| Formerly known as the Dilla Villa (and now again known by Potter County Memorial Stadium), this ballpark got a corporate sponsor in 2001, hence the funky name. Based on the crazy atmosphere during games here, the odd name probably shouldn't come as too much of a surprise. The ballpark itself is a neat old place. The concrete and steel grandstand features a large roof that covers almost half of the seating. The seats are a mismatch of different types. They range from fold down plastic seats (which came from Arlington Stadium) to fold down wooden seats to wooden benches with and without backs. There are also some metal bleachers along the left field line. Behind the seating areas are the concourses (yes, there are two of them, similar to Quebec). The main concourse (on the lower level) features the bulk of he concession stands as well as a small souvenir stand and some games for the kids. The upper concourse is rather narrow, but has a couple concession stands and bathrooms. The Dillas offer a good variety of concession options : BBQ, sausage wraps, frito pies, and turkey legs are some of the non-standard items available. While the park is functional, some minor renovations could make this a more attractive place. Many seats are broken and/or worn and the backstop has several boards that are rotten. Fixing the general appearance of the park could certainly help to draw additional fans. But for me, this is just a minor complaint as compared to the atmosphere. With the amount of dance music that was played, I wasn't sure whether I was at a ballpark or a dance club. Also, there were too many sound effects (some that were repeated numerous times) and an annoying PA announcer who had to advertise every foul ball by saying "There goes another MRL foul ball." It certainly is not a very relaxing environment. Because of its location in west Texas, Amarillo National Dilla Villa has very uninspired setting. It is located on the outskirts of town next to a rodeo arena. There is nothing to look at beyond the outfield fence. Parking is plentiful and free. This is definitely a park from another era - unfortunately, the atmosphere does not match the era it is from. Despite this, it is still worth a visit, if for nothing else to see an architecturally unique ballpark. The original Dillas folded after the 2004 season, but fortunately the United Baseball League put a team here for the 2006 season. Starting in 2011, the Amarillo franchise played in the American Association. In 2016, as the city worked towards getting a new ballpark constructed (possibly for an affiliated team), Amarillo shared a team (the AirHogs) with Grand Prairie. But in '17 they were dropped entirely from the AA. With the city now building a new ballpark for an affiliated team (scheduled to open in 2019), Potter County Memorial Stadium was probably be demolished in the near future.
|
