| Joliet, while appearing to be a suburb of Chicago (it is only about 30 miles away), is actually its own city with its own downtown. The jewel of the downtown area is Silver Cross Field (now known as Joliet Route 66 Stadium). With its massive red brick exterior, the ballpark fits in quite well with its surroundings and is just a short walk from shops and restaurants. Entering the ballpark, fans must walk up a flight of stairs to get to the concourse which overlooks the field. Once inside, you'll find the pretty typical new ballpark design. Luxury boxes are stacked on top of the concourse, grassy berms are located down each line, and a 360 degree concourse allows you to walk completely around the park. Unfortunately, fans can't actually see the field from the concourse in right field. Seating is all green fold down chairs between the 1B and 3B bags, meaning all seats are close to the action. A picnic area is located on top of the concession building in left field, apparently an attempt at mimicking the Wrigley Field rooftop experience. In addition, a patio and spa has been constructed in the right field corner. Concession highlights include brats and Chicago dogs. The quality seemed good, but prices are a bit high for the minors. Also, a coffee stand is located down the left field line which serves various drinks. The atmosphere at Silver Cross Field seemed a bit forced at times as the "Funstruction Crew" was constantly trying to lead cheers even though fans already seemed into the game and knew when to cheer on their own. Many of the typical between inning games were played - Race The Mascot, Sumo, Water Balloon Toss, and Human Bowling. One unique game they play here involves a velcro board located behind the fence in right field. One lucky fan is stuck to this board and attempts to catch a home run ball for 7 innings. If he does, he wins a new automobile. Even if he doesn't, he is still awarded a prize if he can last 7 innings. It is quite a sight to see a fan just hanging on this board for hours. Unfortunately, as of 2009, this game was no longer being performed on a nightly basis. The Jackhammers have a large gift store located at street level. It is available from inside the park via a spiral staircase. Two nice touches by the team are the free programs handed out as you enter the park and the free parking that is available. On street parking and various lots in the downtown are free of charge on game nights. I wish more teams would follow their lead in both these aspects. While I don't care for the team nickname, the city of Joliet has definitely built a winner with Silver Cross Field. Its downtown location certainly gives it something extra that other parks with a similar design don't have. Just a nice, enjoyable place to take in a game.
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