| The opening of Coca-Cola Park in 2008 allowed for professional baseball to return to Allentown for the first time since 2003 when the Ambassadors of the Northern League played at Bicentennial Field, a venue that was substandard even by independent league measures. So when the Iron Pigs arrived, it was probably a sure bet that most fans had never heard of the Ambassadors or had long since forgotten about them. Coca-Cola Park is a nice enough new venue, resembling many other new ballparks built in the past decade. It is on the small side for a AAA park, which does make it more intimate. Located off of Airport Rd (and thus closeby to the Lehigh Valley Airport), the setting is boring as there is no view to speak of from any seat in the ballpark. A wraparound concourse allows fans to circle the field and take in the game from numerous angles. A nice touch is the copious amounts of counter space that was built for folks who like to stand. This feature is very reminiscent of what you'll find at Citizens Bank Park in nearby Philadelphia. All seats are angled toward home plate which allow fans a good view of the action, except when balls are hit into the outfield corners. As can be expected, there are numerous luxury boxes, most of which are stacked above the concourse. But there are also a couple located on the field level right behind home plate. While these are unique at the minor league level, they do take away some good seats. A large, multi-tiered picnic area is located along the left field line. Behind the left field fence, there is a grassy berm where the overflow crowd can sit. Also, as with every new park, there is a play area for the kids - this one located behind the picnic area in left field. Concessions at Coca-Cola Park are well varied and very reasonably priced. Some of the food options include burgers, Italian sausages, meatball sandwiches, Philly cheese steaks, BBQ sandwiches, walking tacos, gyros, and corn on the cob. A large, well stocked team store is located in the right field corner, right next to the main entrance to the ballpark. The atmosphere is a bit busier than other AAA parks as the team did several between inning contests. But overall, it was pretty relaxing. Just two minor complaints - first, why they feel the need to create two huge walls of ads in the outfield ? Not only are they ugly, but they serve no useful purpose. Fortunately they are not blocking the view of anything. Secondly, because of where the parking lots are located, almost every fan must cross the road to get to their cars. This causes quite a problem after the game, especially if you don't get to your car right away. Otherwise, I really enjoyed my visit. The IronPigs really seemed to have followed the model set by the Reading Phillies and this have had no problems filling up the park for five years running now. There is nothing too memorable about Coca-Cola Park, but when the fans in Allentown had nothing before, this is surely a place to be proud of.
|
