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ALL STAR GAMES: 2001
Like Clevelanders, residents of Seattle had every reason to look askance on funding yet another gold-plated sports facility, given the costly, mediocre venue that the Kingdome turned out to be. Safeco Field cost over a half billion dollars to build, one of the most expensive stadiums ever. Nevertheless, it has earned the reputation of being one of the better of the neoclassical stadiums, and it may be the best of the ones with retractable roofs. Built just as the Mariners were achieving top-rank status for the first time, Safeco Field has been filled to capacity on many occasions, and is wildly popular. Shielding the game from the frequent Northwest rains, yet affording a wonderful view of the "the bluest skies you've ever seen" on good days -- and sometimes Mount Rainier itself -- it is a perfect match of aesthetics, tradition, and modern conveniences.
Safeco Field is located just south of the Seahawks' new football stadium, on the same site that the Kingdome used to be. The telescoping roof sections are tucked above the east (right field) side of the stadium when it is open. (The gray line on the diagram above indicates the edge of the roof when it is fully retracted.) Immediately in back of that side are the train tracks, and blaring train horns are often heard during games.
The outfield walls do have a few interesting angles, but overall there is less asymmetry here than in other recent stadiums. The power alleys are slightly deeper than average, but otherwise not much distinguishes the playing field itself. Foul territory is average size. The seating areas include two elevated bleacher sections, one perched above the bullpens behind the left field fence and one looming above center field, situated at a skewed angle. In addition to the huge retractable roof, there is a mini-roof providing shade for the upper deck. It might seem superfluous, but in fact serves a useful purpose, since it is seldom very cloudy in the Northwest for most of the summer. The glass back side behind the uppermost row keeps the fan noise focused toward the field, accentuating the home field advantage.
Ironically, the Mariners let go of some of their biggest stars at about the same time they moved into their new home: Randy Johnson, Alex Rodriguez, and Ken Griffey Jr. It was amazing that the Mariners remained competitive in the early 2000s, and this was thanks to players like Bret Boone and Edgar Martinez, who have since retired. In recent years, megastar Ichiro Suzuki has led the team's pursuit of the American League West crown, and as of July 2007, they are making yet another bid for a postseason berth.
Safeco Field hosted the first Seattle Bowl (formerly the Oahu Bowl), held on December 27, 2001, when Georgia Tech beat Stanford. (The second Seattle Bowl was held a year later in brand-new Seahawks Stadium, and then it apparently folded.) Together with AT&T Park (ex-SBC Park / Pac Bell Park) and Chase Field (ex-Bank One Ballpark), that makes three neoclassical stadiums that have hosted football games. Weird!
SOURCES: Rosen (2001), Google Earth
FAN TIPS: Brandon Henderson, Bob Williams, Bruce Orser
