.

"They're so helpful," said Eve while struggling with the squirming Kharlyn in Section 131. "That was a nice touch."

Eve Morgan of Hamilton and her girls (left to right) Kherrin, 5, Kharlyn, 14 months, and Khatarina, 4, check out the view from their seats at the new Great American Ball Park. (Jeff Swinger photo) | ZOOM |

The family bathrooms, complete with changing tables, were also a big hit. The new ballpark boasts six; Cinergy didn't have any.

"This way, I don't have to worry about the bathrooms if I just come here with my daughters," said Kavin of Hamilton.

The facilities were cleaner, as well.

"The bathrooms in Riverfront were nasty," Kavin said. "I never wanted to take my children there. As a guy, I didn't even want to go number one."

The Morgans also enjoyed the spaciousness of the concession area.

"We've already been up and down a few times with this one," Kavin said, motioning to his youngest. "She's kind of restless, so we got up to let her walk around."

The family appreciated a number of small details - a larger selection of food, stairs that are easily navigated by children and courteous ushers.

"They said `Hi' to all the kids and actually smiled," Kavin said. "At games in the past, they didn't even want to nod their heads to us."

The only downer to the day was the expense of bringing a family of five to the ballpark. They spent about $120 on tickets and concessions, including $3.50 on one cotton candy.

"The food's pretty expensive if you're bringing your family," Kavin said. "The days of $1 hot dogs are gone."

The Diamond Seat holders

Restaurateur Jeff Ruby has four Diamond seats, which cost $175 apiece, but he hasn't used them yet. He's given them to employees and friends.

"My assistant, Amy Lewis, went (Friday night) and told me she was impressed with the whole thing. But she said, `There's one thing you're not going to like - there's no place to smoke a cigar,'" said Ruby. "I told her I didn't expect there to be - there isn't at Paul Brown Stadium either - but maybe we can work on that."

There is a cigar room, for example, at the Houston Astros' Minute Maid Park. It is attached to the equivalent of that park's Diamond Club.

But there is also one thing Ruby is going to love, his assistant told him.

"He said that the seats are so close to the field I can talk to the (Reds hitters) in the on-deck circle," Ruby said.

The first eight rows behind home plate include VIP parking, food and beverages, and exclusive access to the climate-controlled Diamond Club.

Ruby's employees said the food offerings were a hit.

"The food quality is excellent," said Kyle Keppen, 25, a server at Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse downtown. "Four kinds of salad, fresh turkey being carved right there. A lot of sides and desserts. I was impressed. The hospitality was outstanding. I wait on people for a living, and I know. To be treated the way they treat you (in the Diamond Club) is wonderful. I'm not used to being waited on like that. Usually, I'm on the other end."

How good are the seats?

"Phenomenal," he said. "We were in the third row. Ken Griffey Jr. was 10 feet away (in the on-deck circle)."

John Erardi contributed to this report. E-mail mdowns@enquirer.com